The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1888-03-23
LIN Defense Of HaneOck's Memory.

Col. Finley Anderson. who was on Gen:
Hancock's staff during the Civil war bhS
addressed the following open letter 10 Sen
ator Ingalls,, at Washington ~
New York, March IL. 1855
Hon. John J. IdgdllS President pro TEN
United States Senate, Washington, H. Z.
"SIr: / have Just received copy OF
the CongreSSional Record containing the
official report of your recent speech IN
which you not only insult the Chiei
Magistrate of the Nation, but attempt 10
dishonor the memory OF both Hancock
and Mcclellan by naming each OF them
as having been an ALLY of the Confeder-
acy., As surviving member OF General
Hancock's staff, who shared with him
the tolls and the triumphs of the Civil
War. and as a friend whom Ee honored
with his confidence and affection To the
end of his blameless life. i cannot bear
IN silence your brutal blows at my old
commander. / must. therefore. as a
soldis- and citizen protest against any
utterancs that implies an Impeachment
OF his LOYALTY 10 his country.
when the summer flowers bloom
again on the graves of the heroic dead
a quarter of a century will have passed
since the battlefield of Gettysburg be
came the arena where the vGlor of the
North and South alike illustrated the
greatness of the American people and
commanded the admiration OF the
world. The name OF that peaceful
Pennsylvania village, baptized anew
with their mingled blood, was thus
made immortal as the symbol of Ma
tional power equal to any on the earth.
The crowning victory of that combat
has proved, under Providence, as clear
ly as though we had heard the voice of
God himself, that those principles of
liberty and law and fraternity and un-
ion. in earnest devotion to which
Hancock lived and died. are essential
to the welfare or mankind. To this re-
suit, the highest human achievement of
this century. Hancock contributed
more than any other soldier in the field.
When Reynolds fell on the morning of
the first day II was Hancock whom
Meade selected TO take supreme COM
mand in front, with power to choose
the ground where the great battle of the
war should be fought out. 1t was
Hancock who planted his colors on
Cemetery Ridge, where be rallied our
iisordered troops and formed the lines
of those historic heights, beyond which
the rising tide of the rebellion never
passed. It was Hancock who turned
i'm pending disaster into victory by the
counlercharge which saved the honor OF
the army on the evening Of the second
day. II was Hancock who repulsed
that grand assault. the most brilliant
in the annals of the war, when the flJw-
er OF the Army of Northern Virginia
withered and died before the fortitude
OF the Army OF the Potomac iu the fnal
struggle of the third day. II WAS thu:
that Hancock won at Gettysburg a
triple crown OF glory.
Naturally enough both Houses OF
Congress adopted a joint resolution tC
which had been voted to the officers and
soldiers OF the Army OF the Potomac
for the skill and heroic valor which al
Gettysburg repulsed, defeated and drove
back, broken and dispirted, the veteran
army OF the Rebellion, the gratitude oil
the American people and the thanks oi
their representative in Congress art
! likewise due, and are hereby rendered
| TO Ma. Gen. W. :. Hancock for hi:
/ gallant, meritorious and conspicuou,
share III that great and decisive victo
w. In view of HaucOck's constant
and conspicuous service TO his country
! for more than forty years, sealed al
/ that service Gas by his own blood, anC
| IN view OF bis proverbial purity OF char
acter, it is amazing how any man could
/ rise in the Senate chamber to defam,
/ his memory. But having the audacitl
| 10 do so, the least tnat you now can d.
/ in reparation of this wrong alike {,
! Hancock's memory and the patrioti,
! sentiment of the country, is to ris
| again in the Senate chamber and max,
a full retractiOn aud apology.
Respectfully yours,
FINLEY ANDERSON.