New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-11
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
HANCOCK'S CHARACTER IN VICTORY AND
DEFEAT

GENERAL HANCOCK BY General Francis A.
Walker. PIP. VIZ. $50 d. Appleton & co. Crhe
Great Commanders Series)
This volume is the work of one in love with his
subject IL shows personal intimacy. and also
the minute study of points which would not
have occurred to an ordinary biographer Yet
the author has to begin by a specific plea for
his hero He describes the usual course Of popu-
lar tradition which gradually eliminates from the
legend of war all but the most prominent
names. and attributes 10 commander the
whole glory of the achievements of the victorious
army Sometimes legend is justified by fact
The one man made the army 1t could not
have won without him. but he could have made
another army equally efficient But legend doesnot
wait for a coincidence Of this sort. 1t gradually
embodies i'm the one leader to whom victory fell
the virtues and the skill OF many. and reserves
a place by his side not for the strategists VINO
might have been his rivals or his superiors, but
for the dashng. romantic. picturesque hsures oi
the fray. THE truly popular hero should be
one somewhat below the highest says the au-
thor; "nen love to think of the daring leader OF
corps division who. in executing those OF
ders forms in the darkness the dense column
Of assault. or dashes along the very front OF
the raging battle, the inspiration OF every SOLDIER
the incarnate genius of war" Among all the
subjects of memoirs in this series Hancock alone
never had a separate command. But there were
moments when his responsibilities were very
great He was loved by soldiers as daring and
brilliant and there is the testimony OF Grant
that he was 1.-The most conspicuous of ali the
general officers who did not exercise separate
command He a born soldier. win that
impulse for command which. when II Is marx
Of genuine strength is met by ready obedience
in others But he also in his earlier and
later days a keen theoretical politician. who
came near achieving the highest place in the
Nation When he was passing through his
course at West Point he added some law read
ing on his own account his fathers purpose
being 10 have him go into civil life frequent
practice with the young officers of the old army
But his experiences in the Mexican War de
cided his career He enjoyed the exercise of au-
thoritv the active business Of camp and march,
and no man could have taken more pleasure than
he in the office-work Of military man. General
Walker gives us to understand that he revelled
in "papers" The little fighting he had in Mexico
simply gave him an appetite for more. He was
slow to feel ambition. but the passion finally
seized him. and appears to have strengthened
with his years. When promotion fingered, ana
battles were out OF the question. his mastery OF
army business and knowledge Of the regula-
tiOns gave him distinction throughout the ser
vice At the outbreak Of the Seminole war ne
was assistant quartermaster. with the rank or
cantain. and was stationed in Florida. He thus
had the opportunity Of showing his ability IN
fitting out expeditions into the difficult Indian
country and in supplying troops. and his energy.
care. industry and foresight were such that
General Harvey when ordered to Kansas had
Hancock transferred there also Later II fell
10 him 10 provide for his regiment the 9Th In
fantry on long march Of loo miles from
Fort Bridger Utah to Benicia. Cal; ana ne
accomplished this in such fashion that the
troops and trains were in better condition at the
end than they had been al the beginning of the
Journey His report to the Quartermaster-Gen-
eral on this expedition comprises large amount
of information about the country traversed. the
lines Of travel. the supply Of water and grass.
with maps and tables of distances which would
have done credit to an engineer officer
Thus II will be seen that he was never salts
fed even at the first unless ne carried out what
ever task he had in hand to its clearest details.
The result was that when the Rebellion began
he was well equipped for gallant and useful ser
vice. What he knew OF infantry and could do
with infantry let Williamsburg and Fredericks-
burg and Gettysburg and the Solient at Spot
sylvania testify. While he was not a master Of
the science Of logstics. ike Meade and Humph-
reyes he could conduct d long march over bad
roads with artillery and trains. better. in my
humble judgment" says General Walker, "tnan
any other officer of the war Federal or Con-
fede-ate" His success in supplying troops was
O, the highest. The reference to the Solient AT
Spottsylvania is to one Of the severest actions OF
the war battle of twenty hours within an area
a mile long and half a mile IN width. While
a few pieces Of artillery were used, the conflict
b.
the hand-to-hand struggles Of men maddened 10
desperation. First Hancock's corps, the Second
drove the Confederates out Of the intrenched
field Then the latter returned and drove their
assaiants over the breastwork. There the Union
lists STONED and the battle went on right across
the ton OF the works. Gradually. after the f1rst
awful furry officers and men settled down TO
steady fight The Confederates. charging into
the area were met by incessant storm OF bull
let's Never since the discovery of gunpowder
had such a mass OF lead been hurled into a
space so narrow. Large standing trees were
literally cut off and brought to the ground by
infantry fire alone" Hancock had been ordered
10 hold on and he obeyed. His men. four ranks
deep kept the face OF the breastworks agans;
every shock Several times the trenches had TO
be cleared Of the dead to give the living place
"a stand cover that desperate and protracted
contest Hancock presineu' s'e'' H'O"e an"
masterful Withdrawing the shattered brlgades
az their ammunition became exhausted. supply
ing their places with fresh troops. feeding the
fires Of battle all day long and far into the
night" The Confcderates at last sullenly with
drew So far they were concerned the AFFAIR
was purely a question OF men, They hah not
lost in the Notifications taken from them any
ching which they needed to keep; bus they had
loo, 70 0O0 men, and that a fatal blow to an
army which had no hope Of replacing It's losses.
N.xt m Meade himself, Hancocks name is more
o,ose,v linked to the story Of Gettysburg. He
-. .nl.. nd Of the