The National tribune., 1908-09-24
/ |ZSzAMNuImMvyNS
~ 1andM2N6uzYI
Ey JCEN McELROY.

lima, but was himself born in North
Carolina. He was distinguished rather
for scholarships, and had been an assist
ant professor in the Naval Observatory.
but resigned from there to study law.
He had strong military inclnations.
and served for awhile in the Sandman
army. Aitho most of his family held
out for the Union as long as possible. he
went into secession at once, and was
prominent in the siege of Fort Sumter.
Next he became Colonel of the 22d N.
c., and then Brigadier-General He
was wounded and captured at Seven
Pines and upon being exchanged was
assigned TO command a new brigade of
North Carolinians. In this brigade was
the 26th n. c., which was almost anni-
hilated in the first days fight. in its ter
rible duel with a regiment of the Iron
Brigade. In the plans for the assault
Pettigrews Division was to form the
left of the assaulting force, and its at
tack was directed toward sharp
change in the direction of the stone
wall at the Bloody Angle. Gen. Petit
grew was one of the remnant which
survived the assault. but was mortally
wounded on the retreat from Gettys-
burg.
Maj-Gen. Winfield s. Hancock.
Not among the most famous Marshals
Of Napoleon, not in any army ever mar
shaled upon the field of battle, was
there found a superior soldier and lead
er of men than Maj.-Gen. Winfield S.
Hancock, whom Mcclellan, after seeing
him in action, pronounced "the superb
Hancock Mentally and physically he
was a man to captivate other men, COM
mand them and inspire them to the
highest effort. Tall and imposing in fig
ure, sitting a spirited horse like a cava-
iier in a, picture, with handsome, ge-
NAL, intelligent face, he was one that
all men would hail on sight as their
natural leader. He was, still rarer, one
of those men whose outward appear
ance is well supported by character and
acts. In whatever place he was called
Hancock did brilliantly well. From Sec
ond Lieutenant to corps commander he
was always acquitting himself in way
to satisfy the expectations of his most
Sanguine friends, and the higher he
rose the more brilliant his qualities
shone. He was born in Philadelphia
in 1924, of a good old Colonial family,
and graduated from the Military Acad-
emy in 1874 in the same class with
Gems. Peck, Pleasonton and Alexander
Hays, of the Union army, and Gems.
D. NJ. Frost and S. B. Buckner. of the
Confederate army. He was assigned to
the 9Th u s., with which he served two
years in the Indian country. and COM
manded q company at the beginning of
the Mexican War, winning breyets for
gallantry at Contreras and Churubusco.
He also showed much aptitude for staff
duty, served as Adjutant and Quarter
master, and in 1855 went to duty in
Florida as a Quartcrmaster. Next he
was found in Kansas during the trou-
bles there, and then made a quite cred
liable achievement in marching his
wagon train across the plains for 700
miles in 26 days. At Fort Bridger he
organized another train of 12S wagons.
with which he accompanied his regi-
ment over the mountains to Benicia,
Cal, and in spite of roads of the ut
most difficulty brought every wagon
thru the toilsome march of ], 100 miles.
He was then promoted to Chief Quar-
termaster on the Pacific Coast, with
headquarters at Los Angeles. So high
an opinion had been gained of his ca
pacity that he was among the first to
be commissioned Brigadier-General of
Volunteers, his commission being dated
Sept. 23, 1851, and his brigade formed
part of the Fourth Corps He had his
first opportunity to show the mettle that
was in him at Williamsburg, where he
earned the title OF 1.-The Superb" In
November, 1852, he was promoted to
Major-General of Volunteers, and at