Show HANCOCKS CAREER A Brief Sketch of the Gallant Soldier HIS SERVICES ON THE COAST The War in MexicoPromoted for Gallantry Bis Marriage Brilliant Record Winfield Scott Hancock was born February 14 1824 in a small village called Montgomery Square in Mont gomery County Pennsylvania Ben jamimin the father of the late general was a lawyer by profession and prac iced for forty years at the Morristown bar dying in 1867 Winfields mother died in 1879 Winfield Scott Hancock was named after General Winheld Scott and the venerable lieutenantgeneral in after years often referred to his rising young namesake in terms of pride and and commendation Winfields early education was snper intended by his father who prior toeing to-eing called to the bar had been a teacher With this careful home training train-ing as a foundation with his brother Hilary was sent to the Morristown Academy At school Hancock was esteemed es-teemed for his entire unselfishness and pluck in defending the weaker boys against the bullying of their stronger comrades In 1840 at the nee of 10 young Hancock was sent to West Point He passed the entrance examination quite creditably I developed late was his remark and at 1C was too much of a boy to feel the importance of hard study While young Hancock remained I re-mained a cadet General Scottwhose I name he breeften visited the I academy and always exhibited a lively interest in his namesake When Win field graduated the old General asked him what regiment he preferred Joining Join-ing to which the young man replied Jet l ht r J ThC fD The one fartheot west The connauv to which he was assigned was stationed at Fort Towson in the Indian country near the Bed Riyer on the borders of Texas Fort Washita ninety miles west was then the most remote station on the western frontier On June 18 1846 Hancock received his commission la Second Lieutenant in a company oi his regiment stationed on the frontier of Mexico where the troubles which eventuated in the Mexican war were already brewing Sometime after hostilities commenced he was ordered to the field The troops with HancocK landed at Vera Cruz and joined General Gen-eral Pierces column which was about to march to reinforce General Scottat Pueblo He was appointed Adjutant under Colonel M L Bonham Thefirst important action in which Hancock was engaged was the battle of Cheru busco on August 20 1847 Hancock was present at the desperate assault on the castle of Chapultepec at the battle of Contrera and Molino del Roy al oat o-at the capture of the City ot Mexico He was promoted for gallantry at Con treras and Cherubusco to a first lieutenancy lieuten-ancy He escaped those fierce conflicts with only a slight wound On the 24th of January 1850 Lieutenant Lieuten-ant Hancock was married toMissAlmira I Russell daughter of Samuel Russell a merchant of St Louis where the ceremony cer-emony took place Hancock gained his captaincy on November 71855 and was ordered to Florida He was stationed sta-tioned at Fort Myers The Seminole war had just broken out The trouble there being settled Hancock went with General Harney to Kansas In January Janu-ary 1858 he accompanied Harney to Utah where there was trouble between the Mormons and Gentiles This outbreak out-break was not long lived and when things were settled Hancock was ordered or-dered to the headquarters of the Department De-partment of Utah to join his regiment the Sixth Infantry which was expected to move into Oregon The regiment was soon ordered Benicia California Hancock awaited orders in California for some time but none arriving he went east by way of the Isthmus of Tehuantcnec and reioined his family After a short stay home he was ordered back to Los Angles and put in charge of the Quartermasters department there where he remained until 1861 In 1861 Hancock was relieved from duty in California at his own request and repairing immediately to Washington Wash-ington applied for active service in the field He nai appointed brigadiergen eral and assigned as quartermaster to General Andersons command in Kentucky Ken-tucky He was actively engaged in the siege ot Yorktown with JlcClellans army and at AVillumsburg led the gallant gal-lant charge which took Fort Magruder and won the day At the battles of Goldings Farm Garnetts Hill Savage Station White Oak Swamp and during the retreat to Harrisons Landing his services were so conspicuous that the brevets of major lieutenantcolonel colonel were conferred upon him and General McClellan recommended him for a majorgeneralstiip In the Mary land campaign he led his brigade at Cramptons Pass South Mountain and I Antietam where the death of General Ricuardson placed him in commando the First Division SecondjLrmy Corps October 1011 1862 he conducted an important im-portant reconnoissance from Harpers Ferry to Charlestown He was then promoted pro-moted to be majorgeneral of volunteers vol-unteers and continuing in commando of the First and Second divisions he led them at Fredericksburg and in May 1863 in the assault on Maryes Heights at Chancellorsville Tho next month he was placed in command of the Second Division At Gettysburg After the death of Reynolds Hancock was sent I forward by General Meade to assume command He arrived lust as the Union Army was retreating through Gettysburg stayed the retreat and threw his forces out to Gulps Hill where it checked the enemys further advance Noticing the advantages of the position posi-tion Hancock at once sent General Meade a report of the situation such as determined the latter to give fight right there On the memorable days of Juy 2d and 3d Hancock commanded the leit c litre and tepulsed the final desperate assault of Leejarrav Just as victory was assured for the Union anus general Hancock wasseyerely Rounded For his distinguished kervices at Gettysburg Get-tysburg and elsewhere General Hancock Han-cock receiver a vote of thanks from Congress When his wound wa < healed Haiucck joined h s corps This Was in the winter of 1863 and as no active service ser-vice was going on he was sent north to recruit the almost dtdmtted ranks of his corps At New York Boston Philadelphia and Albany he was tendered ten-dered the freedom of the cities and publIC pub-lic receptions while his popularity as a man and a soldier rendered his recruit ing mission eminently successful In March 18o4 he returned to his command com-mand and though still troubled bs his wound took active part in the battle of the Wilderness and the cimpRgn of that year At the battle of the Po May 10th he CJmmanded the Second and Fifth corps also at the assault on Spottsylvama Courthouse He led his men at the famous assault on the nemys works at Spottsylvama and captured over 4000 prisoners besides twenty pieces of cannon and thousands of small arms At Cold Harbor and he assault of the lines before Petersburg Peters-burg General Hancock played a con p uons part until by the breaking out iigain of his old Gettysburg wound he was forced to relinquish his command com-mand for ten days So soon however us partially recovered he returned to i the command of his corpsbefore Petersburg Peters-burg On August 12th he was appointed ap-pointed a Brigadier General of the regular army The battles of Deep Bottom Reanes Station and Boydton Plank road were fought under his direction direc-tion In November 1834 he was sent to organize th first army corps of veterans remaining in Washington on his dutyuntil February 1S65 when he was given the command of the middle military division and in July that of the Middle Department The latter he held until August 18CC when he took command ot the Department of Missouri having in the meantime thrown up his volunteer commission and been promoted to be a major general in the regular army While in Missouri he conducted an expedition against hostile Indians of the plains From September 1867 to March 186S he commanded the Department De-partment of the Gulf with headquarters at New Orlenns the MilitaryDivision of the Atlantic March 18C8 to March 1860 the Departmentof Dakota 186972 when he was assigned the command of the Atlantic Division which he held up to the time of his tleath being senior MajorGeneral and only having one superior officer General Sheridan Hancock aided materially in the reconstruction re-construction of the Southern States and his wise and conciliatory administration adminis-tration the affairs of Texas and Louisiana Lou-isiana when military governor won him golden opinions from all classes In 1880 on the refusal of Tilden to run for President Hancock was nominated on the second ballot over Bayard Payne Thurman Field Morrison and Hendricks He was defeated by Garfield Gar-field after a close contest |