Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1880 — “ THE SUPERB.” [ARTICLE]

“ THE SUPERB.”

Hancock from Contreras to burgTerre Haute Gazette, August 16. Judge A. B. Cailton spoke to a large audieDee in Greencastlc on last Saturday. He spoke about an hour and a half, and was listened to with tho closest attention. After dis cussing the political questions of the day, he paid a high comnliment to Win. H. English, whom he had known personally for more than a quarter of a century. Referring to General Hancock, and the manner in which some of the Republican newspapers have attempted to depreciate him by insinuations that he was “lik* Gen. Scott —all fuss and sea fliers and chiefly remarkable on dress parade,” the speaker pronounced a eulogy upon Gen. Hancock as a military man. He said, substantially: Talk about ‘“Sunday soldiers” and ‘‘carpet knights,” and fuss-andTeatkcrs! Talk about Hancock being only remarkable on “dress parade!” It is not so recorded on the pages of his country’s history, from Contreras, Churubusco and Molino del Roy, on the plains of Mexico, to Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Cold Harbor, and those other world-renowned battles of the Rebellion. True, that, on dress parade he was a magnifieeut-looking man—as magnificent was Marshal Ney or the white-plumed Henry of Navarre. But, in the shock of battle, he was always at the post of duty aud of danger. He was not “on dress parade” in those great battles of the war, that are familiar as household words, where blood ilowed free as a gushing torrent. He was not a,“carpet knight” at Yorktown, Malvern Hill, Antiotam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spottyslvania, North Anna, aild those other great battles of the war in which he won, by hard fighting) the name of “Hancock, the Superb.” Gettysburg! Hancock! So long as courage, manhood and patriotism are honored and revered among men, will Gettysburg and Hancock, linked together in Immortal fame, go sounding down the corridors of time! The third of July, 1803! The arena was Gettysburg. The amphitheater was the whole Union of 40,000,000 of people watching with bated breath the greatest battle between the greatest armies that had ever met on the continent. For two days the Union army had been driven back, and its line doubled up like an ex-bow. Gen. Reynolds bad fallen, and “Hancock, the Superb,” was ordered to take the chief command on the field. How nobly and well he did his duty, all the world knows and all the world wonders. In that awful crisis—in those dreadful hours of doubt and anxiety, when the hopes of the Rebellion and the fate of the Union hung in a doubtful balance, Hancock and his brave men snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, and the country was saved. But let us look at this “Dress Parade Hancock” just before that rencfwned charge and repulse. On the night before the 3d of July he had reconstructed the hue of the Union army which had been broken in many places. On the third day the battle was reopened by the Confederates with an artillery attack of two-liours-and-a-half with 160 cannon. Hancock knew what that meant. He knew that it was the prelude to a charge- all along the line from the Confederates. Then it was that the Superb Hancock went on “dress parade!” Amid this storm of balls and shells and death-shots falling thick and fast as lightnings from the mountain eloud, Hancock rode up and down In front of his lines, for two miles, inspiring confidence in his troops and preparing them for the charge that- he knew was coming. Finally tho dreadful shook came. Eighteen thousand Confederates un der Longstreet, the flower of Lee’s army, were hurled against Hancock’s line. But the gallant charge was gallantly repulsed, and the red field was won, by the “dress parade” Han-

cock, who fell in the forefront of the battle desperately wounded, reddening the green sward of his native State with the rich and noble blood as was ever shed on battle-field. This just compliment was reoeived by tiie audience with meat satisfaction and applause. +