Democratic Sentinel, Volume 10, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 February 1886 — HANCOCK DEAD. [ARTICLE]

HANCOCK DEAD.

Another Brave Soldier and Brilliant General Vanquished by the Dread Destroyer. His Taking Off Sudden and Unexpected—A Sketch of the Deceased. [New York telegram.] Winfield Scott Hancock. Major General commanding the Department of the Atlantic, died at Governor s Island on Tuesday, the 9th inst. The cause of his death was a carbuncle, located on the back of his neck, combined with kidney trouble. The carbuncle first made its appearance Jan. 27, while the General was in Washington, whither he had gone on private business. He believed it to be a boil, and had it lanced. It caused him considerable annoyance for two or three days, but on Friday, the 29th ult.. he felt in the best of health and spirits. He returned to New York on that day. The supposed boil began to trouble the General after his return to Governor's Island, and a week ago to-day Dr. Janeway pronounced it a carbuncle and began to treat it us such. Two days later the General’s condition was apparently much improved. The carbuncle, however, broke out afresh on the 7th with a great deal of vigor. It grow worse and worse until 11 o’clock at night, when the General became delirious. The following day the kidney trouble was discovered, and the patient's condition was for the first time considered dangerous. Early this morning he became unconscious. Dr. Janeway called in Col. Charles Sutherland, Medical Director, and telephon- ® r ’ Stimson, of this city, who soon put in an appearance. The physicians examined tne patient, and soon saw that Gen. Hancock's hours were numbered. He sank steadily from that time forth until he died. Fears were entertained of uremic convulsion!, and procuration was made to treat them, but they did not appear, and the General passed away quietly. In the room at the time, in addition to the physicians, were Gen. James B. Fry, Lieut. Eugene Griffin, nn aid-de-camp ; Hospital Steward Robinson, and Orderly John Ward, Who had been in constant attendance on the sick man for several days pass. The patient had been unconscious for about six hours previous to his death. Mrs. Hancock was in the adjoining room when her husband passed away. She had been up with the General all night, and left him at four o’clock in the morning. Even then the sick man seemed to realize that his end was drawing near. As his wife imprinted a farewell kiss ou his sunken cheek ho murmured: “Oh, Allie, Myra, good ” Allie was a pet name by which he called his wife. The sentence was not finished. They were the last words ho attempted to utter. With Mrs. Hancock, at the time of her husband's death, were her cousin, Mrs. Emma Bouvier, and Mrs. Eugene Griffin. The survivors of General Hancock’s immediate familv, aside from his widow, are his brothers Hillary Hancock, who was born his twin, and is a lawyer at Minneapolis, and Brevet General John Hancock. He was the father of two children, both of yhom are dead. His daughter Ada died in March, 1875, and his son Russell died a year ago last December at his plantation in Clarksdale, Miss. The son left a widow and three children, one of them a boy, who has been living with the General at Governor’s Island.

The News in Washington.

(Washington dispatch.] A telegram announcing the dangerous illness of Gen. Hancock was received by the President about 1 o’clock to-day and was read to the Cabinet. Just after the Cabinet adjourned a second telegram was received conveying the intelligence of his death. The flag on the White House was immediately placed at half-mast, and the President soon after issued the following Executive order: “Tidings of the death of Winfield Scott Hancock, the senior Major General of the army of tho United States, have just been received. A patriotic and valiant defender of his country, an able and heroic soldier, a spotless and accomplished gentleman, crowned alike with the laurels of military renown and the highest tribute of his fellow-countrymen to his worth as a citizen, he has gone to his reward. It is fitting that every mark of public respect should be paid to his memory. Therefore, it is now ordered by the President that the national flag be displayed at half-mast upon all the buildings of the executive departments in this city until after his funeral shall have taken place.” The President also sent the following telegram to Mrs. Hancock: “Accept my heartfelt sympathy and condolence in your terrible bereavement. The heroism and worth of your late husband have gathered to your side in this hour of your affliction a nation of mourners.” The flag on the War Department building was placed at half-mast by order of the Secretary of War, and arrangements were made for the promulgation of a general order formally announcing Hancock's death to the army, which will be issued to-morrow. The Secretary of War also recalled the invitations he had issued for a reception to the officers of the army, navy, and marine corps for this evening.

Biographical.

General Hancock was born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, Feb. 14, 1824; he entered the West Point Academy in 1840, graduated in 1844, and in 1846 received his commission of Lieutenant of infantry. He served during the Mexican war, was promoted for his gallantry, and, having filled several subordinate posts, wai made Assistant Quartermaster of the Western Department with the rank of Captain on the Staff, which rank he held at the outbreak of the civil war. In 1861 he was appointed Brigadier General of volunteers, and served in the Army of the Potomac. He accompanied General McClellan's army to the Peninsula in 1862, and distinguished himself in the battle of Williamsburg. At the battle of Fredericksburg, in December, 1862, he commanded a division which suffered severely, and for his meritorious conduct on this occasion he received a commission as major general of volunteers. He took part in the battle of Chancellorsville. When the advance of the Union and Confederate forces encountered at Gettysburg, July 1, 1863, and the Union forces were driven back, Hancock was sent forward by Meade to decide whether a general battle should be risked there, and if so, although he was outranked by Howard, who was on the field, was ordered to take the command until Meade should come up. In the decisive engagement July 3 Hancock’s division bore the prominent part, although he himself was severely wounded early in the engagement, He recovered sufficiently to return to duty Dec.*27,1863, but was unable to command a body of troops until April, 1864, when he was promoted to the command of the Second Army Corps and was engaged in all the battles of the Wilderness campaign, from May 5 to June 19. 1864, when the breaking out of the old wound received at Gettysburg compelled him to leave for a time. He returned to his command in July, and remained with it tuitil Nov. 26, 1864, being subsequently engaged in lighter duties until the close of the war. H® was promoted to be Brigadier General of the regular army in August, 1864, Brevet Major General March 13, 1865, and Major General of the United States army July 26, 1866. After the war he was successively commander of the Middle Department, 1865-66; of the Mi®, souri. 18C6-67; of the Department of Louisiana and Texas. 1867-69, and of the Department of Dakota, 1869-72. Upon the death of Gen. Meade, November, 1872, the President, in acknowledgment cf hie great military services, appointed Gen. Hancock to the command of the Department of the East, with headquuarters at Governor’s Island, New York, a position which he held up to tho day of his death, being one of the three Major Generals in tho United States Army, In 1868 Gen. Hancock was a prominent candidate for tho Democratic nomination to th® Presidency, which, however, was given to oxGov. Seymour. H secured the nomination in 1889, but was defeated in tho election by Gen. Garfield, who received a popular majority of 7.018 and an electoral majority of 59 over Gen. Hancock.

Sam Jones says “from a Governor doiyn to a dog pelter, lie would not vote for anakii that touched, tasted, or handled whisky to save hisjife.” Eeastus Corning, whose 1,100 orchids have cost a fortune, has also a collection of 50,000 butterflies.