tinuous, and arduous and active service. When General McClellan used the phrase describing his bearing at Williamsburg, "Hancock was superb," he gave the keynote to many subsequent compliments and commendations; and perhaps his picturesque appearance induced the country to adopt a word, which that splendid orator, my friend Mr. Dougherty, employed with such effect at Cincinnati, when he nominated Hancock for the Presidency on the 24th of June, 1880. His erect and commanding carriage and his classic personality make him not only an object of interest to the stranger, but had much to do with his signal influence over his troops. He always remained mounted on the battle-field, and no one who ever saw him on such occasions could forget his knightly figure and chivalric bearing, as he rode along the lines encouraging his men to stand fast and give no ground.

Before the resistless sortie at Williamsburg, Hancock was comparatively an unknown subordinate, but after that, his name was heard from Maine to California. Marshal Macdonald, at Wagram, did not do a more wonderful thing, than when Hancock dashed forward on his horse, with head bared, swinging his hat and shouting to his men, "Forward! Forward! For God's sake, forward!" On came the shouting, firing, confident Confederates. It seemed madness to attempt to stop them. But not a second intervened when his own brigade saw

Hancock blazing before them; then they followed with a thundering shout that drowned the crackling musketry, and with lowered bayonets, moving along with the line, as perfect as though the men were on parade, drove the enemy, won the fight, and settled the destinies of the day. And it is casting no reflection on other Generals to say that four out of five of them would not have crossed that ravine with such a force as Hancock had with him to meet the fierce impetuosity of the enemy.

It must not be forgotten that this was the initial period of our civil conflict, and that many of the soldiers who were most censured, among others General McClellan, fell before the criticism of the war, and before the over-anxiety of the people to hasten the overthrow of the Confederates. General Hancock expected these difficulties, perhaps on account of his extreme youth, but this gave him facilities for trial and for self-examination; and thus while McClellan and others were suffering from their somewhat sudden pre-eminence, Hancock was, so to speak, unconsciously schooling himself for a great destiny. It is the experience of all humanity, that men must grow into greatness like trees into stature. His subsequent conspicuous services at Golding's Farm, Garnett's Hill, White Oak Swamp, and other engagements, during the seven days fight, closed with the victory of Malvern Hill.

The manner of Hancock in battle has been

frequently described. He was always among his men, riding up and down his line of battle, encouraging them by voice and by example, sharing their danger and exposing himself more than themselves. He was always at the critical point at the right moment of time. The soldiers knew they were fighting under his eye, the eye of one who never knew fear himself and would tolerate it in no one else. On the 28th of June, 1862, at Garnett's Hill, Hancock was again heavily engaged, as he was at Savage Station on the 29th, and at White Oak Swamp on July 30th, of the same year. In this latter engagement his brigade sustained, without flinching until ordered to fall back, the fire of sixty pieces of artillery, from a position on the other side of a ravine. The enemy could not be attacked, and no reply, except by two or three of the Union batteries, could be made to their tremendous bombardment. General Hancock's brigade held their position throughout the day, repelling the infantry attacks of the enemy successfully until the immense wagon trains of our retreating army were out of the way,

Gen. McClellan, the President and Congress, for these distinguished services, promoted Hancock to the rank of Major-General of volunteers, and brevetted him as major, lieutenant-colonel and colonel in the regular army, and the words of these