Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Hancock, Winfield Scott 1824-

Military officer; born in Montgomery Square, Montgomery co., Pa., Feb. 14, 1824; graduated at West Point in 1844: served in the war with Mexico; and left that country

Winfield Scott Hancock.

quartermaster of his regiment. In September, 1861, he was made brigadier-general of volunteers, and served in the campaign on the Virginia peninsula in 1862. He was distinguished in the battles of South Mountain and Antietam. Having been made major-general of volunteers in November, 1862, he led a division at Fredericksburg in December; also at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, in 1863. Placed in command of the 2d Army Corps, he led it in the campaign of the Army of the Potomac in 1864-65. In August, 1865, he was made a brigadier-general in the United States army, and in 1866 was brevetted major-general. He was in command of different military departments after the war; and was the unsuccessful Democratic candidate for the Presidency of the United States in 1880, when he received 4,444,952 votes, against 4,454,416 for James A. Garfield, the successful Republican candidate. Of him General Grant said: “Hancock stands the most conspicuous figure of all the general officers who did not exercise a separate command. He commanded a corps longer than any other one, and his name was never mentioned as having committed in battle a blunder for which he was responsible.” To an adverse critic bluff General Sherman said: “If you will sit down and write the best thing that can be put into language about General Hancock as an officer and a gentleman, I will sign it without hesitation.” General Hancock died on Governor's Island, New York, Feb. 9, 1886.