Hancock, Winfield Scott

Winfield Scott (1824-1886), an American soldier. He was born at Montgomery Square, Pennsylvania, and died on Governor's Islan, New York. He was a graduate of West Point and served with credit in the Mexican War. He was with the United States forces in Florida during the Seminole War, was sent to Kansas during the border struggle, and was stationed subsequently at various points in Utah and at Los Angeles, California. At the outbreak of the Civil War he was assigned to the Army of the Potomac with the rank of brigadier. He took part at Antietam and Fredericksburg, saved the day for the Federals at Chancellorsville, and, though not in chief command, he was the hero of the Union army at Gettysburg. After the close of the war he commanded the military departments of Missouri, Texas, the Atlantic, Dakota, and the Atlantic again. Grant regarded him as a brilliant leader, a soldier of merit. In 1880 he was nominated by the Democratic party for the presidency. He received but 9,464 votes less than Garfield. See Civil War