mand to the relief of Burbridge, who had held the enemy at bay by the most desperate fighting. Attacking with great vigor, General Washburn soon routed the enemy, who had double his force, and drove him discomfited from the field. In December, 1863, he was ordered from Louisiana to Texas with his command, and at the gate of Matagorda Bay he captured Fort Esperanza, a strong rebel work, with all its guns, ammunition, etc. In April, 1864, Major-General Hurlburt having been removed from the command of the Department of West-Tennessee, Lieutenant-General Grant ordered General Washburn to that important command, with headquarters at Memphis. His administration has been characterized by great vigor and ability.

General Washburn is now in the prime of life, forty-three years of age. His home is at La Crosse, Wisconsin, on the Mississippi River. As a man of probity and honor, a public-spirited and patriotic citizen, he is universally esteemed; as a politician and a statesman, he has enjoyed the public confidence to a remarkable extent; as a soldier, he has shown sound military judgment, unsurpassed energy, undaunted courage, and the most lofty devotion to the cause of his country.

W

WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK.

INFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK was born at Montgomery Square, in

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, February fourteenth, 1824. By the mother's side he comes of a good fighting stock, his maternal great grandfather having served under General Washington, while his grandfather was a soldier both during the Revolution and in the war of 1812. His father, Benjamin F. Hancock, is a lawyer of Norristown, Pennsylvania.

Young Hancock entered the United States Military Academy in 1840, and was graduated in 1844. Like many of those officers who have most distinguished themselves within the last two or three years, he appears to have given but slight promise of future eminence, for he stood eighteenth in a class of twenty-five.

Assigned to the Sixth infantry as brevet Second Lieutenant, his first service was in the Indian Territory, on the banks of the Red River, and for some time he was stationed at Fort Washita, then the westernmost of our military posts. When the Mexican war broke out, he became Adjutant to Colonel (the late rebel General) Bonham, in Franklin Pierce's brigade, and on the march to Puebla had several opportunities, at the National Bridge and other points, of showing that he was made of better stuff than his West-Point record seemed to indicate. Arrived at Puebla, he joined his regiment, in which he had now obtained the full rank of Second Lieutenant, and under the command of General Worth began his route toward the capital.

At the battle of Churubusco he succeeded to the command of his company early in the action, and according to the official reports "behaved in the handsomest manner;" for which, coupled with his gallant conduct at Contreras, he received the next year the brevet of First Lieutenant. He was present at the battle of Molino del Rey and the taking of the City of Mexico; served for some time under Brigadier-General Cadwalader at Toluca; was appointed Regimental Quartermaster in June, 1848; and remained in the field until Mexico was formally surrendered at the close of the war. He was then ordered to the Upper Mississippi. From 1849 to 1855, he was stationed in Missouri, as adjutant of his regiment, during which time he married Miss Russell of St. Louis, in 1850, and was promoted to the full rank of First Lieutenant in 1853. In November, 1855, he was appointed Assistant Quartermaster with the rank of Captain, and attached to the Seminole expedition. For two years he saw active service in Florida, against the

WINFIJ

INFIELD SCO

W1

Montgomery C

mother's side he come having served under both during the Re Hancock, is a lawye Young Hanco

was graduated in 1 themselves within promise of future Assigned to

was in the Indi he was statione When the Mex General) Bonb

several opport was made of' at Puebla, h Second Lie

toward the

At th

early in t

somest m

received

From 1849 to 1855, he was stationed in Missouri,

during which time he married Miss Russell of St. Louis, in

moted to the full rank of First Lieutenant in 1853. In November, 1855, he was appointed Assistant Quartermaster with the rank of Captain, and attached to the Seminole expedition. For two years he saw active service in Florida, against the