One of the generals that had the great influence over the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg is General Winfield Scott Hancock.

The first day of the battle started when soldiers of Confederate General Henry Heth’s division attacked Union General John Buford’s Calvary and General John Reynolds’ First Corps. At that time General George Meade, the head of the Army of the Potomac, was still in Maryland. Meade had found a piece of ground that provided good defense. When he heard that Reynolds was killed in the fighting at Gettysburg, Meade needed someone that he trusted to go to the battle and take charge of the situation. He chose Hancock. Meade told Hancock to evaluate the area, and if the fighting ground was good and could be held, he was to stay in Gettysburg and he would bring up the soldiers from Maryland. But if the fighting ground wasn’t conducive to battle, he should bring all of the forces fighting back to where he was. So it was Hancock that made the final decision that the battle would be fought in Gettysburg. He and General Oliver Howard helped to get the retreating Union soldiers turned around as they ran through town and up Cemetery Hill. Their efforts helped to hold the favorable Union position.

On day two of the battle, Hancock’s Second Corps was placed in the middle of the Union defensive position. When General Dan Sickles moved his Third Corps a half of a mile ahead of the rest of the army, Hancock gave Meade a division of his corps, led by General John Caldwell to help reinforce Sickles’ men. Caldwell fought a horrific battle in the Wheatfield. As the Third Corps retreated back toward Cemetery Ridge, Hancock’s job was to ready reinforcements to stop the Confederate onslaught. He ordered the First Minnesota regiment to charge into the Confederates to give him more time. The Minnesota regiment suffered over eighty percent casualties, but they helped Hancock drive back the enemy.

On day three, Hancock was still positioned in the center of the Union line. This was where Confederate General George Pickett’s charge was supposed to attack. Before Pickett’s Charge, there was a huge artillery bombardment by the Confederates. Hancock’s men on the front line grew nervous, so he rode his horse up and down the line shouting words of encouragement. When told to get off of his horse or he might get hit by an incoming shell, Hancock responded that he was doing what a general was supposed to do – steadying his men. Later as the Confederates advanced to the stone wall on the ridge, Hancock was wounded in the right thigh as he was rushing soldiers to the action. He told soldiers wanting to take him to a field hospital that he refused to be moved until the battle was decided, even though he was bleeding profusely. Hancock’s wound would bother him for the rest of his life.

In January of 1864, George Meade and Oliver Howard both received official thanks from Congress for their efforts at Gettysburg. Hancock was not mentioned. It was not until April of 1866 that Hancock finally received his belated and much deserved thank you from Congress for his fighting at Gettysburg.

Hancock was one of the only Union officers that had a critical role in all three days of fighting. To see the statue of General Winfield Scott Hancock at Gettysburg, head down Baltimore Street to the entrance to the Evergreen Cemetery. Across the street from the gatehouse of the cemetery you’ll find Hancock’s statue on Cemetery Hill. A statue of General Howard is located close to Hancock’s monument.