# 20078 - 1986 Winfield S Hancock Commemorative Cover
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Birth Of Winfield Scott HancockÂ
Named after the legendary War of 1812 general, Winfield Scott, Hancock attended the Norristown Academy and public schools before he was nominated to the US Military Academy at West Point. He was an average student, graduating 18th out of 25 and was assigned to the 6th US Infantry.
In the coming years, Hancock got married and served in Minnesota and Missouri. He was also in Florida for the end of the Third Seminole War. From there he served in Kansas and then California. Still in California at the outbreak of the Civil War, Hancock returned east to help General George McClellan organize and train the Army of the Potomac.
Appointed a brigadier general of volunteers, Hancock served in the Peninsular Campaign of 1862. During that campaign, he led a major counterattack at the Battle of Williamsburg. McClellan later telegraphed to Washington that âHancock was superb today, which led to his nickname, âHancock the Superb.â Over the next year, he would serve at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, suffering wounds at two of those battles.
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Birth Of Winfield Scott HancockÂ
Named after the legendary War of 1812 general, Winfield Scott, Hancock attended the Norristown Academy and public schools before he was nominated to the US Military Academy at West Point. He was an average student, graduating 18th out of 25 and was assigned to the 6th US Infantry.
In the coming years, Hancock got married and served in Minnesota and Missouri. He was also in Florida for the end of the Third Seminole War. From there he served in Kansas and then California. Still in California at the outbreak of the Civil War, Hancock returned east to help General George McClellan organize and train the Army of the Potomac.
Appointed a brigadier general of volunteers, Hancock served in the Peninsular Campaign of 1862. During that campaign, he led a major counterattack at the Battle of Williamsburg. McClellan later telegraphed to Washington that âHancock was superb today, which led to his nickname, âHancock the Superb.â Over the next year, he would serve at Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, suffering wounds at two of those battles.