ent of the post of Fort Sheridan.

CHAPTER XXV
The Death of General Hancock--Assigned to the Division of the
Atlantic--Measures for Improving the Sea-Coast Defense--General
Fitz-John Porter's Restoration to the Army--President of the Board
Appointed to Review the Action of the Court Martial--General Grant's
Opinion--Senator Logan's Explanation of His Hostile Attitude Toward
General Porter.

In the spring of 1886 we were again called to meet around the grave
of one of the bravest and best of our companions. The almost
incomparably gallant Hancock, the idol of his soldiers and of a
very large part of the people, so perfectly stainless in life and
character that even political contest could not fan the breath of
slander, had suddenly passed away. We buried him with all honor
at his home in Pennsylvania. Again it fell to my lot--the lot so
common to the soldier--to step into the place in the ranks where
my comrade had suddenly fallen.

ASSIGNED TO THE DIVISION OF THE ATLANTIC

The Division of the Missouri was then larger in territory and much
larger in number of troops than that of the Atlantic, and had been
far more important. But Indian wars were, as we hoped, approaching
an end, while we also hoped that the country might soon be aroused
to the necessities of the national defense. The Division of the
Atlantic, including also the greater part of the Gulf States and
those of the northeastern frontier, would then resume its rightful
place as by far the most important of the grand military divisions
of the country. Hence I accepted without hesitation the command
of that division. My natural tastes and favorite studies had led
me largely in the direction of these modern sciences which have in
a few years imparted such enormous strides to the development of
the mechanical means of attack and defense, changing in a corresponding
degree the great problems of war. The valor of great masses of
men, and even the genius of great commanders in the field, have
been compelled to yield the first place in importance to the
scientific skill and wisdom in finance which are able and willing
to prepare in advance the most powerful engines of war. Nations,
especially those so happily situated as the United States, may now
surely defend their own territory against invasion or damage, and
the national honor and the rights of their citizens throughout the
world, by the wise scientific use of sur