Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-07-17
r.. B. I'll AY e s.
His GaIIantry In the War.

Hayes bravery at the battle of South
Mountain is from "Ohio in the War;
"At South Mountain the regiment
under Lieutenant Colonel Hayes, (Col.
Scsmmon commanding division, was
the first infantry engaged, being the
advance of the column on that day
1t was ordered, at an early hour, to ad.
vance by an unfrequented road lead
ing up the mountain, and to attack the
enemy. Posted behind stone wall, the
enemy, in greatly superior force, pour
ed a destructive fire of musketry,
grape and canister into our ranks al
very short range, and in q very short
space of time Lieutenant Colonel Hayes
Captain Skiles, and Lieutenants Hood,
Ritter and Smith were each badly
wounded, Colonel Hayes arm broken;
Captain Skiles shot through the elbow,
arm amputated Ritter, leg amputst-
ed, and over one hundred dead and
wounded lay upon the field out Of the
three hundred and fifty who went into
action.
The command now devolYed upon
Major Comfy, and remained with him
from that time forward. The enemy
suddenly opened fire from the left,
and the regiment changed front on
first company. Lieutenant Colonel
Hayes soon after again maze. his ap-
pearance on the field, with his wound
halfdressed, and fought, against the
remonstFances of the whole command.
until carried off. Soon after the re.
mainder of the brigade came up, a
gallant charge was made up the hill,
and the enemy WIS dislodged and
driven into the woods beyond. In
this charge large number of the enc.
my were killed with the bayonet. Du-
ring the remainder of the day the regi-
ment fought with its division. Three
bayonet. charges were made by the
regiment during the day, in each of
which the enemy were driven with
heavy loss. During the day the Twen-
ty-third lost nearly two hundred, of
whom almost one-fourth were killed
on the field or afterwards died of their
wounds. Only seven men were unac-
counted for at the rollcall after the
action. The colors Of the regiment
were riddled, and the blue field almost
completely carried away by shells and
bullets"
At the celebrated battle of 0pequan
or Winchester, Colonel Hayes distin-
guished himself alike by his sound
judgment and brilliant daring. OF this
affair we read in ''0hio in the War;"
"After the usual amount of march
ing and countermarching, from the
4th to the 18th of September, the bat
tie of Opequan was fought on the 18th.
General Crooks command was in re-
serve. bat was very soon brought into
action and sent to the extreme right of
the line to make hankattack. Hayes
brigade had the extreme right of infan-
try. The position was reached under |
cover of an almost impenetrable growth |
Of cedar, crossing swampy stream
Here the division was halted and for
Brigade (Hayes,) in the |
'front.', and the Second (Johnson'sl in |
the rear. Throwing out light line of |
the brigade advanced rap
idly to the front, driving the enemy's
cavalry. The national cavalry al the
'ame time advanced out of the woods
1n the right. After advancing in this
way across two OF three open fields,
under a scattering fire, the crest of
slight elevation was reached, when the
snemy's infantry line came into view,
off disgonally to the left front, und he
opened brisk artillery FIRE."
Moving forward double quick un-
der this fire, the brigade reached
.hick fringe of underbrush, dashing
through which it came upon a deep
Tough, forty or fifty yards wide, and
learly waist deep, with soft mud at the
,otsom, overgroWn with thick bed Of
moss nearly strong enough to bear the
weight of a man. 1t seemed impossi-
lie to get through it, and the whole
inc was staggered for moment. Just
hen Colonel Hayes plunged in with
lis horse, and under q shower Of bull
cts and shells, with his horse some
lines down, he rode, ,waded, and drag
,ed his way through-the first man
,ver. The Twenty-third was immedi-
ltely ordered to the right flank and
'ver the slough at the same place
II AOOAOCAAHS bAiOuSA tuo mOEaso
nen were sutfocated and drowned,
till the regiment plunged through,
nd then, after pause long enough to
partially reform the line, charged for
7ard again yelling and driving the
nemy. Sheridan's old cavalry kept
lose up on the right, having passed
round the slough, and every time the
nemy was driven from cover charged,
nd captured large number Of pris-
ners. This plan was followed through
ut the battle, by which the cavalry
Tss rendered very effective. In one of {
hese charges Colonel Duvall, the di-
ision commander, was wounded and /,
arried from the field, leaving Colonel l
Iayes in command. He was every. !
here exposing himself recklessly as 9
suRl. He was the first over the slough;
e was in advance of the line half the
lme afterwards; his Adjutant General
-ss severely wounded men were drop /
ing all around him, but he rode I
trough it as if he had charmed life" '