Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1869-10-08
THE WAR RECORD OF GENER-
Al RUTHERFORD b. HAYES.
rFron ONO i'm the war;

4H1ving laid before our readers a
summary of the record made by George
I'll. Pendleton during the late rebellion,
we now offer, by way of contrast, a few
passages from the military life of GEN
eral Hayes. The reader cannot fail to
notice the striking and suggestive diff
ference between the public career Of
our worthy candidate for Governor and
that of his competitor during the time
(which tried mems souls. .'-EDs. GA
zETTE.l
Rutherford B. Hayes was born at
Delaware. Ohio, on the 4th of October,
1922. After a good preliminary educa-
ton he began the study Of law in the
office of Thomas Sparrow, Esq, of Col
umbus. With the liberal preparation
here received, he entered the Law
School of Harvard College, where he
completed the regular course and grad
uated with credit.
For some years prior to the outbreak
of the rebellion he had been practicing
his profession in Cincinnati. His gem
ial manners and his fine capacities as a
public speaker had commended him to
popular favor, and be bad more than
once been elected to responsible official
positions. As City Solicitor he had en-
larged his reputation as a lawyer, and
established himself in the confidence
both of the profession and Of his in
creasing number of clients.
At the first call for volunteers in 1851,
he was in the prime of life, (entered
upon his thirty-ninth year, and in the
height OF a successful practice. He
pruffered his services, however, at once,
and was appointed Major of the Twen-
ty-third Ohio Infantry on the 18th of
June, 1861.
He served under General Rosecrans
in West Virginia during the summer
and fall of 1861, and for a short time
was Judge Advocate on the Generals
staff. He was promoted to Lieutenant
Colonel on the 4th of November, 1861.
He took command of the Twenty
Regiment, and continued to command
1t during the spring campaign in West
Virginia, and the autumn campaign
under General Mcclellan, until he was
disabled at the battle of South Noun
tain. He was appointed Colonel of the
Seventy-ninth Ohio in 1862, but was
prevented by the South Mountain
wound from Joining the regiment, and
On the 18th of October, of the same year.
he was promoted to the COIonelCv Of the
Twenty-third. On the 25th Of Decem-
ber, 1862, Colonel Hays was placed in
command of the First Brigade of the
Kanawha Division, and he continued
in this position until Sheridan's victory
at Winchester, in September, 1864, when
he took command of the KanaWha Di-
vision and leo it through the remainder
of the active campaigning Of that year.
In October, 1864, Colonel Hayes was
appointed BTigadier-General " for gal
liant and meritoriOuss services in the bat
Ties of Winchester, Fishers Hill and
Cedar Creek, to take rank from the 18th
OF October-the date of the battle of Ce-
dar Creek. In the spring of 1866 he was
given the command of an expedition
against Lynchhurg, by way of the
of West Virginia, and was
engaged in preparations for that cam
paign when the war closed.
General Hayes was breVeted Major
General at the close of the war for gall
liant and distinguished services during
the campaign of 1864, in West Virginia,
particularly at the battles Of Fishers
Hill and Cedar Greek, to date from
March 13, 1865. He was engaged in
much severe service, and he participa-
ted in many battles. He had three
horses shot under him, and was wound
ed four times, once very severely.
INCIDENTS, sc.
At South Mountain, the regiment,
under Lieutenant-COlOnslH Hayes, (Gen-
eral J. D. Cox commanding Division),
the advance of the column on that day.
It was ordered at an early hour to ad-
vance by an unfrequ9nted road leading
up the mountain, and to attack the en-
envy. Posted behind stone walls, the
enemy, in greatly superior force, pour
ed a destructive fire OF musketry, grape,
and canister into our ranks at very
short range, and in very short space
of time, Colonel Hayes
Captain Skiles. and Lieutenants Hood
Ritter and Smith were each badly
wounded, Colonel Hayes arm broken.
Captain Shiles shot through the elbow,
arm amputated; Ritter, leg amputated),
and over one hundred dead and wound
ed Lay upon the field, out of the three
hundred and fifty who went into the
action. The command now devOlved
upon Major Comfy, and remained with
him from that time forward. The enc
my suddenly opened fire from the left,
and the regiment changed front on first
company. Lieutenant-COlOnel Hayes
soon after again made his appearance
on the field. with his wound half dress
ed, and fought, against the remonstran-
ces of the whole command, until car
ried off. Soon after the remainder of
the brigade came up, gallant charge
was made up the hill, and the enemy
was disioged and driven into the woods
beyond. In this charge a large num-
bayOnet. During the remainder of the
day the regiment fought with its Di-
vision. 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 eTwenty-third lost
nearly two hundred, of whom almost
one-fourth were killed on the field or
afterward died of their wounds. Only
seven men " ere unaccounted for at the
roll-call after the action. The colOrs OF
the regiment were riddled, and the blue
field almost completely carried away
by shells and bullets.
BATTLE OF oPEoUAN.
After the usual amount of marching
and countermaTcbing from the 4th TO
the 18th of Sep5em Der (1S64) the battle
of Opequan was fought on the 18th.
General Crooks command was in re-
serve, but was very soon brought into
action, and sent to the extreme right OF
the line to make flank attack. Hayes
Brigade had the extreme right of the
infantry. The position was reached
under cover of an almost impenetrable
growth of cedar. crossing n swampy
stream. Here the Division was halted
and formed-first Brigade (HaVes) in
front, and the second (Johnson's) in
rear. Throwing out a light line OF
skirmishers, the brigade advanced rap
idly to the front, driving the enemy's
cavalry. The National cavalry at the
same time advanced out Ot the woods
on the right. After advancing in this
way across two or three open fields, Un-
der a scattering fire, the crestof sligh'
elevation was reached, aud the enemy's
infantry line came into view, off dag
onally to the lefa front, and he opened
a brisk artillery fire. Moving forward,
double-quiclS, under this fire, the brig
ade reached a thick fringe of under
brush, dashing through which it came
upon a deep slough, forty or fifty yards
wide, and nearly waist deep, with soft
mud at the bottom, overgrown with a
thick bed of moss nearly strong enough
to bear the weight of a man. II seemeu
impossible to get through It, ana lht
whole line was staggered for mohlsnI, ~ I,
Just then Colonel Hayes plunged IN
with his horse, and under a shower
bullets and shells, with his horse some
times down, he rode, waded and drag
ged his way through-the first man
over, The Tweuty-third was immeu-
lately ordered by the right flank anu
over the slough at the same place. IN
fioundering through this morass the
men were suffoented and drowned, still
the regiment plunged throughs and,
after pause long enough TO partially
reform the line, charged forward again,
yelling, and driving the enemy. Sher-