New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-22
Lieutenant Colonel Hayes Mt South Noun.
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On the receipt Of the news of the battle
of Antietam. in September, 1868, Governor
Tod, of Ohio, dispatched delegation of
citizens Of Ohio, mostly ply ysicians, at the
head Of whom he placed his surgeon gen.
eral, DIR. G. G. E. Weber, with instructions
to visit the field of battle and the hospitals
where Ohio wounded men we're to be found,
and do all in their power to make them
comfortable.
This committee of gentlemen first visited
the hospitals around Washington City, to
which iI was known q large number OF
the wounded in the battle of Antletam had
been sent. After doing all they could there
they ran down to Baltimore and Frederick,
and from thence to the battlefield itself,
where, in the large Pennsylvania barns and
in field hospitals, they found numbers of
suffering wounded Ohio men. They visited
these brave fellows, cav that they were
we'll cared for, and made careful and
minute inspection of all the Overflowing
hospitals of that ensanguined battlefield.
and inquired into the condition and admin
istered to the cOmfert, as they could (under
their instructions from Governor Tod, Of
all Western wounded men.
Governor Tod, hearing in the meantime
that the United States paymasters had not
visited the wounded men at all, and that
numbers of my boys" as the patriotic old
Governor (God bless his memory used to
term all OHIO soldiers, were totally without
money with which to purchase delicacies,
sick food, etc, he detailed one of his aids
Captain w. r. Looker) and, supplying him
with ample funds, sent him to the financial
euccor Of the Ohio wounded. Complying
promptly with the instructions received
| from the Governor, Captain LOCKER pro.
ceeded to Baltimore, and, before visiting
the battlefield. purchased in that city
certain comforts and delicacies which,
by dispatch from one of the Ohio
delegation then at Antietam, he learn
ed were needed - he proceeded to
| the battlefield, and began his mission Of
| supplying each Ohio wounded soldier with
| a sum of money sufficient to pay for any
| delicacies he might need during his sick
ness. "My boys greeted the captain with
| ioy, and on each occasion when told t(
| whom they were indebted for the money
| aid. gave cheers for the old war Governor
| of Ohio. In certain crowded tent or field
hospital ('Smoketown Hospital" as it was
| calied), most of whom we're Ohio soldiers
three as lusty cheers as we're possible fol
| faint and wounded men, were given the
| captain as the representative OF Governor
| Tod.
After going the rounds of the hospital il
| and adj .cent to the field of Antietam
/ oocVNAAscSN O~A
| peon General Weber, and other Ohio sur
geons, as detail to escort an ambulance
train filed with wounded soldiers down t,
| Frederick, Maryland, where all th'
churchs s, hotels and public buildings of al
kinds had been prepared for their recep
ton. ,.,
Oa the way down, and reaching a littl'
village called Middletown just after dark
the citizens of the town insisted that tn
1 ekovD rnf,
| supply the wounded men with cups of coffee
tea. etc. This request was complied with
and the train lay there for four hours.
| During the delay Surgeon General Weber
| and Captain LOCKER walked through tn
village, making inquiries for Ohio soldiers
| and much to their surprise, learned tina
Lieutenant Colonel R. B. Hayes had beel
brought there from South Mountain, wher
he was wounded land only few mile
to be somewhere in the village. Pro
curing lantern, they began to explore tn
town in search of Colonel Hayes. Afte
visiting about dozen houses in which wer
wounded officers and soldiers, and holdin
the light OF the lantern in the faces Q
the poor fellows, they came across littl
old dilapidated two'story brick building
and going up a rickety pair OF stairs, an
through narrow hall flanked on both side
l
the discovery of Colonel Hayes, lying i
bed, and attended by his faithful and 10,
ing wife and his brother-in-law, and SUI
geOn of his regiment, DR.. Joe Webb. Mr.
HAYES had only inst found her husband
after having looked through all the hosp
tails from Washington City to Middletowl
The colonel and his lady expressed d.
light at the visit from Ohio men. and pc
mitted Surgeon General Weber to exam
inc the wound. After pleasant chat. an
q detailing of news from home, the Obi
gentlemen took their departure. 1t seen
that few hours before the visit the colOne
fearing modification, had requested Su
peon Webb to amputate his arm, but ID
Webb had decided not to do so, and
make an attempt to save the arm. Aft
, examining the wound Surgeon Gener'
Weber corroborated DR.. Webb's decision
and left both the colonel and his good wi
. | in the best of spirits.
!, Little did Surgeon General Weber al
dingy room in the village of Middleton
contained the future President OF Il
| United States. The parting words of Il
colonel to his Ohio visit0re. as he lay the
suffering with his wound, were, "Tell Go
| ernor Tod that I'll be On hand again shol
, | ly." His future career proved that be W
, always ION hand" where hard fighting al
, | sound Judgment we're needed during the
mainder Of the war of the rebellion.
This little sketch is contributed as deta
, | ing, in some measure, the characteristics
the chosen leader of the Republican par
, | in the coming canvass tor the presidency
. | the United s.-CincinnaG Commerci
Slightly Inaccurate.
a Sava the Cincinnati COmmercioI of