New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-06-25

whose staff, for time, Major Hsyes served
"a Judge advocate. In the fight at Carnifex
Ferry he (Hayes) was detached with the
left wing OF his regiment, and sent by Rose
Grams to find and threaten the rebel flank
and rear, which he did, thus materially
Fastening the enemy's retreat. During the
ensuing fall, winter and epring MalOr
Hayes, being meanwhile promoted TO Len-
tenant colonel, and assigned to the con-
maud of the Twenty third, secuted all over
q wide circuit of mountainous country, on
Que occasion having a narrow escape from
death by an ambuscade of bushwbackers.
On the first of May, 1862, he made bril-
liant dash on Princeton, driving the rebels
precipitateIy from the town and capturing
about 200 rifles and several prisoners. On
the tenth, at Giles Courthouse, he was at.
tackled 5y q greatly superior force, and
fought all day, while gradually falling back
distance of five miles. His command, in
this affair comprised nine companies OF the
Twenty third, 500 cavalry, and section OF
artillery. By withdrawing his cavalry and
infantry, alternately, he managed to choose
his own portion, and, Notwithstanding the
great nferioli v of his force, kept the enc
NV at bav and inflicted much greater in.
iury than he received. His skill and cool
ness in handling his forces on this occasion,
evoked cheers from his men. which to the
enemy had the meaning and effect OF an ar
rival of reinforcement on the Union SIDE.
He received . severe confusion from shell
in this fight, but remained on active duty
In August the Twenty third was ordered
East to Join the Army of the Potomac, and
having been attached to the division OF
General j. D. Cox, marched into aryland,
arriving at Middletown September Is. Here,
on the fourteenth, began the battle OF
South Mountain, resulting in the greater
battle of Antietam. on the seventeenth.
At South Mountain the Twenty third. under
Lieutenant Colonel Hayes, led the column,
and was the first infantry engaged. AT an
early hour it advanced up the mountain, by
an unlre quented road, surprised and cap
tured the enemy's pickets, and vigorously
assailed his main line, sheltered behind
stone parapets. The enemy, in greatly
superior force, poured into the ranks of the
attacking troops q heavy fire OF musketry
and canister shot. and in few miRSees
hundred men and officers of the IBenfy-
third were wounded, and forty -eight KILLED,
ont of the $40 who went into the action.
Among the wounded was Lieutenant Col
unel Hayes, who had an arm broken, and
Law upon the field, disabled by the severity
of his wound. His regiment now changed
front in order to meet . thanking fire, and
mistaking this for Q movement IN retreat,
he eprang to his feet, and rushing again
into the line of battle, exerted himself, In
spite of his wound, in rallying and encour-
aging his men, until carried into the rear,
overcome with pain and exhaustion. In
his rep ort of the battle General j d. Cox.
commanding division, made special mention
of this act Of gallartry, commencing 1t in
the highest terms.
COLONEL OF THE tEvENTY-NIETH OHIO.
During the month of August preceding
this battle Lieutenant Colonel Hayes had
been appointed colonel of the Seventy ninth
Ohio Infantry, and mad been mustered out
Of the Twenty third to accept thu appoint
ment. Unwilling to leave his old regiment
in front of the enemy, he remained with it,
though not strictly in the service, and his
South Mountain v ound now prevented him
from Joining the Seventy.ninth. He was
therefore appointed cOlont OF the Twenty
third, to date from October Is, and on the
twenty Fl tth of December following was
placed in command Of the kanawha divis
iop. now ordered back to West Virginia.
This division was always fortunate and
famous organization. 1t vas commanded at
different times by Generals Rosecrans, Cox
and Crook, and in the first campaign 10 the
Army of the Shenandoah was led by Gen
erals Hayes and Duyal. 1t bore prOmi-
pent part in Rosecrans' campaigns in West
virginia in 1861. in McClt llan's Antietam
campaign in 1862, and in Shelidan's cam
paign in the Valley OF Virginia in 1864
General Hayes entered it as maj IT OF the
Twenty-third Ohio and commanded i's first
brigade over two years. During 1863 he
led his brigade in numerous arduous expe-
ditions in West Virginia, one of these that
of General ScanmOn to the extreme south
western part Of the State for the capture OF
Saltville. The expedition succeeded in cap
turing Wytheville, broke up the railway at
that point, and returned IN time to assist IN
preventing the escape OF John Morgan from
Ohio.
The campaign of 1861 opened, in accord
ance with General Grants plan, by stimuli
taneous advance of all the armies, East and
West. As auxiliary to the operations of
the Army of the Potomac before Richmond,
this plan embraced a cooperative move
ment by General Sigel up the Shenandoah
and by General Crook up the kanawha.
aiming at the enemies resources and lines
of communication 10 the neighborhood of
Stanton and Lynchburg. General Crooks
forces, including the brigade of Colonel
Hayes, and numbering in all about 5000
men, advanced from the Upper KaIawha
during the last days of April, and made di
rectly for the Virginia aud Tennessee rail-
road. aiming to strike it near Dublin station.
The route lay through an extremely noun
famous county, and, crossing one range
after another, the troops were exposed To
the severe storms Of RAIN and snow preva-
lent in those regions in the spring of the
year. and encountered extreme difficulties
and hardships. The enemy was occasion.
ally met, but was readily brushed out of
the way, until May 9, when he took posi-
ton on Cloyd mountain. the name given to
q mountain spur, with steep and densely-
wooded slopes, skirted by a stream of water.
The rebel forces, comprising infantry and
artillery, occupied ore CT the crests of
the spur, and their line was covered
by a rude breastwOrk. Colonel Hayes led
bis brigade against this position. The ap-
proach lay through level, open meadow,
about coo yards wide, which the troops
crossed at double q lick, under heavy
ire Of musketry and artillery, without re-
turning shot. Then, after moments
pause they dashed across the st1 cam, and
the hill made a furious assault on
The enemy's intrenchments, which.they car
lied, capturing two gums. The enemy fell
pack to a second crest of the mountain, and
here tried to renew the fight, but was fol
owed up vigorously and again driven CIT
The rebels, now re enforced, made third
,ffOrt to beat back their assailants, but met
With no better success; and fed preclpl;
ately, losing largely in killed and wounded,
among the former being their commanding
officer, General Jenkins. The struggle at
he guns was desperate, the rebel artillery
men endeavoling to load their pieces when
he assailants were not over ten PAGES dis
ant. First to reach the guns was Private
kcsht, of the Twenty third, a boy OF eight
'ep, who sprang forward from the ranks,
md with shout thrust his cap into the
nuzzle of one of the captured cannon. This
run proved to be twen.y-four FOUNDER
which the enemy had set great store 6y. and
which Colonel HAYES men recognized as
me that had confronted them in nearly
very fight in that part OF the country.
There being q dispute as to who captured
n in hor nd inf