The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-06-30

| hND'"''itAAT- WIZ Wa SDpfl u
tu a larger command, and was sue
ceeded by Col S .ammon, also a Wes
Point Graduate This regiment. a
Tins organized, arrived at Clark sburg
West Virginia, July q, 1861 and spen
the remainder of the year In arduou
campaigning under General Rose
Grams. on whose staff, for time, Mai
Hayes served as Judge Advocate. Ii
the fight at Carnifax Ferry, he Hayes
was detached with the left wing of hi
regiment and sent 10y Rosecrans TO finC
and threaten the rebel flank and rear
! which he did, thus materially hasten
ing the enemy's retreat. During the
ensuing fall, winter, and spring, Major
Hayes, being meanwhile promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel, and assigned to
the command of the 23d, scouting al
over a wide circuit mountainous coun
try, on one occasion having a narrow
escape from death by an ambuscade of
busIlwIIackeIs. On the 1st of May,
1862, he made IA brilliant dash Oh
Princeton, driving the rebels precipi
lately from the town, and capturing
about 200 rifles and several prisoners.
On the 10th, at Giles G. H., he was
attacked by a greatly superior force,
and fought all day, while gradually
falling back Il distance of five miles.
His command in this affair comprised
nine companies OF the 23d, 500 cav
airy, and a section of artillery. BY
withdrawing his cavalry and infantry
alternately he managed to choose his
own positions, and notwithstanding
the great inferiority of his force, kept
the enemy at bay, and inflicted much
greater injury than he received. His
skill and GOODNESS in handling his force
Oh this occasion evoked cheers from
his men, which to the enemy had the
meaning and effect of an arrival of re-
Inducements on the Union side. He
received IL severe confusion from Il shell
during this fight, but remained on
active duty.
HAYES AT SOUTH MOUNTAIN.
In August the 2:id was ordered East
to join the army of the Potomac, and,
having been attached to the division of
Gen J. ID. Cox, marched into Mary
land, arriving at Middletown Septem-
l3 Here, on the 14th begun the bat
tie OF South Mountain, resulting i'll the
greater battle of Aniietam Oh the 18th.
At South Mountain the 23d, under
Licutcnant-C Colonel Hayes, led the col
umn, and was the first infantry engag-
ed. at AN early hour il advanced up
the mountain, by an unfrequented
road, surprised and captured the
enemy's piekets, and vigorously assail-
ed his main line, sheltered behind, stone
parapets. The enemy, in greatly suPe-
rior force, poured into the ranks of the
attacking troups IA heavy fire of mus
kerry and canister shot, and in IL few
minutes IA hundred men and officers of
the 2;ji We're wounded, and forty eight
Killed, ont of SO who went into
aciirn Among the wounded was
Lieutenant Col. Hayes, who had an
arm broken, and lay upon the field
disabled by the severity of his wound.
His regiment now changed front, i'll
order to meet Il thanking lire, and mis-
taking tiii, for IL movement i'll retreat,
he spranS to his feet, and rushing
again t, the line of battle. .exerted him
self, in spite of his wound, in rallying
and encouraging his meu, until carried
to the rear overcome by pain and eX-
hausiion. In his report of the battle,
Gen. J. ID. Cox, commanding division,
made special mention of this act of
callantry, connIending it in the high
est terms
During the month of August, preced-
ing this battle, Lieutenant Colonel
Hayes had been appointed Colonel of
the 29ih Ohio Infantry, and had been
mustered out of the 23i To accept the
appointments. Unwilling to leave his
his old regiment in front of the enemy,
he remained with it, though not strict
Iy ia the service, and his South Noun
tain wound now prevented him from
Joining the 10Th. He was therefore
appointed Colonel of the 23d, TO date
from October Il, and on the 25th OF De-
cember following, was placed in com
mand of tile Kannwha Division, now
ordered back to West Virginia.
This division was nj "ays fortunate
and famous organization. 1t was com
manded at different times by Gen
Rosecrans, Cox and Crook, and i'll the
first campaigns in the Army of the
Shenandoah, was led by Gens. Hayes
and Duvai. IL bore a prominent part
in Rosecraus' campaign in West Virgin
ia, in 1861, in McClellan's Antietani
campaign in lSG2, and in Sheridan's
campaign in the valley of Virginia in
1861. Gen. Hayes entered it as Major
OF the 23d Ohio, and commanded its
first brigade over two years.
During 1868 lie led his brigade in
numerous arduous expeditions in West
ern Virginia, one of ihese that OF Gen.
Scammon to the extreme southwestern
part of the State for the capture of
SaitviIle. The expedition succeeded
capturing Wy thevi.Ie, broke up the
railway at that point, and returned in
time to assist in preventing the escape
of John Morgan from Ohio.
BATTLE OF CLoYD'S MOUNTAIN.
The campaign OF 1864 opened, in nc
cordance with Gen. Grants plan, by
simultaneous advance of all the armies
east and west. As auxiliary to the
operations of the army of the Potomac
before Richmond, this plan embraced
n co operative movement by Gen.
Sigel up the Shenandoah, by Gen.
Crook up the Kaniwha, aiming at the
enemy's resources and lines of cOmmu-
nieation in the neighborhood of Staun-
ton and Lynchburg. Gen. Crooks
forces, including the brigade of Col.
Hayes, and numbering in all about
G. 600 men, advanced from the upper
Kanawha during the last days of
April. and made directly for the Vir