Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-12-15
WAR "REMINISCENCES.
A WAR STORY.
Ex-President Hayes and an Ex-COafederate
swan "Reminiscences.

Ex-President Hayes and an Ex-Confederate
swap "Reminiscences.
Shortly before President Hayes was
inaugurated il was known that he fav-
ored policy of great hberality toward
the south. It was known that he even
contemplated making Gen Joseph E.
Johnston secretary of war, or appoint
ing Gen. James Longstreet postmaster
general But Johnston was a demo-
crat. uncompromising Longstreets
declared preference for Blaine in 1876,
and his loyalty to Blaine afterward,
taken in connection with the probable
ity Of the Maine man being a candidate
for the nomination in 1850, finally de-
cided the appointment against him.
The result was that Col d. NJ. Key,
an ex-confederate from Tennessee. was
made postmaster general; the sending
of Longstreet as minister to Turkey;
Col John Nosby was made consul 10
Hong Kong, and appointments Of more
or less importance were given 70 eX-
conlcderates. it became. for this rea-
son particularly, no unusual thing to
see prominent southerners at the white
house consulting with President Hayes.
About this time Gen. William Phillips,
Of Marietta, Ga, was there TO urge the
appointment Of Gen. Edward Thomas.
an odd lin5 vhig," as United States
marshal Of Georgia. Thomas, like all
the old wings who were consistent, was
= really republican, and represented an
element that Hayes was endeavoring to
enlist in the republican party.
Gen. Phillips" said the president in
the course of one interview, your name
has reminded me of an incident that
occurred at Hawks Nest, at the june
ton of the New and Gauley rivers, III
West Virginia, in 1861. 1t was in the
month of August. Who was it that
commanded the Georgia troops in front
of the Kentucky and Ohio brigades on
New river? We unt erstood that they
were called Phillips egion; was that a
zinsman Of yours?'
''Why. that was tits Gen Phillips,
smiled the Georgian sit was my le-
gion"
Indeed. said Z ne president, with con-
siderable interest. ''Wen one rainy
day there ] sighted and fired a cannon
across the river at your command Did
it do any harm?"
After some explanation of detail
Gen. Phillips remembered the circum-
stance.
I'VE were huddled together" said
Phillips, under some rocks to get out
OF the rain not dreaming of a shot from
so far off. 1t was a good shot, but we
were more or less protected by the
rocks ] remember, though, that we
'skedaddled' for a more secure posi-
ton. ] guessed, because our range had
been calculated so accurately at the
first shot that some West Pointer di-
rected it.
After pause Gen. Phillips continued,
laughing at the recollection
About month afterward we were
again facing some Kentucky and Ohio
troops. An officer rode from their
front down to the stream The rocks
there shelved out some distance into the
water, and this officer rode on slowly
some distance into the Gauley river
watching us through a field glass 1t
was an opportunity not to be neglected
in those days. I selected the longest
range rifle could get, adjusted the sight
carefully got a bead on him, and fired
The bullet threw up the water just be
hind him, almost exactly in line with
his head. Before I could get a second
shot ''
4 remember, remember, " inter-
rupted the president u got out Of there
Ain a great hurry That was Gen. Hayes
you came within an ace of killing that
day in the river.
! am happy beyond expression" re-
piled the Georgian, ''that it was no bet
ter shot
AS the story was told over infinitely
Gen. Phillips acknowledged to some
profanity at the time over the result of
the shot. He had been famous as
crack rifle shot in the mountains of
western North Carolina and north
Georgia, and was considerably provoked
at this proof of the old adage that "a
miss is as good as mile"
The shot had passed within an inch
or two of Gen. Hayes face. That after
noon Gen. Phillips dined with the presi-
dent and Mrs. Hayes. The first lady of
the land had a new interest in her hus-
bands campaign in West Virginia. Gen.
Phillips is now an assistant in the Office
of the United States district attorney in
Atlanta, Gan. Y. Advertiser.