Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-01-20

Rutherford Birchard Hayes was born in
Delaware, Ohio, Oct. 4. 1922. He was of
direct Windham county (Vt.) ancestry, his
father and mother having both been born
in this county. Their early life was spent
here, they were married here, the father
began business here in the old red store in
Dummerston, and from here they removed,
in 1877, to Delaware, Ohio. The father
died in 1922, three months before the birth
of the son Rutherford. The mother was
left in very moderate circumstances, and
her brother, Sardis Birchard, took charge
of the education of the children, Ruther-
ford and Fanny-a son, the oldest of The
family. having been drowned while skating.
Mr.. Hayes graduated at the head of his
class at Keyon college, Gambler, Ohio and
afterward took the course at Harvard law
school, graduating in lS45. He began
practice in Fremont, but removed in lS49
to Cincinnati, where he soon came into
prominence in his profession. His army
career began with the war and ended with
it. Enlsting originally as private soldier,
the governor of Ohio appointed him major
of the 23d Ohio infantry having first of
fered him the colonelcy, which Mr.. Hayes
modestly declined on the ground that it
should 90 to 4 more competent and expert
enced man. His service was mostly con-
fined to West Virginia, where few battles
of leading importance were fought, but in
every engagement and throughout the SER
H. Ii 81, Ill,
skill and self -poise. This was notably the
case in the battle of South Mountain.
where. with his arm broken by a bullet, he
| fought at the head of his regiment until,
! overcome by pain and loss of blood, he was
carried from the field. His charge across
| the slough in the battle of Opequan was
| scarcely eXcelled during the whole war as a
feat of personal gallantry, and the skill
and intrepidity with which he handled his
! division at Fishers Hill and Cedar Creek
stamped him as a man of real military gem
| ius. For the qualities thus displayed he
was promoted to be colonel and then to be
brigadier-general, and in March, 1865, he
was brevetted maior-general. Gen. Grant
gave him warm praise in his memoirs.
In 1864, while he was still in the field,
| Gen. Hayes was nominated for Congress by
the Republicans of his district, and it shows
the quality of the man that, when urged to
come home and take the stump, he answer
ed with this telegram:
In CAMP, Oct. ,: Yours of the 29th ult is re-
ceived | have other business Just now. ANY
man who would leave the army at this time to
! electioneer for Congress ought to he scalped
Truly yours, r b, HAYES"
He was elected to Congress and took his
seat after the close of the war, December
1865. He was three times elected governor
of Ohio, the last time in 1875, under very
unusual circumstances, as the pronounced
advocate of an honest currency. The ma
tional Republican convention met at Gin
cinnati in June, 1876, and Gen. Hayes wa:
nominated on the seventh ballot, Mr.
Blaine being the principal candidate at the
start The Democratic candidate was Sam
uel j. Tilden. The events of that cam
paign are well remembered by all men o.
mature years, An angry controversy aros,
over the result, and to assure peacefu
settlement of the dispute joint cOmmitte,
of the two houses of Congress, composed
of some of the strongest men in both par
ties, was appointed to arrange way o
authoritatively determining the result. Th
electoral commission was the outcome, ant