The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-12-07
M.KLXLEY FEp rnE MEN.

Had to Faee DuiIets and Dodge Discipline,
But lie Fed 'sm-4n Ineident OF Antie-
tam. of Which President Hayes Loved
To Tell.
Governor Mckinley has appointed 4
commission Of twenty-five men. repre-
sen.ing the ten Ohio regiments that
fought in the battle OF Antistam. This
body will act under the federal statute
providing for commissions to determine
the points where the regiments Of the
respective states were stationed in that
famous conflict. The appointment re-
calls unique and interesting incident
OF the battle, in which Governor Nc
Kinley figured as the hero.
Shortly before the battle Mckinley
has been made commissary sergeant OF
the TWenty-third Ohio, then command.
ed by Colonel, aiterward General and
President, Rutherford B. Hayes. II
was an important trust to place on the
shoulders OF o bow not yet nineteen, and
the responsibilities OF the place were
new to him when the regiment went
into that terrific series OF battles which
began at South Mountain and ended at
Antietam. All day on that fatetul Sep
TENDER II at Antietam the regiment
had been in the forefront. Three times
it had been called upon 10 repel re bel
charges. Toward the close OF the day
it was stationed in corn field. No po-
sitiou in the whole field was so per-
iious. The division with which it had
been connected during the day had
been Withdrawn, but by an inadyert.
ence no order had reached the regiment
and it remained on the field until
Colonel Seaman came back and ordered
1t to the rear. 1t was almost as much
as life was worth to lift ones head
above the dead level Of the cornstalks
moved down by bullets. The men
were faint with WEAKNESS and hunger.
For many hours no man OF
the regiment had tasted cooked food
and none knew when they would again.
Colonel Hayes himself was wounded.
The boy commissary at the rear knew
how the men felt IN front. OF what he
did in the circumstances-"lt was as
good as the reinforcement Of a brigade,
said President Hayes in telling the
story few years before his death. ut
was an hour OF suspense and despera.
ton almost. ALI at once l heard a
cheering. 1t did not seem like the
rebel yell, yet as raised my head with
difficulty above the level Of the field, l
more than half expected to sec an
other hostile column advancing upon
us. What I did see was sir.mule
team, well to the rear, hitched to an
army wagon. On the seat sat McKin-
ley driving. The wagon was loaded
with freshly cooked provisions and
steaming with several barrels OF hot
coffee. I understood, then, why the
boys cheered."
1t had been no easy task for the
beardless sergeant to carry out his plan
and reach his regiment from five miles
distance. Scarcely had he left his sta
ton at the rear with the wagon when
an orderly dashed up and demanded TO
know where he was going.
80 the front. have provisions here
for the Twenty-third Ohio"
The orderly ripped out an oath.
sharply commanded Mckinley to re-
main at the rear and galloped of.
The resolute young sergeant waited
till the orderly was we'll out Of view and
then whipped up his horses and drove
forward. Possibly a mile further he
began to reach the lines OF battle. Sud-
denly Brigadier General Nj rode up
and halted the wagon. ''The place for
you, young man, ia at the rear" he said.
"Commissary officers are in the way up
here. Get back at once and no more
such capers."
Mckinley saluted without word as
the general turned to ride away. The
team did not move until the general
had been hidden by some inequalities
OF the ground. When it did move, how
ever, it went foreward.
Twice more on his route to the regi-
ment the wagon was ordered to the rear.
But it reached the front. The wagon
found a sheltered spot and there the
men in details OF fifty left the ranks and
fell upon the food and coffee. Food
and coffee never tasted better than that
to the boys Of the Twenty-third, and
the distinction it gave Mckinley was
stepping stone to his lieutenanta COM
mission, which came to him not many
weeks afterward.