The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-18
M'KINLEY IN THs WAR.

Ills TirSt Military Experience was nj
CIHrIssbmrg- Record Of thr Twenty
third O!iIn-rWO Mru Destined TO be
President Ia the Regiment.
No Union regiment In the late war
can boast such an array OF men rising
to great distinction in subsequent life
us tho Twenty third Ohio Infantry. Its
original colonel was William $. Rose
Grams. Both Rutherford b. Hayes and
Stanley Mathews served with the rank
OF lieutenant colonel. Later Hayes be-
came colonel. William Mckinley. jr,
served IN the regiment aB first and
second lieutenants. and later uu captain.
Ills commission rs second lieutenant
was dated November ., 1852; that OF
first lieutenant March so. 1868, and cap
tain July -. 1864.
EX-PrcsIdcnt Hayes went In as major
ut tho organization, June Z, 1861. at
Camp Chase. Ohio. on October % Of the
same ycnr he became lieutenant colonel.
a year later he became colonel, and
two years later, October 20. 1864, he went
TO the rank Of briEadlcr.
Rosecrans did not take the field with
the regiment. but was made briEadicr.
The Twenty-third was one OF the first
regiments organized In the state. The
first service performed was n march
to Clarksbur6, w. Va, where II arrived
late In July. 1861. The day following
the regiment began the stern business
Of war by going ON n hunt for Euer-
rillas, operating With Weston as n base.
II seems like romance TO imagine such
an array OF embryo greatness chasing
bushwhackcrs about the spurs OF Rich
Nv.Nv IA Van1V
There was RoseCrans. who afterwards
became major general: rutherford L.
Hayes. who became President: Stanley
Matthews, who reached the supreme
bench, and William Mckinley, Jr., who
seems In fair way to become our next
chief magistrate.
In September. 1861. the Twenty third
had, its first experience under FIRE nj
ConIfex Ferry, where EOsccrans and
Floyd had passage at arms. During
the winter OF 1861 the regiment devoted
considerable attention to the enemy
on the I'D Nr April, 1862. the Twenty
third led Rosecrans' command on 4
march 10 Princeton. w. Va. Lieutenant
Colonel Hayes being In command.
on the Sth Of May the regiment fell
into adverse lines. II was attacked
by four regiments and q battery OF six
pieces under Confederate General Hcth.
and was driven back and badly upset
Its tents. camp and garrison equipaEc
went by the board and much hardship
cnsucd.
The next point where the regiment
faced the enemy was ut South Noun
tain. September IL. 1862. and Antietam
on the 18th. In marching from West
Virginia TO take part IN South Noun
tain and AntictOm. Washington was
passed through. This was probably the
first sight the future Presidents had
OF the national capital.
At South Mountain tho Twcnty-third
was the first regiment under Are. 1t
was led by Lieutenant Colonel Hayes.
The regiment In making an advance on
the enemy, posted behind stone wall,
was badly worstcd. Here Hayes had
his arm broken Captain Skilcs lost IN
arm, Captain Ritter 4 leg. and Lieu
tenants Hood, Ritter and Smith were
each badly wounded, OF the $50 mon
who went in, over 100 were killed or
wounded. Later In the day the fight
went on. swelling the total OF killed
and wounded TO about 200 Three bayo-
net charges were made by the regiment
during the day The rCGmCEtal ColOrs
were rildled with bullets.
After AntiCtam the Twenty third re-
turned L. West Virginia. In 1864 tn"
Cloyd Mountain battle was participated
In. Hero the regiment lost number OF
officers and men. After the famous
Hunters raid 10 LyuChburE. and the
fighting and hard service Incident to
It, the regiment fell back to the Valley
OF Virginia. on october ~, 1864. 1t took
part in the battle Of Cedar Greek. made
famous by Shcridaus noted ride. After
Cedar Creek the Twcnty-thlrd saw no
moro desperate experience, although
frequently engaged in light affairs with
the enemy