The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-04-12
HAYES WAR STORY.
A Thrilling Incident Of One Attack
mt Night.

Thrilling Incident of One Attack
mt Night.
The following incident of the great
civil war was related by the late Presi-
dent R. e. Hayes while en- route from
Chicago to indianapolis in the fall of
1870:
~ have frequently been asked. said
General Hayes, .'to tell the most thrill
ing experience that occurred to me dur
ing the four years in the volunteer
army. It was in 1864 that the Army
of West Virginia tried to capture
Lynchburg Va, but General Lee rap
idly sent heavy force to driveus back,
and it was thought best to fall back to
the Kanawha valley, where food and
clothing could be had, and then go by
the railways to Winchester again
General Jubal Early's army was
pressing our forces at every point, and
I was ordered by General George Crook
who commanded the division, to check
the enemy until our wagon trains and
artillery could get out of the way. A
gap was chosen in the mountains, two
or three regiments were ordered to
build barricade across the road in the
gap, one regiment was sent up the
mountain on the right and another on
the left Of the gap to protect the fanks
These regiments selected were as accur-
ate in firing as rihemen could be-
ssIt was dark by the time all these
Preparations could be made General
Crook was careful to give his instruc-
tion that the point must be held until
the artillery and long wagon trains
were beyond the reach of Early. Dark
ness, stiffness and the mountains envel-
oped us. Finally an order came to
march, to follow the army General
Russell Hastings, my aid, was sent up
the mountain on one side to direct the
regiment to come down and take the
pike in the rear Of the brigade and
march rapidly after the artillery.
..Another of my staff, Major William
Mckinley was ordered to go up the
mountain on the other side and direct
the regiment to come down carefully
and take the road in the rear of the
breastworks. The duty was so perilous
and of such great Importance that the
instructions were repeatedly given with
the greatest care not to come down the
mountain in front of the barricade, as
in the darkness our men would fire into
them. Colonel Devol, who commanded
the men behind the breastworks, fully
understood the situation. It seemed
hours while we were waiting for the
two regiments to come down the noun
tain.
81 was walking from my horse to the
line of men lying down with guns rest
ing across the pike. All at once the
clear, ringing command of Colonel De-
vol was heard. Ready AimI' A thou
sand thoughts rushed upon mel Our
men were coming down the mountain,
and in the darkness were marching in
front of the barricade. I tried to cry
out to Colonel Devol: They are our men
don't fre' rushed toward him and
the line, ready to grab him and the men
who were ready to fire. My soul was
on fire. I was too choked to cry out:
Our men! Our men Don't fire Don t
fre!' but was too late. Devol gave the
order .Fire' and one vast volley of guns
roared out in the darkness. Groans and
cries and curses followed.
s.I jumped over the barricade, shout
ing to our men, loading their guns:
Those are our men; don't fret But
Colonel Devol and his men tried to seize
me, saying They are rebels, colonel;
do not go over the breastworks. | hurl-
ed them off and seized the first wound
ed or dead man. yelling: To what regi-
ment do you belong!' No answer.
grabbed another by the neck, turned
him over and shouted: What regi-
ment? Tie road was full of them, and
the man was wounded, but family an
swered, .-th Virginia; Early's arny!'
Our men had come down the mountain
under the guidance of Hastings and
Mckinley and gone on after the army.
'.Early IS army had left us and gone
toward Staunton, but the stragglers OF
his army had taken the wrong road and
followed us. Some of them were killed
and wounded, but learned afterward
that it was severe lesson, their men
not keeping up with the column; it
was valuable to us, in showing the dan
ger of moving soldiers at night. Chi
cago Tribune