The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-02-03
SOME GOOD SHORT STORIES
Hayes War Story.

|
The following incident of the great
civil war was related by the late Pres
/ ident r. B. Hayes while en- route from
/ Chicago to Indianapolis in the fall of
! 1870:
Il have frequently been asked" said
General Hayes, Ito tell the most thrill
ling experience that occurred to me
I during the four years. in the volunteer
army. 1t was in 1864 that the army Ct
! West Virginia tried to capture Lynch
burg, Va, but General Lee rapidly sent
a heavy force to drive US back, and it
was thought best to fall back to the
Kanawha valley, where food and cloth
| ing 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
] 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 We're 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 TANKS;
these regiments selected were accurate
in firing as riflemen could be.
1T was dark by the time all these
preparations were made; General Crook
was careful to give his instruction that
the point must be held until the artii-
| lery and long wagon trains were be-
yond the reach of Early. Darkness,
stiffness and the mountains enveloped
US. Finally an order came 10 march,
to follow the army. General Russell
Hastings, my aid, was sent up the
mountain on one side to direct the regi-
ment 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 (the presidenD, 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 import
ance that the instructions were repeat
eddy given with greatest care not to
come down the mountain in front of the
barricade, as in the darkness our men
would fire on them. Colonel Devol,
who commanded the men behind the
breastworks, fully understood the stu
alton. 1t seemed hours while we were
waiting for the two regiments to come
down the mountain.
L 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 Aim a
thousand thoughts rushed upon me!
Our men were coming down the noun
tain and in the darkness were marching
in front of the barricade. l tried to
cry out to Colonel Devol They are
our men-dOn't fire. l rushed toward
him and the line, ready to grab him
and the men who were ready to fire.
My soul was on fire, 1 was too choked
to cry out Our men! Our men, Don't
fire. Don't fireI but I 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. l jumped over the barricade,
shouting 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, col
onel; do not go over the breastworks.'
I hurled them off and seized the first
wounded or dead man, yelling, To
what regiment do you belong?' No an
swer. l grabbed another by the neck,
turned him over, and shouted, What
regiment The road was full of them
and the man was wounded, but family
answered til Virginia; Early's army
Our men had come down the mountain
under the guidance of Hastings and
Mckinley and gone on after the army.
''Early's army had left us and gone
toward Stanton, but the stragglers of
his army had taken the wrong road
and followed us. Some Of them were
killed and wounded, but ! learned af-
terward that it was Il severe lesson, I
their men not keeping up with the col
umn: it was valuable to us, showing
the danger Of moving soldiers at
night"