The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-10-13
HAYES WAR STORY.

The following incident of the great
civil war was related by the late Presi-
dent r. B. Hays while en- route from
Chicago to Indianapolis in the fall of
1870:
Il have frequently been asked -
said General Hayes, ito tell the most
thrilling experience that occurred to
ME during the four years in the vol
unteer army. 1t was in 1864 that the
Army of West Virginia tried to capture
Lynchburg, Va, but General Lee
RAPIDLY sent heavy force to drive us
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
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
were ordered to build a barricade
ment was sent up the mountain on the
lls anu OA Viz lslU vi lHb
gap to protect the TANKS; these regi-
ments selected were accurate in firing
as ritiemen could be.
ut was dark by the time all these
preparations could be made. General
Crook was careful to give US his in.
struction that the point must be
held until the artillery and long
wagon trains were beyond the reach
of Early. Darkness. stiffness and the
mountains enveloped us. Finally an
order come to march, to follow the
army. General Russel 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 Will
liam Mckinley (the president.) 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 great
est care not to come down the noun
tain in front of the barricade, as in the
darkness our men would fire into
them. Colonel Devol, who command
ed the men behind the breastwoTks
fully understood the situation. 1t
seemed hours while we were waiting
for the two regiments to come down
the mountain.
81 was walking from my horse to
the line of men lying down with guns
resting across the pike. All at once
the clear, ringing command of Colonel
Devol was heard. Ready! Aimr A
thousand thoughts rushed upon ME!
Ourmen were coming down the noun
tain, and in the darkness were march
ing in front of the barricade. l tried
to cry out to Colonel Devol: They are
our men-doIt firel' Irushed toward
him aud the line, ready to grab him
aud the mep who were ready to fire.
My soul was on fire. l was too choked
to cry out: our men! Our men! Don't
Fire!Don't Fire!' but was too late.
Devol gave the order to fire, and one
vast voliey of guns roared out in the
darkness. Groans and cries and
curses followed. l jumped over the
barricade, shouting to our men, load
ing their guns: Those are our men;
don't tirer But Colonel Devol and
his men tried TO seize me, saying:
They are rebels, colonel; do not go
over the breastworks.' hurled them
off, and seized the first wounded or
dead man. yelling; To what regi-
ment do you belongf No answer. l
grabbed another by the neck, turned
him over and shouted: What regi-
mentY' The road was full of them,
and the man was wounded, but faint
II anaw cred, the Virginia; Early's
arm = Our men had come down the
army 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
aad followed US. Some of them were
killed and wounded, but | learned
afterward that II was a severe lesson,
their men not keeping up with the
column; it was valuable to us in show
ing the danger of moving soldiers at
night. "-Iooca State Register.