Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-07-01
HAYES WAR STORY.
A Thrilling Incident of One At
tack at Night.

A Thrilling Incident of One At
tack at Night.
The following incident of the great
civil war was related hy the late Presi.
dent X. b. Hayes while On route from
Chicago to indianapolis in the fall Of
1870:
II have frequently been asked, saic
'ieneral Hayes. Ito tell the most thrill
ing experience that occurred To me du-
ing the four years in the volunteer
army. 1t WIS in 1861 that the Army
Of West Virginia tried tn captur,
Lynchhurg. Va but General Lee rap
idly sent heavy force io drive us hack.
and it was Thought best to fall back tC
the Kanawha valley. where food anc
clothing could he had. and then 90 by
the railways To Winchester again.
General .Iuhal Earlys army was
pressing our forces at every point and
was ordered hy General George Crook.
who commanded the division, to check
the enemy until orr wagon trains and
artillery conld get out uf the way. a
gap was chosen in the mountains. tive
OF three regiments We're ordered IL
build - harricade across the road i'm the
gap one regiment was sent mp the
mountain IN the right and another on
the left of th" gap ropruteci the flauks
These regiments selected We're aS accur
ate in firm. as riiiemen could he
''It was dark hy the time all these
preparations could hc made General
Crook WAS careful Ia give his instruc-
tiun that the point must hc held until
the artillery aud long wagon trains
We're hryoud tfr reach nf Early Dark
ness stiffness and the mountains cnvcl-
oped Ms Finally an order came to
march. tu follow the army General
Russell Hastings. my aid. was sent M
the mountain on one side Ia direct the
regiment to come dow. and take the
pike III the rear nf the brigade and
march rapidly after the artillery.
Another nf ny staff. Major William
Mckinley was ordered 10 20 up the
mountain "u the other side and direct
the regiment to come down carefully
and take the road in the rear of the
hrcastwurkS The duty was so perilous
and nf such great importance that the
instructions were repeatedly given with
the greatest care not tn come down the
mountain in front uf the harricade. as
in the darkness nur men would fire into
them Colonel Devol. who commanded
the men behind the hrcastwnrkS. fully
understood the situation II seemed
hours while we were waiting for the
two regiments to come down the noun
tain
II was walking from my horse 10 the
line of men lying down with guns rest
ing across the pike. All at once the
clear. ringing command of Colonel DE
vol wa- heard Ready Aim, 4 thou
sand thoughts rushed upon me Our
men were coming down the mountain
and in tn" darkness were marching in
front uf the harricade tried to Crv
ont tu Colonel Dcvol They arc our men
don't fire, rushed toward him and
the line ready 1" grab him and the men
who We're ready To fire. Ny soul was
q
'Our men Our men Don't fire. Don I
fire! hut was too late Devol gave the
order Fire and ON, vast vollcy Of guns
roared cut in the darkness GrcanS and
cries and curses followed
II jumped over the harricade. shout
ing to our men, loading their guns
Those are our men: don't fire Bnt
a N 4 l..
me. saying They are rebels. colonel :
de- not 20 over thu hrcastworks ! hurl
cd 'hem off and seized the first wound
ed n dead man. yelling To what regi
mcnt do You belong. No answer.
grabbed another by the neck turned
him over and shouted What regi
mentY The road was full of them. and
the man was wounded. hut family an
swcred, tn Virginia Early's army I
Our men had come down the mountain
under the guidance of Hastings and
Mckinley and gone on after the army.
Early army had left us and gone
toward Siauntun. hnt tie stragglcrs of
his army had taken the wrong road and
and wounded. hut | learned aftcrward
that il was Il severe lesson. their men
not keeping MP with the column; il
was valuable Ia us. in showing the dan
ger of moving soldiers at night Chi
cago Tribune.