The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-15
THRILLING INCIDENT.
Gen. Hayes Exci'ing Experience in the
Civil War.

The following incident of the great
civil war was related by the late
President r. p. Hayes while en- route
from Chicago to indianapolis in the
fall of 1870:
Il have frequently been asked" said
General Hayes, 40 tell the most thrill
ing experience that occurred to me
during the four years in the volunteer
army. 1t was in 1SG4,that the army of
West Virginia tried to capture Lynch
burg, Va, but General Lee rapidly
sent a heavy force to drive us back,
and 1t 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
gap was chosen in the mountains,
rwo or three regiments We're ordered
to build barricade across the road in
the gan 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 We're accurate
III HflnS as Il1lemen could be.
1T was dark by the time all these
preparations were made; General
Crook was careful to give his instruc-
ton that the point must be held until
the artillery and long wagon trains
We're beyond the reach of Early. Dark
ness, stiffness and the mountains en-
veloped us. Finally an order came to
march, to follow the army General
Russell Hastings, my aid. was sent up
lnA1 roll -, 10.
regiment to come down and rake 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 Derlous and of such great inn
portance that the instructions We're
repeatedly given with greatest care
not to come down the mountain in
front of the barricade, as in the dark
ness our men would fire into them
Colonel DeVol, who commanded the
men behind the breastworks fully UNI
derstood the situation. 1t seemed
hours while we were waiting for the
two regiments to come down the
mountain
II 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 Col Devol
was heard, Ready, Aim, A thousand
thoughts rushed upon me! Our men
We're coming down the mountain and
in the darkness We're marching in front
Of the barricade.
| tried to cry out to Col. Deyol They
are our men-don't fire. I rushed to-
ward him and the line, ready to grab
him and the men who were ready to
fire. My soul was on fire. / was too
choked to cry out Our men, our men,
Don't fire. Don't fire. but ! was too
late. Devol gave the order Fire and
one vast volleY of guns roared out i'm
the darkness. l jumped over the barli-
cade shouting to our men, loading their
guns. Those are our men; don't fire.
But Col. DeVO and his men tried to
seize me, saying. They are rebels. Col
Onel; do not go over the breastWOrks.
| hurried them off and seized the first
wounded or dead man, yelling. TO
what regiment do you belong" No an
sWer. ] 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 Hast
ings and Mckinley and gone ON after
the enemy.
"Eany's army had left us and gone
toward stanton, but the stragslers of
his army had taken the wrong road and
followed us. Some Of them were Killed I
and wounded but l learned afterward !
that it was a severe lesson, their men /
not keeping up with the column il was
valuable to MS. in showing the danger !
of moving soldiers at night"
ROOSEVELT AND THE POLICEMEN. !
From the New York Mail and Express |
1t will be remembered that great deal
of laughing was done at Gov Rooscvelts !
expense when. as police commissioner. he
included in his test for candidates desir-
ing appointment TO "the force" an exam
ination on geography and United States
history The smiles which this occa-
stoned were recalled by the governor
while he was discussing civil service in
the executive chamber the other day lie
said "A good many people could never un-
derstand what use there was in u1llzZinp
a candidate for appointment as a police
man on geography or United States his
tory. lie explained that it was not 10 find
out what tho candidate knew Of these
subjects, but rather to learn what he
didn't know hat the much-ridiculed ques-
lions were asked
As a sample Of one Of the questions the
governor cited the following:
Name the New England states. "
One Of the written answers received was
as follows:
England, Ireland, Scotland, Whales
and Cork.
Another man substituted Belfast for
Cork and stll another included Africa
The candidates were asked to tell what
they knew about Abraham Lincoln one
man wrote that Abraham Lincoln was n
brave 'ginral" and "ht' the battle az
Bunker Hill. Another man wrote that
Lincoln was q good man, but he was
killed by Thomas Jefferson Several iden-
tilted Lincoln as the leader of the SOUTH
ern confederacy and several more had
Jefferson Davis
After telling these stories the governor
paused It's a long time since his breath
was first taken away by the answers
above but even TO this day he pasps
when contemplating them.
what then, Is the conclusion that tho
governor draws? Simply this, that any
man who can make such answers is not
sufficiently, intelligent to be a good New
York city cop asfs-
"Hurrah." he cried. "Hurfah! An
other record broken!"
Then in their Indignation they fell
upon him and would have slain him
lad he not explained tIst N time that
he had no reference 10 weather rec |
Orug,--C chicago Post