Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-09-20

health, and was teaching school when
the civil war broke out. He united
with the Methodist church in Poland
at the age of 16 years.
When the first call for volunteers
came he enlisted in Company L of
the 23d Ohio regiment. The first col
onel of this regiment was William S.
Rosecrans, afterward major general;
second in command was Stanley Mat
thews, splendid soldier, who, how
ever, won his greatest honors as United
States Senator and Justice of the
United States supreme court. The
first major was Rutherford b. Hayes,
afterwards governor of Ohio and Presi-
dent of the United States. These are
are only few of the illustrious men
who were on the roll of officers of the
gallant regiment in which marched
Private William Mckinley, jr.
The lad carried a musket in the
ranks for IA months, and then was
promoted to corporal, and later to
quartermaster sergeant. He won his
shoulder straps at the battle of Ante
tam by rushing wagons to the front
with hot coffee and meats for the
tired men who were still in the fierce
him to pass under a severe fire in or
der to get to the men of the regiment.
Soon after receiving his commission
he was detailed on the staff of Gen.
Hayes, and later served also on the
staff of Gen. Crook, Gems. Sheridan
and Hancock. Another bar was soon
added to his shoulder straps. He was
on the staff of Gen. Hayes in the bat
tie of Winchester when he was distin-
guished by conspicuous gallantry in
riding back under a fierce fire to
bring to the main army a regiment
which had been left in an exposed po-
sition in an orchard. Gen. Hayes,
who had a great affection for the
| young staff lieutenant, and who sent
him on this perilous errand, said he
! never expected to see him in life
again. On the same day he added
another leaf to the chaplet by bring
| ing in a battery which had been aban-
doned, assistance being furnished by
| volunteers from the 2Sd Ohio regi-
ment, including every man of McKin-
| ley's original company. His gallantry
on these occasions won him another
| promotion to the captaincy of Com
pany G. He was in the battles of
| Opequam, Fishers Hill and Cedar
| Creek, and when mustered out after
four years of active service he wore
the gold leaf in the rank of major
by brevet, won by gallant and merito-
rious services. At this time he was
only % years old
On returning home he decided to
begin the study of law, and for two
| years he was engaged in the office of
Judge Charles E. Glidden. of Youngs-
town, Ohio, husband of Madam Gid
den, now of Brattleboro. He also pur-
sued a short course at the Albany
law school, and was admitted to the
bar in 1867. He gradually became
known as a careful advocate, with a
peculiar ability for the mastery of
details and great felicity and facility
| of speech in presenting them.
His entrance into politics was as
the Republican candidate for prose
cutting attorney of Stark county in
| 1869. This county was a Democratic
stronghold but McKinley's excep-
tional ability as a forcible, convincing
and tireless stump speaker had it's
effect and he was elected. He attract
ed the attention not only of his col
leagues at the bar, but of the public
at large, and appears to have enjoyed
the complete confidence of the people
of his locality throughout his term of
Office. He was, however, defeated in
1871 after being renominated a second
time. He continued to win success in
his profession, and also to enlarge
his acquaintance through his work as
public speaker, and in 1876 when only
SS years old he was selected by the