Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-09-12

guISEed himself. Soon after tie battle
OF Fishers IIin his regiment was de
tailed as a train guard 70 NartinShurg
On the march the men voted captain
NcKinlev's first ballot was cast for
Line n. whose career his own was tc
parallel 50 closely. even 10 assaSs.na
ton.
Mckinley was with sheridan CT tho
battle OF winchester. For q time he
was on the staff Of General Hancock.
Later lie was assigned a acting as
sistant adjutant general 90 the staff o.
General Samuel ;. Carroll. command
irg Tie veteran reserve corps AT WASH
i4-fozl. where lie remained through
tat exerl- period which included
tie SIR. ei1er of Lee to Grant IT Ap-
pouottez. and the assassination or
President Lincoln. 1t was just month
before lIr. Lincoln fell a victim To an
ASA sins bullet that Mckinley re
ceived from him a document which he
las always considered one OF his most
precious possessions 1t is commits
mission as a major by breyet ia the
volunteer army OF the United States
for gallant and meritorious services
at tile battles Of Opequan. Cedar
Creek and Fishers Ill.," signed a
Lincoln"
Major Mckinley participated id the
final act or tie great war drama, the
grand review in Washington Al the
close Of the war. although military
career was open 10 him. he decided to
leave the army on his return to Pc
land a complimentary dinner was ten
dered to him by the citizens, who took
q pride III his military achievements
He NJ once began the study OF the law.
entering the office Of Judge Charles E.
GHdden at Youngstown, o. After one
years study under the preceptorship OF
Jud1e Glidden he went To law school
III Albany. y. Y. and in March, 1861.
was admitted TO the bar at Warren, ..
Among the many anecdotes related
of President Mckinley the following
are some of the most interesting:
Some years ago William French Mer-
riam. sergeant in the Federal army.
had his life saved by William McKin-
ley, then a private soldier in an Ohio
regiment. says the Worcester (NIassD
Telegram Mr.. Merriam is a native Of
W uSn tIlc " III VI NLlt itbCl-
lion broke out he enlisted in an Ohio
regiment. as he was working in that
state
Mr.. Merriam's left coat sleeve swings
empty. the result of 4 Confederate bul-
let at the battle of Somerville. Va.
Aug. 16 1861. He enlisted in Company
L. Seventh Ohio infantry, when he
was only 10 years old ana was wound
ed early in the fight \ Confederate
shell shattered one bone IN his left
forearm. but the wound was not neces-
sariiy serious if il had been attended
TO 1t once. With one arm disabled he
was taken prisoner BY the Confeder
ates AMI. with other captured Union
soldiers. was conveyed across the S2u-
ley river In spite Of his wounded arm
both hands we're tied behind him. For
ten days he was prisoner without
surgical attention. One day a Coufed
crate surgeon noticed his condition and
told him the arm would have to be am
putated Merriam demurred. but two
young doctors took him in charge and
removed the arm at the elbow.
At the time Major Rutherford b
HAYES. in command of a battalion Of
the Twenty third Ohio infantry. was
lowering on the other side Of the Can
ley river. looking for a chance to res
cue the wounded Union prisoners
whom the Confederates were guarding
jealouSly, making preparations to send
them To southern prison.
1t was Sept. II. 1861. before Major
Hayes got ready 70 attempt the res
cue. and when lie did the job it was in
a thorough style. Major Hayes after
ward became president Of the United
States and lie had a man serving IN
the ranks as private soldier who be-
came a president himself l mean VIII
liam Mckinley. He was then Private
Bill Mckinley of the Twenty-third
Ohio l have forgotten the company,
but | shall never forget him.
The boys Of the Twenty-third wai+s
ed for a dark. misty night. and then
they came for u. The Gauley river in
Virginia IS swiftly flowing stream
treacherous and dangerous for boats
at times In the face OF the difficulties
ahead Of them Major Hayes and his
men went quietly TO work. and before
midnight Of the 18th they had a raft
built Of logs and grapevines, and in
some way they made a bridge out Of
the structure. 1t was pretty squally
footing on that floating bridge. but the
men OF the Twenty-thir1 came across
ike heroes and drove In the Confeder-
ate pickets.
Private Mckinley came across with
the first rushers, and he was one OF
the first to get line on where we
wounded fellows lay. \ sergeant or a
corporal yelled out some sort of an or
der 70 Mckinley. and l heard an an
swer yelled back. In q few minutes a
soldier, who I believe was McKin-
ley. leaned over me and said cheer
fully; Get up, Johnny, We want YOU
l replied that l wasn't a Johnny. and.
although I was feeling somewhat
weak. got on my feet, and a chap let
me lean on his shoulder. That man
was Private Bill Mckinley. l heard
him spoken to several times in the hur-
~ across rba rrp3 king ShaLf-o- aft