The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1901-09-13

guam and Fishers Hill he again distin.
guished himself. Soon after the battle
of Fishers Hill his regiment was de-
tailed as train guard to Martinsburg.
On the march the men voted. Captain
McKinley's first ballot was cast for
Lincoln, whose career his own was to
parallel so closely, even to assassina-
ton.
Mckinley was with Sheridan at the
battle of Winchester. For a time he
was ON the staff of General Hancock.
Later he was assigned as acting as
sistant adjutant general on the staff of
General Samuel S. Carroll, command
ing the veteran reserve corps at Wash
ington, where he remained through
that exciting period which included
the surrender of Lee to Grant at APP
pOmattox and the assassination Of
President Lincoln. 1t was just a month
before Mr.. Lincoln fell victim to an
assassin's bullet that Mckinley re-
ceived from him document which he
has always considered one of his most
precious possessions. 1t is a commits
mission as a major by brevet in the
volunteer army of the United States
'for gallant and meritorious services
at the battles of Opequan, Cedar
Creek and Fishers HILL" signed "a.
Lincoln"
Major Mckinley participated in the
! final act Of the great war drama, the
/ grand review in Washington. At the
close of the war, although military
career was open to him, he decided to
leave the army. On his return to Po-
land a complimentary dinner was ten
dered to him by the citizens, who took
q pride In his military achievements.
He at once began the study of the law,
entering the office of Judge Charles e.
Glidden at Youngstown, o. After one
years study under the preceptorship Of
Judge Glidden he went to law school
in Albany, N. Y, and in March, 1867,
was admitted to the bar at Warren, o.
Among the many anecdotes related
of President Mckinley the following
are some of the most interesting:
Some years ago William French Mer
riam, a sergeant in the Federal army,
had his life saved by William McKin-
ley, then a private soldier in an Ohio
regiment, says the Worcester (Mass.)
Telegram. Mr.. Merriam is a native of
Vermont. When the war Of the rebel
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 Confederate bull
let at the battle of Someryille, Va,
Aug. 16, 1861. He enlisted in Company
z, Seventh Ohio infantry, when he
was only 10 years old and was wound
ed early In the fight. A Confederate
shell shattered one bone In his left
forearm, but the wound was not neces-
sarily serious if it had been attended
to at once. With one arm disabled he
was taken prisoner by the Confeder-
ates and, with other captured Union
soldiers, was conveyed across the eau
ley river. In spite of his wounded arm
both hands were tied behind him. For
ten days he was a prisoner without
surgical attention. One day Confed-
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 eau
ley river, looking for a chance to res
cue the wounded Union prisoners,
whom the Confederates were guarding
jealousy, making preparations to send
them to a southern prison.
ut was Sept. II, 1861, before Major
Hayes got ready to attempt the res
cue, and when he did the job 1t was in
a thorough style. Major Hayes after
ward became president of the United
States, and he had man serving in
the ranks as a private soldier who be-
came a president himself. l mean VIII
liam Mckinley. He was then Private
Bill Mckinley of the Twenty-third
Ohio. 1 have forgotten the company,
but l shall never forget him.
1.-THE boys of the Twenty-third wait
ed for a dark, misty night, and then
they came for us. The Gauley river in
Virginia is a 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 bridge out of
the structure. 1t was pretty squally
footing on that floating bridge, but the
men of the Twenty-third came across
like 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 a line on where we
wounded fellows lay. A sergeant or a
corporal yelled out some sort of an or
der to Mckinley, and 1 heard an an
swer yelled back. In a few minutes a
soldier, who 1 believe was McKin-
ley, leaned over me and said cheer
fully: Get up, Johnny. We want you
1 replied that 1 wasn't a Johnny, and,
although 1 was feeling somewhat
weak, got on my feet, and chap let !
me lean on his shoulder. That man
was Private Bill Mckinley. l heard |
him spoken to several times In the hur-
ry across the creaking, shaking raft.
He helped me along gently and safely |
and showed much sympathy on account |
of my arm. The stump was pretty |
sore, and Mckinley helped me along as
tenderly as anybody could wish. 1 ac-
tually believe that Mckinley saved my
life ON that occasion. l regret the loss |