The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1901-09-13
M'KINLEY IN ANECDOTE.
Incidents of Note In the Presi-
dents Career.
A SPLENDID MILITARY RECORD.


Kindness to an Old Man-How a
Pages sympathy Won His Favor.
President McKinley's career really
began at the outbreak Of the civil war
says the New York Times. At that
time he was Q, clerk in the Poland post
office. A war meeting was held in the
Sparrow tavern. At the close of a pa
triotic speech by an eloquent speaker
call was made for volunteers. Young
Mckinley was among those who step.
ped forward. He went with the re-
cruits to Columbus and was there en-
listed as a private In Company Il OF
the Twenty-third Ohio volunteer ipfan.
try. This regiment numbered among
its field and staff officers William S.
Rosecrans, afterward major general,
and Rutherford B. Hayes, nineteenth
president Of the United States.
The life Of a soldier was beneficial to
young McKinley's health. During the
fourteen months he served as private
he developed from slip of boy to a
robust young man. He participated in
all the es4ly engagements in West Vir-
ginia, the first of these being at Carni-
fex Ferry. In the winters camp at
Fayetteville he earned and received
his first promotion-commissary SER
geant. 1t was while he was acting in
this capacity that the coffee incident"
of which an attempt was made to Gre
ate ridicule in his first campaign for
the presidency, occurred. Far from
being a subject of ridicule, it was an
incident which reflected the highest
credit upon the young officer.
At the battle of Antietam, while his
regiment was in the thick of the fray,
Sergeant Mckinley was in charge of
the commissary department of his bri-
gade, and necessarily his post of duty
was with the supplies, about two miles
from where his famished comrades
were battling with the enemy. Enlist
ing stragglers to help him, Sergeant
Mckinley tilled two wagons with cans
containing hot. coffee and other sup
plies and hurried them to the front,
! The mules of one wagon became dis
abled under the terrific fire, but the
plucky young officer, undaunted, con-
tinued his efforts and finally reached
his regiment with the supplies, being
received with tremendous cheers.
General Hayes was badly wounded at
South Mountain, and when he went
home he told the story to Governor
Todd. The governor was so impressed
| hot hn of
a lieutenant's commission be made out
| for Mckinley. This was done, the
commission dating from Sept. "a, 1862.
General Hayes In describing this incl
dent in a speech at the Lakeside, Chau-
tauqua, in 1891, said
From Sergeant McKinley's hand ev-
cry man In the regiment was served
with hot coffee and warm meats,
thing which had never occurred under
similar circumstances in any other ar
my in the world. He passed under fire
and delivered with his own hands those
things so essential to the men for whom
he was laboring."
While he was a second lieutenant
McKinleys regiment participated In
number of minor engagements, in all
of which he showed great gallantry.
On Feb. Z, 1868, he received his com
mission as first lieutenant. 1t was I'M
der his leadership that his company
was the first to scramble over the forti-
fications at Camp Platt and silence the
enemy's guns. 1t was at the battle Of
Kernstown, near Winchester, that he
gained his greatest military distinc-
ton.
Crooks army was attacked by Ear
Tvs. Crook had but 5000 men, while
Early had 10000. General Hayes had
charge of the first brigade. He was on
the extreme right and was soon at
tackled with such fury that he was
obliged to fall back toward Winches-
ter. The movement was successfully
executed, except that the Thirteenth
West Virginia regiment failed to re-
fire and was in imminent danger of
capture. Lieutenant Mckinley was or
dered to go and bring the regiment
away. If it had not already fallen into
the hands of the enemy. 1t was mis-
sion fraught with the gravest peril. AS
he urged his horse through the open
fields over fences and across bitches
the fire of the enemy was poured out
upon him.
Once he was completely enveloped In
the smoke of an exploding shell, and
his comrades, who were watching his
gallant ride with the gravest anxiety,
thought he had surely gone down. But
when the smoke had cleared away they
saw him sitting erect in his saddle and
pressing on. He delivered his orders,
and the regiment was rescued after
desperate conflict with overwhelming
ly superior forces.
AS Mckinley came back with the
regiment he was cheered by the whole
brigade. General Hayes was filled with
emotion on seeing him. He loved Nc
Kinley as a father, and when he sent
him on his perilous mission he truly
believed, as he said to the lieutenant
on greeting him and as he afterward
said in many public addresses, that he
would never see him alive again. That
very same night Lieutenant Mckinley
led a party of volunteers to rescue four
guns and some caissons which were In
imminent danger Of falling into the
hands of the enemy. 1t was most
dangerous piece of work, CALAMITY ac-
complished. The next day, July 20,
1864, at the age of twenty-one, McKin-
ley was promoted to be captain.
In fierce engagement at BerryVine