Description:

RUTHERFORD B. HAYES
Fine content, rare war-date A.L.S. 1p. 4to., "Hd Quars 23 Regt. On Camp Green Meadows", July 22, 1562, to his commanding officer, Gen. Eliakim Scammon, asking for a piece of artillery and reporting on enemy patrols that have crossed the dividing river. In part: "...I received an order last night to send the section of McMullen's battery stationed here to Flat Top. It has left. It is rumored that the [artillery] pieces of the other section now at the ferry, will remain with us to be moved by our men. It has been, I believe, now considered desirable that the piece at the ferry should be kept...brought here to drill the men in handling them...A cavalry patrol of about ten men, or a picket of the enemy was discovered on the little Blue Stone Road yesterday afternoon about two miles beyond our post. If they are there this morning I shall send men to capture or drive them off. I call your attention to the pickets at the first...on Princeton road. I think they are too far out to be safe or useful...". At the time of this letter, the 23rd Ohio Vols. had been in Virginia for a year. Most of their actions involved patrols and minor skirmishes with the enemy in a mutual dance probing enemy lines. Two weeks after this letter, Hayes sent a detachment of cavalry mentioned to destroy the Mercer Salt Works. The skirmishes eventually took the 23rd north to the battle of Antietam just two months later. Hayes stayed with the 23rd and saw action in several major campaigns and was wounded four times. Although Hayes is permanently associated with the 23rd Ohio, he was ready to leave it due to strong disagreements with his commanding officer Scammon. It is possible that the request made in this letter went unheeded and that this proved to be the final straw for Hayes. The letter also reveals an unusual disagreement within the command on military tactics, with Hayes second-guessing his superior about the placement of pickets. In a letter penned to his wife the following day, Hayes noted: "Last night various doings at headquarters of brigade disgusted me so much, that before I went to sleep I pretty much resolved to get up this morning and write in the most urgent manner soliciting promotion in a new regiment to get out and escape". Dampstaining to left portion, overall good condition.

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January 20, 2010 10:00 AM EST
Stamford, CT, US

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