Friday, [June] 3. — From Callaghan to near Hot Springs in Bath County, nineteen miles. Yesterday crossed Allegheny Mountain; good road. Waters this side flow to the James River. A good day’s march; forded Jackson River at Mr. Porter’s. A young lady says Richmond papers of 27th contain news favorable to them.
Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes
Thursday, June 2. — March at 5 A. M. White Sulphur to Callaghan, about fourteen miles; a cloudy, good marching day. Nothing of interest today. Bill Jackson left Callaghan three days ago.
Wednesday, June 1. — Marched thirteen miles to [within] one mile of White Sulphur Springs. A hot day; easy march. Waded Greenbrier. A good camp on Howard’s Creek, headquarters on a knoll, left-hand side going east. Mr. Caldwell at White Sulphur very civil. Sold me two teams. A fine, beautiful place. Rumors of Rebels at Callaghan, Jackson River, etc., etc.; a patrol or picket at White Sulphur.
Tuesday, May 31, 1864. — We move today. Colonel Sickles and the reserve, except veteran volunteers, go home today. They passed with slow sad music this morning. A bad time to go to the rear. Marched to Bunger’s Mill, ten and one-half miles from Meadow Bluff and five miles from Lewisburg. Camped on left of Second Brigade in a pleasant glen.
Monday, [May] 30. — No move today; hot and sultry. Saw [the] Fifth drill; [the] Thirteenth, ditto. News that Grant’s prospects are fair.
Meadow Bluff, Sunday, May 29, 1864.
Dearest: — Still here getting ready — probably delayed some by the change in Department commanders, but chiefly by rains and delays in obtaining supplies. All the brigade now here, camped in sight of where I now sit. We hardly know where we are to come out, but there is a general feeling that unless Grant succeeds soon, we shall turn up in his army.
You notice the compliment to Major Avery, “bravest of the brave.” A good many officers of [the] Twenty-third are talking of going out at the end of the original term, ten days hence. Major McIlrath bid us good-bye this morning. Major Carey is likely to take his place with the veterans of the Twelfth. . . .
My staff now is Lieutenant Hastings, adjutant-general, [Lieutenant William] McKinley, quartermaster, Lieutenant Delay, Thirty-sixth, commissary, and Lieutenant Wood, Thirty-sixth, aide — all nice gentlemen. I enclose Colonel Tomlinson’s photograph which he handed me today.
Well, this is a happy time with us. — You must not feel too anxious about me. I shall be among friends.
A flag of truce goes in the morning after our wounded left at Cloyd’s Mountain. There were four doctors and plenty of nurses left with them. . . Love to all the boys.
Affectionately ever,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
Meadow Bluff, May 29, 1864.
Dear Uncle: — Contrary to my expectation when I wrote you a few days ago, we are still here. We are detained, I suppose, by different causes, but I suspect we shall move soon towards Staunton. We may drift into the army of Grant before a month. My proper brigade is now here and all of it camped in sight of where I now sit, viz., Twenty-third and Thirty-sixth Ohio, Fifth and Thirteenth Virginia. I have seen them all in line today. They form a fine body of troops. We are soon to lose the enlisted men of the Twenty-third who did not become veterans. I think a good many officers will leave at the same time. It is probable that the veterans of the Twelfth will go into the Twenty-third. If so it will make the regiment better and stronger than ever before.
We are not informed how Grant succeeds in getting into Richmond. You know I have always thought he must get the Western Army there before he can whip Lee. It looks a little now as if he might do it without Western help. We shall see,
Sincerely,
R. B. Hayes.
I hear from Lucy that she is settled in a good boarding-house at Chillicothe.
S. Birchard.
Sunday, [May] 29. — Heard preaching of Mr. Harper, Thirteenth, on the hill in front of [the] Thirty-sixth; so-so. Fine day. At night news that Grant had crossed the Pamunkey, fifteen miles from Richmond. Sherman at Dallas, Georgia.
Saturday, [May] 28.— Colonel Brown and [the] Thirteenth came up last night; seemed glad to be with the brigade all at one camp. I was certainly glad.
[May] 27. Friday. — Read Colonel Gilbert’s pamphlet on Governor Brough’s rule as to promotion. I do not quarrel with it as a general rule, but Colonel Gilbert and the Forty-fourth should have had their officers as desired. To make such a rule inflexible is very foolish.
