Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes

New Creek, West Virginia, April 12, 1865.

Dearest: — I wonder if you feel as happy as I do. The close of the war, “home again,” darling and the boys and all to be together again for good! And the manner of it too! Our best general vindicated by having the greatest victory. General Crook too. Did you see, it was his immediate command that captured so much, which Sheridan telegraphs about — the wagons, Armstrong guns, etc., etc.? All most gratifying.[1]

My expedition into the mountains will no doubt be given up, although we are still preparing.

I am well satisfied with present matters personally, and think I am rather fortunate, all things considered. I decide nothing at present. I wish you to be ready to join me on very short notice. It is not likely I shall send for you, but I may do so any day if you would like to come.

My notion is that an extra session of Congress soon is a likely thing to occur. That will be known in a week or two. — Love to all. “So much.”

As ever

R.

P. S. — My pictures being in demand, I have got another.

Mrs. Hayes.

[1] Dr. J. T. Webb writing to his mother from Winchester, April 13, 1865, says: — “It must be pleasant to those worthies who put on so much style to reflect that while there was fighting to be done here in this valley, Sheridan and Crook were here; now that the fighting has been transferred to Richmond, they [the worthies] are sent here and Crook and Sheridan taken off down there. It’s all style and airs — very offensive to sensible people, but as the war is about over, it matters but little who commands. Were there an enemy in our front, I should not fancy our generals. As it is they are very good for fuss and feathers, great on revers, etc., — about all they are suited for.”

New Creek, West Virginia, April 12, 1865.

Dear Uncle: — I am just beginning to fully realize and enjoy our great victories. I am more glad to think my fighting days are ended than I had expected. Grant deserves his great victory. Crook, too, had a conspicuous place. It was his immediate command which captured the wagon train, Armstrong guns, prisoners, etc., which figure so largely in Sheridan’s reports.

I am still preparing for my expedition, but I am confident it is given up and will never be undertaken; it is rendered useless. I think it not improbable that there will be an extra session of Congress; if so, I go out of service then, of course. I am pretty well pleased with matters now. Pecuniarily, I shall gain by staying in service as long as possible. That consideration aside, I am ready to quit now almost any time. Address me at this place.

Sincerely,

R. B. Hayes.

S. Birchard.

Cumberland, Maryland, April 10, 1865.

Dear Judge: — I am told that my application for leave has come back without approval. I am sending it again today. At this rate it will be ten days before I see it again. The War Department wants to know my business. They mustn’t be too crotchety or I’ll get naughty on their hands.

I hope this cruel war is over. I shall resign probably in about six weeks.

Sincerely,

R. B. Hayes.

[Judge William Johnston (?),
Washington.]

New Creek, [West] Virginia, April 9 (Sunday), 1865.

Dear Mother: — The good news is coming so fast and so much of it that I hardly know how to think or feel about it. I expect to see no more fighting with any part of my command, and in all quarters the severe fighting must, I think, soon cease. I was assigned to the command of an independent expedition through the mountains towards Lynchburg some days ago. We are still preparing for it, but I now think it will not go. In the meantime my headquarters are temporarily at this place. I do not much care where I am during the short time I shall probably now remain in the army. I want to stay a little while longer until the smoke of these great events blows away enough to let us see what the Rebels will try to do next. I expect to see many of them give up, but the Rebel organization will hold on I suspect some time longer. My four years is up in June; after that I feel at liberty to resing. Sooner if matters [don’t (?)] suit.

Write me at this place for the present.

Affectionately, your son,

R.

Mrs. Sophia Hayes.

New Creek, [West] Virginia, April 8, 1865.

Dearest: — The glorious news is coming so fast that I hardly know how to think and feel about it. It is so just that Grant, who is by all odds our man of greatest merit, should get this victory. It is very gratifying too that Sheridan gets the lion’s share of the glory of the active fighting. The clique of showy shams in the Army of the Potomac are represented by Warren. We do not know the facts, but I suspect Warren hung back, and after the Potomac fashion, didn’t take hold with zeal when he found Sheridan was to command. So he was sent to the rear! General Crook wrote me the day before the battle that the men were in superb condition and eager for the fray, but that some of the generals were half whipped already. No doubt he meant Warren. Crook commanded the advance of Sheridan’s attack. No doubt his strategy had much to do with it.

Personally, matters are probably as well as they could be, considering that we are in the hands, as Joe says, of the Yankees. The fall of Richmond came the day before we all left Camp Hastings. We had a glorious time. All the men gathered, all the bands; Chaplain Collier and I talked. I did not then of course say good-bye, but I said about all I would have said if just parting. The Thirty-sixth is about as near to me, the officers possibly more so, than the Twenty-third. I am in a command of all sorts now, a good regiment of cavalry, the old Pennsylvania Ringgold Cavalry, two batteries of Ohio men, one of them Captain Glassier’s (the old Simmonds Battery), one of the veteran West Virginia regiments (Second Veterans), and a lot of others of less value. It was intended to send me in command of about five thousand men, quite a little army, by mountain routes towards Lynchburg. We are still preparing for it, but I have no idea now that we shall go. I wish to remain in service until my four years is up in June. Then I shall resign or not, as seems best. If matters don’t suit me, I’ll resign sooner.

Now, if things remain here in statu quo, would you like [to] come here? It is a most romantic spot. I have Captain Nye and Lieutenant Turner of Thirty-sixth as part of my staff, Charley Smith, Billy Crump, and two other Twenty-third men as orderlies. We have speedy communication by rail and telegraph and with a little more company it would be very jolly. — Love to all.

Affectionately,

R.

Mrs. Hayes.

New Creek, [West] Virginia, April 5, 1865.

Dear Lucy: — I am assigned to a new command of cavalry, infantry, and artillery — mostly West Virginia troops. I hated to leave my old command and at first was disposed to rebel. I am ordered to take command of an expedition through the mountains towards Lynchburg. It is over awful mountain roads, through a destitute country, and is in all respects a difficult, if not impossible, thing to do. I hope that Lee in his retreat will take such a direction as will make it plainly useless. If so, it will be abandoned, I trust. There will be little danger or hardship to me, but great hardships for the men. I will write you often till I start. I am to make my headquarters here while getting ready. I am to start from Beverly in Randolph County. Warm Springs, Staunton, and Lexington are named as points. — Love to all.

Affectionately ever,

R.

General Crook had the advance of Sheridan [in] the late movement at Petersburg.

Mrs. Hayes.

Camp Hastings, April 3, 1865.

Dear Colonel: — That sounds better, don’t it? Your commission was sent three weeks ago, as I was told by Harry Thompson. There has been some oversight or negligence. I know Colonel Comly would not purposely withhold it.

The Twenty-third is in a nice camp near town, doing provost duty. You could enjoy yourself with them as soon as you can hobble about a little. . . .

General Crook has command of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. Just for the name of the thing, he took command of this Department for a day or two. He came out to our camp. We gave him a regular jolly mass-meeting sort of reception, which he and all of us enjoyed. I think it better for him as it is.

We are all ready to move. The talk is that we shall go soon. Hancock has at Halltown about ten thousand to fifteen thousand men, six or eight new Ohio regiments of the number. … .

Sincerely,

R. B. Hayes.

Lieutenant-colonel Russell Hastings,
Willoughby, Ohio.

Camp Hastings, April 3, 1865.

Dear Mother: — . . . I am to have a new command in Hancock’s Corps. Either veterans or a brigade of new Ohio troops. I shall probably prefer the latter, as it is not likely to continue a great while. I leave Cumberland tomorrow. The new command is near Harpers Ferry. Letters addressed to me via Harpers Ferry will reach me.

Affectionately,

R.

Mrs. Sophia Hayes.

Camp Hastings, March 25, 1865.

Dear Mother: — We have had a sudden and severe change of weather. For the first time this month the ground is white with snow, and the mountains look like midwinter. The wind blows our tents down once in a while, and makes a little trouble. In other respects the change does not trouble us much.

General Crook has been exchanged and given a command under Grant before Richmond. He was placed in command of his old Department a few days to show that Grant had not lost confidence in him. He came out to my camp, where the troops gave him a most enthusiastic reception. . . .

We are ready to move from here at any time. It is not known, I think, by anybody where [and] when we shall go. . . .

Affectionately, your son,

R.

Mrs. Sophia Hayes.