Monday, 10. — Captain Moore (R. B.), of Willoughby, has resigned. I yesterday invited him to quarter with me, his company (I) having gone to Raleigh. The weather is warm and threatening rain. Last night there was a thunder-storm.
Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes
Fayetteville, March 9, 1862. Sunday P. M
Dearest : — I received your letter last night — sent by Mr. Schooley. You wrote it a week ago. A rainy, gloomy day here too, but made rather jolly by Dr. Joe’s good nature, with Avery and Bottsford to help me laugh. Dr. Joe is in his best humor these days and makes all around him happy. Today is a lovely spring day — but getting lonely here. I am a hen with one chicken. All but one company, I have sent to Raleigh since Colonel Scammon left. We have been here almost four months. The men are pleased to go. I shall start in a day or two when the hospital goes. No sickness — not a man who can’t go about, and only four who need a hospital. Eight hundred well men here and at Raleigh. There is a real gloom among the men caused by a report that I am to be colonel of the Sixth. It is no doubt a repetition of an idle rumor I heard in Cincinnati, But as the thing may come up, I wish you and Stephenson to know that I would not want the place unless it was agreeable generally that I should have it. Young Anderson is probably entitled to it, and I would not want it in opposition to him or his friends. The place is, perhaps, not preferable to my present position and I do not desire it, unless it is all smooth — particularly with Anderson. If I were sure of continuing my present command of the Twenty-third, I would not wish a colonelcy of any other regiment; but in the present uncertainty I am willing to take a certainty in any good regiment.
My new horse performs beautifully. I am in the best of health. There is only one thing: You are not here. Don’t you think I love you as much as you do me? Why, certainly. There, I have fixed this letter so you can’t show it to “Steve.” I’ll write him a note. . . .
Affectionately,
R. B. Hayes.
Mrs. Hayes.
Saturday, March 8. — Ground frozen; sun came out bright and warm, speedily thawing all snow. Company C and four wagons carry all the “plunder” of the company and the adjutant’s office to Raleigh.
P. M. A glorious ride to the scenery of New River at and about Long Point; a rapid ride back; Doctors McCurdy, Twenty-third, and Potter, Thirtieth, Lieutenant-Colonel Jones, and Adjutant-General Hunter for companions. How the blood leaps and thrills through the veins as we race over the hills! Physical enjoyments of this sort are worth a war. How the manly, generous, brave side of our people is growing! With all its evils war has its glorious compensations.
News by telegraph this evening very meagre. A fine, affectionate letter from my dear wife, written last Sunday. She is so distressed at my absence but would not have me do otherwise.
Fayetteville, March 6, 1862.
Dearest : — Dr. Joe has been in his happiest mood every since my return — all the regiment are perfectly healthy. Avery and he started for Raleigh with Thomas this morning. Snowing — snow three inches on mud twelve inches. All of the Twenty-third goes up soon. We shall be “to ourselves” a little while up there. . . . The telegraph line will extend to Raleigh soon.
Lieutenant Bottsford says the picture I bring of you is not so pretty as you are! What do you say to that?
Affectionately,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
Thursday, 6. — Snow two or three inches deep on top of the mud. Dr. Webb and Adjutant Avery started for Raleigh in the storm, or rather on the snow and mud. There is no storm, merely snowing. P. M., with Captain McMullen and Lieutenant Bottsford rode out toward Bowyer’s Ferry; horses “balled” badly; fired a few pistol shots. My Webby (new) shies some and was decidedly outraged when I fired sitting on his back. Practiced sabre exercise. Evening, heard the telegraphic news; General Lander’s death, the only untoward event. How many of the favorites are killed! General Lyon, Colonel Baker, Major Winthrop, and now General Lander. I should mention Colonel Ellsworth also. He was a popular favorite, but by no means so fine or high a character as the others. Army in Tennessee “marching on.” The newspapers and the telegraph are under strict surveillance. Very little of army movements transpire[s]. On the upper Potomac a movement seems to be making on the enemy’s left in the direction of Winchester. Night, very cold — very.
Fayetteville, Virginia, Wednesday, March 5. — Snow, raw weather. Rode with Dr. Joe four or five miles. The new horse doesn’t seem to care for pistol firing. Open-air exercise agrees with me so well that I often feel as if an indoor life was unworthy of manhood; outdoor exercise for health! Read news of the 28th and [March] 1, Cincinnati. Rebel papers afford good reading these days.
Tuesday, 4. — Bright, cold, snow on ground. Ride with Dr. Joe, A. M. Webby doesn’t like the bit; it brings the blood. A good horse, I think.
Today a German soldier, Hegelman, asks to marry a girl living near here. She comes in to see me on the same subject; a good-looking girl, French on her father’s side, name, Elizabeth Ann de Quasie. A neighbor tells me she is a queer girl; has belonged to the Christian, Baptist, and Methodist church, that she now prefers the Big Church. She has a doubtful reputation. When Charles Hegelman came in to get permission to go to Gauley to get married by the chaplain of the Twenty-eighth, I asked him why he was in a hurry to marry; if he knew much about her; and what was her name. He replied, “I like her looks”; and after confessing that he didn’t know her name, that he thought it was Eliza Watson(!), he admitted that the thing was this: Eight hundred dollars had been left to him payable on his marriage, and he wanted the money out at interest!
A jolly evening with Drs. Webb and McCurdy and Lieutenants Avery and Bottsford at my room. Bottsford giving his California experience — gambling, fiddling, spreeing, washing clothes, driving mules, keeping tavern, grocery, digging, clerking, etc., etc., rich and poor, in debt and working it out; all in two or three years.
News on the wires that the Rebels have Murfreesboro; that Pope takes four or six guns from Jeff Thompson; that there is appearance of a move at Centreville and also of a move on Charleston, Virginia, and the capture of six hundred barrels of flour.
Monday, March 3. — Still raining, some sleet, cold as blazes at night. Ride my new horse, a yellow sorrel of Norman stock; call him Webby.
Cincinnati — No, Fayetteville, Virginia,
Saturday, March 1, 1862.
Dear L—: — I reached here in good condition last night. Find Dr. Joe very well. How he loves the boys! All things look bright and cheerful.
Colonel Scammon goes home today. People seem glad to see me, and I am glad to see the Twenty-third again. They greet me a good deal as the boys did at home.
Darling, you will be pleased to know, and so I tell you, I never loved you more than I do as I think of you on my late visit, and I never admired you so much. You are glad I feel so? Yes; well, that’s “pretty dood.” No time to write much. Love to Grandma and kisses for all the boys.
I brought all the grub in my haversack except three biscuitS clear here. More welcome here than on the road. Ask Dr. Jim to see that my Commercial and Joe’s Gazette are sent. They don’t come.
Affectionately,
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
Fayetteville, Virginia, February 28, 1862. Friday. — Reached here after a hard ride of forty miles from Camp Piatt. Found the Twenty-third men pleased to see me; felt like getting home. Had been absent four weeks, less one day, on furlough. Road from Camp Piatt a good part of the way very good; but from the ferry to Fayetteville execrable. The weather moderate, windy, threatening a storm.
