Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes

Our mustering was completed June 11 and 12. We were guests of Colonel King (for rations) at the log headquarters and slept at Platt’s. Both good arrangements. Wednesday evening, 12th, we got up a large marquee, fine but not tight, and that night I had my first sleep under canvas—cool but refreshing.

COLUMBUS, June 12, 1861.

DEAR UNCLE:—We are in Camp Jackson—hot, busy, and jolly. Colonel Rosecrans is an energetic, educated West Pointer, very cheerful and sensible. Judge Matthews you know. We are on good terms with our captains, and the whole thing pleases me vastly; but I see no chance of getting out to see you; so you must come here one of these days. We are in the suds yet; still I would enjoy a visit even now. I cannot say more now. Good-bye.

Sincerely,

R.B. HAYES.

P.S.—We were sworn in to-day; our commissions are from the 7th.

S. BIRCHARD.

COLUMBUS, June 10, 1861.

DEAR UNCLE:—Matthews and myself are here and find that the governor makes up a list of regimental officers, calls it a regimental organization and assigns to it companies as he pleases, preferring to select officers from one part of the State and men from another. We are the Twenty-third Regiment¹ and our companies will probably be from the north. The men indicated are said to be a superior body. We have seen the captains and are favorably impressed. Of course this policy is calculated to cause embarrassment, but the governor shoulders the responsibility and we are not involved in any personal unpleasantness. We shall be here probably a week before going down to make our final preparations.

I may not be able to visit Fremont. If not you will see me here.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

S. BIRCHARD.

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¹ The first three-years regiment organized in Ohio

COLUMBUS, June 10, 1861.

DEAR FORCE:—I do not dispatch you as to matters here, because it is not certain what will be done, but our present impression is, that we can get no additional companies into our regiment. Full regiments have been made up, and the governor is assigning officers to them, or, rather, he makes up regimental staffs, and assigns companies from a list of accepted companies already in camp. . . . This mode of doing the thing creates some difficulty, and changes are possible, but not probable. I regret this, but we can’t perhaps change it. The governor is doing it in a frank, manly way which relieves us from all embarrassment in the premises.

Sincerely,

R.B. HAYES.

M. F. FORCE, ESQ.

(Private—Don’t show this out of the family.)

CINCINNATI [COLUMBUS], June 10, 1861.

DEAR DOCTOR:—We are not quite certain, but our matters probably stand this way. The governor makes up a regimental staff and assigns to it companies as far removed from it, usually, as possible. We are to be the Twenty-third Regiment and companies will be assigned, usually, from the north. The proposed companies are very fine ones. This policy naturally creates some embarrassment, and may, or may not, work well, but the governor takes the responsibility in a very manly way, and relieves us from all embarrassments. If there is trouble, it will be between the governor and the companies, not involving us in the least. We like our captains, and would get along with them well, if this policy don’t interfere. Nothing can be said about surgeon at present. I suspect it is arranged, but can’t guess how.

I can’t say when I shall come down, but soon, to stay two or three days and fix up; probably about Saturday next. Lucy may gradually get ready my matters; not too many things; there will be time enough.

The camp is at the race-track four miles west. You need not talk much of my probable fix, as changes are possible. Love to all. I will write often.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

P.S.—Order at Sprague’s a major’s uniform for infantry; they have my measure; see Rhodes; also, a blue flannel blouse, regulation officer’s; pants to be large and very loose about the legs; to be done the last of this week, or as soon as convenient. Blouse and pants first to be done.

DR. JOSEPH T. WEBB.

June 10, Monday morning, after a few hours’ rest at the Goodale or Capitol House, we went over to the governor’s office and learned that the governor had made up a regiment composed of companies chiefly from the extreme northern and northeastern part of the East [State], the field officers being all from Cincinnati, to be the Twenty-third Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for the service of the United States during the war. This regiment was to be organized under General Order No. 15, issued by the adjutant-general of the United States, May 4, 1861, and was the first regiment in Ohio in which the regiment did not elect its own field officers. We feared there would be some difficulty in reconciling the men and officers to officers—strangers—not of their own selection. . . .

Several of these companies had been in camp in Camp Taylor, near Cleveland, together, and wished to remain and act together. All the captains came into the governor’s office, soon after we entered, in a state of some excitement, or at least some feeling, at finding themselves placed under strangers from a distant part of the State. We were introduced to them. Colonel Rosecrans unfortunately was not present, having not yet arrived from some military service at Washington. The governor explained to Matthews and myself that the field officers of the Twenty-third were fixed, that we were the Twenty-third Regiment, and that those captains could go into it or not as they saw fit. A little acquaintance satisfied us that our captains were not disposed to be unreasonable, that their feeling was a natural one under the circumstances, and that all ill feeling would disappear if we showed the disposition and ability to perform our duties. Captain Beatty, however, would not be content. He had been a senator in the Legislature, was fifty-five or sixty years old and not disposed to go under young men.

We took a hack out to Camp Jackson,¹ four miles west of Columbus on the National Road. Several companies were mustered into service by Captains Simpson and Robinson the same day. Colonel E. A. King, of Dayton, was, under state authority, in command of all the soldiers, some twenty-five hundred in number, not mustered into service. As rapidly as they were mustered in, they passed under Colonel Matthews, as the ranking field officer in United States service. Luckily, Captain Beatty was not ready for the mustering officer and we succeeded in getting Captain Zimmerman’s fine company in his place. Ditto Captain Howard in place of Captain Weller.

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¹ Name changed a few days later to Camp Chase.