CINCINNATI, June 10 [9], 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—I shall go to Columbus in the morning under orders. I do not know what is intended, but by telegraph, Judge Matthews and myself are informed that we are to be in a regiment with Colonel Rosecrans—a West Pointer and intimate friend of Billy Rogers, and a capital officer,—Matthews as lieutenant-colonel and I as major. This is all we know about it. Buckland perhaps told you that I had got a dispatch asking if I would accept, and that I replied accepting the place. We have since been telegraphed that we were under orders accordingly, and must report at Columbus forthwith. This seems certain enough, but as red-tape is in the ascendant, we don’t count positively on anything.
I shall try to visit you before definitely leaving home. Mother will return to Columbus soon. I hope this matter is as it appears. It is precisely what we wish, if we understand it.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
June 7, 1861, I received a dispatch from Governor Dennison asking me if I would accept the majority in a regiment of which William S. Rosecrans was to be colonel and Judge Matthews lieutenant-colonel. I read it to Lucy, consulted with my old law partner [Ralph P. Buckland], who happened to be visiting Cincinnati, and thereupon replied that I would accept as proposed. Late in the afternoon of the next day I received a dispatch from the governor, addressed to Judge Matthews and myself, directing us to report to the adjutant-general at Columbus, Monday morning. Not being able to find Judge Matthews in the city, on the next day (Sunday, P. M.), I rode out to Judge Matthews’ residence at Glendale, took tea with him and his family and friends (Mrs. Matthews and mother, and Mr. and Mrs. Todd), and rode into the city arriving a few minutes before 9 P. M. I bid good-bye to my family (my mother, mother-in-law, Mrs. Webb, Lucy, and the boys), and at 9:30 P. M. we took the cars by way of Dayton for Columbus.
CINCINNATI, June 5, 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—I have received your letter of the 3rd. Am sorry to have disappointed you last Saturday. Shall try to come soon. I have just had a call from Buckland,¹ and went with him to the Burnet House and saw Miss Annie and Ralph.
A dispatch in the Commercial indicates that we are having better luck at Washington than at Columbus. If the authorities at Columbus do not interfere, we are likely to get in our regiment. We had a letter from Governor Chase a few days [ago], which encouraged us to hope that such would be the case.
Mother will probably go to Columbus next week or the week after. If the Commercial correspondent is correct, we shall probably be pretty busy for a few days or a week. I will advise you as soon as anything definite is known.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
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¹Ralph P. Buckland, of Fremont, Hayes’s old law partner, later a general. Always a leading citizen.
CINCINNATI, May 31, 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—I made my preparations to start for Fremont by way of Toledo tomorrow, as intimated in my letter of the early part of the week, but a gleam of light breaks in upon us in regard to our war project, and I concluded to wait; but if nothing turns up, I will come and see you a week hence. Mother is quite well again. All the rest of us in excellent health.
The times are no better, and I see nothing which indicates an early termination of the war. We must make up our minds for hard rations and little money.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
CINCINNATI, [May 27, 1861.]
DEAR UNCLE:—I have nothing in particular you to write. I heard a good war sermon today on the subject, “The Horrors of Peace”!
The weather is very unfavorable for troops in camp—wet and chilly. The tents leak and the ground is low and flat. These things will gradually mend themselves. We shall have precious little business this summer, judging by present appearances. Come down when you feel like it.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
CINCINNATI, May 26, 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—. . . I have been watching the enlistments for the war during the last week with much interest, as the chance of our enterprise for the present depends on it. If twenty regiments enlist out of the twenty-six now on foot in the State, there will be no room for ours. If less than twenty go in for three years, we are safe. Until the news of the advance into Virginia arrived, and the death of Colonel Ellsworth, there was a good deal of hesitation in the various camps. The natural dissatisfaction and disgust which many felt, some with and some without adequate cause, were likely to prevent the quota from being filled out of the three-months men. But now all is enthusiasm again. Of course I like to see it, but for the present it probably cuts us out. Well, we shall be ready for next time. If all immediate interest in this quarter is gone, I shall likely enough come up and spend next Sunday with you.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
CINCINNATI, May 23, 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—I received yours of the 17th this morning, and am glad to know that your views as to finishing and furnishing the house correspond with our own. If I should not go away during the summer, I will, of course, visit you several times, and we can arrange all these matters. . . .
I suspect you do not like to commit yourself on my warlike designs. We have often observed, that on some questions, advice is never asked until one’s own purpose is fixed; so that the adviser is throwing away breath. Perhaps you think this is such a case, and perhaps you are right; but if the dispatches of this morning are correct, that the Government already has two hundred and twenty thousand men, and will accept no more, the question is settled.
It is raining again—disagreeable times for people in camp. I have not seen any Fremonters, but have written to Haynes¹ to come and see me, with any of the men.
Sincerely,
R.B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
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¹ W. E. Haynes. Later a colonel. Long a prominent citizen of Fremont. Member of Congress, etc.
CINCINNATI, May 22, 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—Your last is highly satisfactory. It is by no means certain that we shall get in, but we shall keep trying and sooner or later I suspect we shall succeed.
Lucy rather prefers, I think, not to go out to Fremont this summer if I should go away, but will of course do what we think best. I will come out before going away, even if I can stay only a day. If I should not leave, I shall of course visit you this summer and stay some time.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
May 19, 1861.—We find a good deal of difficulty in getting new companies or regiments accepted for the war, but we shall persevere.
CINCINNATI, May 16, 1861.
DEAR UNCLE:—I have got your favor of the 14th. . . . You say nothing about my going into the war. I have been fishing for your opinion in several of my late letters. Unless you speak soon, you may be too late.
My new business arrangement and my prospects, bad as times are, are evidently good. Whenever other lawyers have business, I shall easily make all that is needed; but still, as Billy Rogers writes me, “This is a holy war,” and if a fair chance opens, I shall go in; if a fair chance don’t open, I shall, perhaps, take measures to open one. So don’t be taken by surprise if you hear of my soldiering. All the family have been sounded, and there will be no troublesome opposition.
In view of contingencies, I don’t like to leave home to visit you just now. I shall be able to leave money to support the family a year or two, without reckoning on my pay. Events move fast these days.
Since writing the foregoing, Judge [Stanley] Matthews called, and we have agreed to go to Columbus to lay the ropes for a regiment. There are a thousand men here who want us for their officers.
Sincerely,
R. B. HAYES.
S. BIRCHARD.
