Camp Tompkins, Virginia, November 2, 1861.
Dearest Lucy: — I am
about to return to my regiment, six or eight miles up New River at Camp Ewing.
I shall probably be comfortably settled there tonight.
Colonel Matthews
having been promoted to the colonelcy of the Fifty-first, I have been promoted
to the lieutenant-colonelcy of the Twenty-third and relieved, for the present
at any rate, of the duties of judge-advocate. I of course regret very much the
loss of Colonel Matthews. But you know we have been separated more than half
the time since we came to Virginia; so it is more a change in name than in
fact. I hope he has a good regiment. If he has decent materials he will make it
a good one. I am pleased, as people in the army always are, with my promotion.
I confess to the weakness of preferring (as I must hereafter always be called
by some title) to be called Colonel to being styled Major.
We had a noisy day
yesterday. A lot of Floyd's men (we suppose) have got on the other side of the
river with cannon. They tried to sink our ferry-boats and prevent our crossing
Gauley River at the bridge (now ferry for Wise destroyed the bridge). They made
it so hazardous during the day that all teams were stopped; but during the
night the ferry did double duty, so that the usual crossing required in
twenty-four hours was safely done. Both sides fired cannon and musketry at each
other several hours, but the distance was too great to do harm. We have two
wounded and thought we did them immense damage. They probably suffered little
or no loss, but probably imagined that they were seriously cutting us. So we
all see it. Our side does wonders always. We are not accurately informed about
these Rebels, but appearances do not make them formidable. They can't attack
us. The only danger is that they may get below on the Kanawha and catch a
steamboat before we drive them off.
I wish you could
see such a battle. No danger and yet enough sense of peril excited to make all
engaged very enthusiastic. The echoes of the cannon and bursting shells through
the mountain defiles were wonderful. I spent the day with two soldiers making a
reconnaissance — that is to say trying to find out the enemies' exact position,
strength, etc., etc. We did some hard climbing, and were in as much danger as
anybody else, that is, none at all. One while the spent rifle balls fell in our
neighborhood, but they hadn't force enough to penetrate clothing, even if they
should hit. It's a great thing to have a rapid river and a mountain gorge
between hostile armies. . . .
Affectionately,
R. B. Hayes.
P. S. — I have been
paid half of my pay, and will send you two or three hundred dollars at least,
the first chance. I wish you would get Dr. Jim to buy one or two pairs of
lieutenant-colonel's shoulder-straps to send with the privilege of returning if
they don't suit. We expect Dr. Clendenin daily.
Mrs. Hayes.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 134-5
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