13th. — The newspapers from the Commercial office
still get here three or four days in advance of other news, except dispatches.
I shall send home a sabre captured by Company G on the late trip up New River
towards the railroad. It is one of about a dozen taken, which belonged to a
company of Richmond cavalry commanded by Captain Caskie. I send you the letter
I got from Major Comly with the sabre.
You will send Joe off as soon as it is safe for him to go. I
am always amused with his talk on one subject. He is resolved to consider our
regiment as a much abused and neglected one. We were in about the only
successful campaign made the past summer. We have the best winter quarters in
the United States. He thinks we can't be favorites of General Rosecrans because
he don't send us away to Kentucky or somewhere else! And so on. But old
bachelors must grumble at something, and as he seems now to be enjoying
everything else, it is perhaps right that he should be unhappy about the
regiment. . . .
I feel a little embarrassed about Joe. He says,
"Telegraph if you want me," etc., etc. Now, the truth is, he ought
not to be absent without or beyond his leave. I have constantly said that if it
was not safe to leave you he ought to stay, and I would see it [made] all
right. This I repeat. But what annoys me is, Joe seems to feel as if something
was wrong about the regiment; as if he would like to leave it, etc., etc. Now,
if he isn't satisfied with it, I will do all I can to get him a place in
another regiment. Don't let him stay in this on my account. I am liable
to leave it at any time, and I really don't want anybody in high position in
the regiment who is dissatisfied, and particularly if he is a friend or
relative of mine. I feel a duty in this matter. The happiness of several
hundred men is affected more or less if one of the prominent officers allows
himself to be habitually out of sorts about things. You may show this to Joe.
Don't let there be any misunderstanding. I prefer greatly that Dr. Joe should
be our surgeon, but if he feels that he can't return to western Virginia, or go
anywhere else that the chances of war may take us, without feeling injured and
soured, then my preference is that he do not come. I will do all I can to get
him another place, as I said before, but I don't want to see him with us if he feels
"snubbed" because we are not sent to Kentucky.
I ought not to trouble you with this, but it is written and
you will not think me unkind, will you? Love to all the dear boys, little Joe
and all. Very glad Mother Webb is so well.
Affectionately, as
ever your
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 185-6
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