Camp Hayes, Raleigh, Virginia, April 8, 1862.
Dear Uncle: —
We are getting ready to move south. Our first halt, unless the enemy stops us,
will be at Princeton, forty-two miles from here, the county-seat of Mercer
County. We shall stop there for supplies, etc., etc., and to suppress Rebel
recruiting and guerrilla bands probably a fortnight, then on to the railroad at
Wytheville, Dublin, or some other point. The enemy will try to stop us. They
will do their best, as the railroad is of the utmost importance to their grand
army in eastern Virginia.
Colonel Scammon has a brigade consisting of [the] Twenty-third,
Thirtieth, and Thirty-seventh Ohio Regiments, a fine battery of eight pieces,
and a small force of cavalry. I command the Twenty-third which has the advance.
General Cox commands the division consisting of three brigades. At present only
one brigade (ours) moves up this side of New River.
We should move tomorrow, but heavy rains yesterday and today
have filled the streams so that they can't be forded. I have got two companies cut
off by the freshet, and have been taxing the Yankee ingenuity of a company from
Ashtabula in getting grub to them. I think it has succeeded.
It is much pleasanter carrying on the war now than last
campaign. Now the people, harried to death by the Rebel impressment of
provisions and also of men, welcome our approach, receive us gladly, send us
messages to hurry us forward, and a few turn out to fight. Guides are plenty,
information furnished constantly, etc. All which is very different from
carrying on an invasion of a hostile people.
I can't think that the new armies of the South will fight as
well as the old ones. Besides being raw, large numbers are unwilling. Our
troops have improved beyond all expectation. Our regiment is now a beautiful
sight. The Thirtieth too has become, under the drilling of the last two months,
a capital body in appearance. The Thirty-seventh is a German regiment — has
companies from Toledo, Sandusky, and Cleveland. I have not yet seen it.
I prefer Lucy should let the house remain empty this summer,
or rented to some [family] to take care of it with my name on the door, etc.,
and in the fall we will see as to permanent arrangements.
The war will certainly last another campaign — I mean
through this summer and until next fall. Even with victories on the Potomac and
at Corinth and Memphis, it will take months, if not a year or two, to crush out
the Rebellion in all quarters.
Sincerely,
R. B. Hayes.
S. BlRCHARD.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 225-6
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