Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard, August 27, 1864

CAMP SHERIDAN'S ARMY NEAR HALLTOWN, VIRGINIA, 

August 27, 1864. 

DEAR UNCLE:— I am getting letters at last; heard nothing from anybody for six weeks until last Sunday.

 We are entrenching a fine camp here as if a strong Rebel attack was expected. We have the enemy directly in front - supposed to be in force. We have fighting daily. My brigade and the other brigade of Crook's old division are in the front and do the most of it. We had quite a little battle last night — our loss seventy — Rebel about [the] same in killed and wounded and we captured a small South Carolina Rebel regiment entire (one hundred and four (men). This is the third time we have dashed back on them and picked up their skirmish line. The Rebs did intend to go into Maryland and Pennsylvania. Perhaps we have stopped them. We don't know yet.

Sheridan's cavalry is splendid. It is the most like the right thing that I have seen during the war.

Discipline and drill have been woefully neglected in our army. General Crook's army is about one-third of the force of Sheridan. Half of his (Crook's) force is capital infantry — the old Kanawha Division and two or three other regiments. The rest is poor enough — as poor as anything here. This is what hurt us at Winchester. The Nineteenth Corps, another third of Sheridan's army, are Yankee troops just returned from Louisiana. We have not seen them fight yet, but they look exceedingly well. We are pretty certain to have heavy fighting before long.

We are having capital times in this army—commanders that suit us (we are rid of Hunter), plenty to eat and wear, and beautiful and healthy camps, with short marches. The best times we have had since our first raid under Crook.

My old regiment keeps up notwithstanding the losses. We have filled up so as to have in the field almost six hundred men - more than any other old regiment.

I see Buckland is nominated (for Congress.) I suppose that will please him much. My college friend, from Michigan, Trowbridge, is a candidate also.

I hope McClellan will be nominated at Chicago. I shall then feel that in any event the war is to be prosecuted until the Union is restored.

Sincerely, 

R. B. HAYES. 

S. BIRCHARD.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 498-9