Meadow Bluff, May 19,
1864
Dearest: — We got safely to this point in our lines, two hours ago, after twenty-one days of
constant marching, frequent fighting, and much hardship, and some starvation. This
is the most completely successful and by all odds the pleasantest campaign I
have ever had. Now it is over I hardly know what I would change in it except to restore life and limbs to the killed and wounded.
My command in battles and on the march behaved to my entire
satisfaction. None did, none could have done better. We had a most conspicuous
part in the battle at Cloyd's Mountain and were so lucky. You will see the
lists of killed and wounded. We brought off two hundred of our wounded in our
train and left about one hundred and fifty. But we have good reason to think
they will fare well. . . .
We took two cannon which the regiment has got along here by
hard work. The Thirty-sixth and Twenty-third are the only regiments which went
into the thickest of the fight and never halted or gave back. The Twelfth did
well but the "Flatfoots" backed out. The Ninety-first well, but not
much exposed. The Ninth Virginia did splendidly and lost heavier than any
other. The Potomac Brigade, (Pennsylvania Reserves, etc., etc.,) broke and
fled. I had the dismounted men of the Thirty-fourth. They did pretty well.
Don't repeat my talk. But it is true, the Twenty-third was the Regiment. The Thirty-sixth I know
would have done as well if they had had the same chance. The Twenty-third led
and the Thirty-sixth supported them. General Crook is the best general I have
ever known.
This campaign in plan and execution has been perfect. We
captured ten pieces of artillery, burned the New River Bridge and the culverts
and small bridges thirty in number for twenty miles from Dublin to
Christiansburg. Captured General Jenkins and three hundred officers and men;
killed and wounded three to five hundred and routed utterly his army.*
We shall certainly stay here some days, perhaps some weeks,
to refit and get ready for something else. You and the boys are remembered and
mentioned constantly.
One spectacle you would have enjoyed. The Rebels contested
our approach to the bridge for two or three hours. At last we drove them off
and set it on fire. All the troops were marched up to see it — flags and music
and cheering. On a lovely afternoon the beautiful heights of New River were
covered with our regiments watching the burning bridge. It was a most animating
scene.
Our band has been the life of the campaign. The other three
bands all broke down early. Ours has kept up and played their best on all
occasions. They alone played at the burning of the bridge and today we came
into camp to their music.
I have, it is said, Jenkins' spurs, a revolver of the
lieutenant-colonel of [the] Rebel Thirty-sixth, a bundle of Roman candles, a
common sword, a new Rebel blanket, and other things, I would give the dear boys
if they were here. — Love to all.
Affectionately ever
R.
Mrs. Hayes.
_______________
* See Dr.
Joseph T. Webb to Marietta Cook Webb, May 24, 1864
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 461-3
