Governor Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard, December 19, 1868

COLUMBUS, December 19, 1868.

DEAR UNCLE:—Got home safe this morning. Had a good time. The most satisfactory part of the trip was several hours' quiet talk with General Grant. It was a most delightful talk. After he warms up he is just about such a man as Charley Boalt used to be quite as cheerful, chatty, and good-natured, and so sensible, clear-headed, and well-informed. I feel just as much at ease with him as I do with intimate friends like Hastings or Force more so than with Bushnell or even Buckland! This sounds strange, but I mention it because it will give you an idea how completely and wonderfully he remains unspoiled by his elevation. I think I will come up soon and give you some of his talk.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

S. BIRCHARD.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 56-7

Congressman Rutherford B. Hayes to Colonel Russell Hastings, February 1, 1866

WASHINGTON, D. C., February 1, 1866.

DEAR COLONEL:— Mr. Sherman called with me on Secretary Harlan of the Department of the Interior this morning. Senator Sherman will use his influence heartily, and I have no doubt successfully, in your affair. There is a possibility of three things which I submit to you:— An Indian agency in the Indian Territory, Fort Smith, being, I think, headquarters; (2) Superintendency of Indian affairs in New Mexico; and (3) Surveyor-generalship of Dakota Territory. All of these places I regard as preferable to any clerkship or the like here. Can you muster physical strength enough for such a place as either of the three? Keep all this to yourself strictly. Neither of the places are vacant and it would be embarrassing to have them publicly spoken of.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

[COLONEL RUSSELL HASTINGS (?)] Private.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 15

Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, July 30, 1865

CLEVELAND, July 30, 1865.

DEAR LUCY:— The Twenty-third goes out in fine feather. Perhaps no regiment from Ohio is so fortunate in its reception and last days. I wish you could have been here. We rode in the procession yesterday to the dedication [of the monument to the dead of the regiment]. Hastings, Miss Hastings, and Mrs. Comly in the carriage I was in-next after the band.

Mother [Webb] and Joe go tomorrow to Niagara. On return they go to see the boys [Birchard and Webb] at Fremont. Boys very happy there and very good, the cause of happiness to others.

As ever, darling, your

R.

MRS. HAYES.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 2-3

Rutherford B. Hayes to Lieutenant-Colonel Russell Hastings, May 20, 1865

New CREEK, WEST VIRGINIA, May 20, 1865.

DEAR COLONEL:— My wife came here last evening. I have sent in my resignation and asked to be relieved. I hope to get to Washington to the great doings to come off next week.

I take "Old Whitey” home (to Fremont, Ohio,) and hope you will be able to ride him again.

It is not yet known when troops of the class of Twenty-third, Thirty-sixth, and First West Virginia Veterans will be mustered out. They are all now at Staunton and appear to enjoy it much.

I have had the Cincinnati papers withdraw my name from the candidate list. I am of course much obliged to the brigade, but it would not be the thing for me to allow it.

My wife says she is glad you have sound views on the treatment of Rebels. She doubts her husband.

If Sherman did it with an eye to political advancement, as some say, of course it is bad, but if he thought to follow the policy of Lincoln as indicated by Weitzell's programme (and this I believe), he surely ought not to be abused for it.

My wife sends regards to your sister and yourself. Excuse haste.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL RUSSELL HASTINGS.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 584

Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, June 22, 1865

FREMONT, June 22, 1865.

DEAREST:— I came here Monday, and am enjoying life as well as could be expected without my darling. Uncle has enlarged on Old Whitey's* merits until he is the most remarkable horse since the Bucephalus of Alexander.

I shall go over to Willoughby to see Hastings before I come home. You need not look for me until the middle of next week. I am talking over the future with Uncle. I suspect we shall final[ly] leave "events to shape themselves," as McClellan used to do.

Affectionately, ever,

R.  

MRS. HAYES.

_______________

* "Old Whitey" was Hayes's war horse. He lived a pensioner at Spiegel Grove for fifteen years. His grave in the grove is marked by a great boulder.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 3, p. 1-2

Brigadier-General Rutherford B. Hayes to Lucy Webb Hayes, March 12, 1865

CAMP HASTINGS, March 12, 1865.

MY DARLING: — I am very glad to have heard from or of you several times during the last week. While your rheumatism stays with you I naturally feel anxious to hear often. If you should be so unlucky as to become a cripple, it will certainly be bad, but you may be sure I shall be still a loving husband, and we shall make the best of it together. There are a great many worse things than to lose the ability of easy locomotion. Of course, you will have to use philosophy or something higher to keep up your spirits. I think of Mrs. Little as giving more happiness to her household by her cheerfulness and agreeable ways than most of the walking women I know off.

It is lucky you didn't come to the inauguration. The bad weather and Andy Johnson's disgraceful drunkenness spoiled it.

I have bought a "Gulliver's Travels” which I will give to Webb if he can read it. I remember he was very fond of my telling it, and with his sweet voice often coaxed me to tell him about "the little people.”

We are under General Hancock now, and like him. He is [a] noble man in his physical get-up — six feet three and handsomely proportioned. So far as he has arranged, matters are satisfactory to me. I keep my brigade, Sheridan is still absent. Of course some solicitude will be felt until he gets through. The last accounts are favorable.

Hastings is promoted lieutenant-colonel, Thompson, major. Good! McKinley and Watkins, Twenty-third, have gone with Hancock to Winchester or somewhere else up the Valley. Dr. Joe visits the "Pirates” (Semmes family, but intensely loyal), but not with any reputed designs. — Chaplain Little runs with his wife all sorts of schools and is useful and a favorite with all sensible people.

Love to all.

Affectionately ever,

R.

MRS. HAYES.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 566-7

Brigadier-General Rutherford B. Hayes to Lieutenant-Colonel Russell Hastings, April 3, 1865

CAMP HASTINGS, April 3, 1865.

DEAR COLONEL: — That sounds better, don't it? Your commission was sent three weeks ago, as I was told by Harry Thompson. There has been some oversight or negligence. I know Colonel Comly would not purposely withhold it.

The Twenty-third is in a nice camp near town, doing provost duty. You could enjoy yourself with them as soon as you can hobble about a little.

General Crook has command of the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac. Just for the name of the thing, he took command of this Department for a day or two. He came out to our camp. We gave him a regular jolly mass-meeting sort of reception, which he and all of us enjoyed. I think it better for him as it is.

We are all ready to move. The talk is that we shall go soon. Hancock has at Halltown about ten thousand to fifteen thousand men, six or eight new Ohio regiments of the number.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL RUSSELL HASTINGS,
        Willoughby, Ohio.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 571

Brigadier-General Rutherford B. Hayes to Captain Russell Hastings, March 2, 1865

CUMBERLAND, MARYLAND, March 2, 1865.

DEAR HASTINGS: — Glad to get yours of the 27th and to find you are sound on the question of promotion. There is some danger that your absence over sixty days may in the War Office induce your discharge, but the chances are that it will not be known. I want you to get the new title at least. The commander of a scow on the canal is called captain, but colonel is the best sounding title I know of.

Yes, General Crook's capture is a great loss, as well as an especial calamity to all serving in this command. General Hancock takes the Department of West Virginia and General (brevet major) Carroll formerly of the Eighth Ohio, the District of Cumberland

General Sheridan, with an immense force of cavalry, is on a raid towards Gordonsville or Charlottesville, or somewhere probably to distract the attention of Lee. We are all in suspense as to Sherman and Grant. I look forward to the capture of Richmond as my discharge from service.

A great many staff officers are in a state of mind about these days; also divers brigadier-generals "of whom I am not which." Webster is often quoted — "Where am I to go?" — in a very despondent way. General Lightburn, Colonel Comly, and Captain Sweet are running an examining board as usual, much to the disgust of the Thirteenth. Mrs. Comly is here with a fine boy. The colonel makes a pretty fair “nuss.” — My regards to your sister.

Sincerely,

R. B. HAYES.

CAPTAIN RUSSELL HASTINGS,
Willoughby, Ohio.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 563