CAMP NEAR CHARLESTOWN SIX MILES (OR FOUR) FROM
HARPERS FERRY, August 23, 1864.
DEAREST:— For the first time since I saw you I received letters from you the day before yesterday. I hope I shall not be so cut off
again. It almost pays, however, in the increased gratification the deferred
correspondence gives one. You can't imagine how I enjoy your letters. They are
a feast indeed.
I had hardly read your letter when we were called out to
fight Early. We skirmished all day. Both armies had good positions and both
were too prudent to leave them.' So, again yesterday. We are at work like
beavers today. The men enjoy it. A battle may happen at any moment, but
I think there will be none at present. Last evening the Twenty-third,
Thirty-sixth, and Fifth surprised the Rebel skirmish line and took a number of
prisoners, etc., without loss to us. It is called a brilliant skirmish and we
enjoyed it much.
You recollect "Mose" Barrett. He was taken
prisoner at Lynchburg while on a risky job. I always thought he would get off.
Well, he came in at Cumberland with a comrade bringing in twelve horses
from the Rebel lines!
Colonel Tomlinson was slightly wounded in the skirmish last
night, just enough to draw blood and tear his pants below the knee. - One
corporal of the color-guard was killed at Winchester - George Hughes, Company
B. He died in five minutes without pain.
Winchester is a noble town. Both Union and Secesh ladies
devote their whole time to the care of the wounded of the two armies. Their
town has been taken and retaken two or three times a day, several times. It has
been the scene of five or six battles and many skirmishes. There are about
fifty Union families, many of them “F. F.'s.” But they are true as steel. Our
officers and men all praise them. One queer thing: the whole people turn out to
see each army as it comes and welcome their acquaintances and friends. The
Rebels are happy when the Secesh soldiers come and vice versa. Three years of
this sort of life have schooled them to singular habits.
I have heard heavy skirmishing ever since I began to write.
Now I hear our artillery pounding, but I anticipate no
battle here as I think our position too good for Early to risk an assault and I
suppose it is not our policy to attack them.
Interrupted to direct Captain Gillis about entrenching on
our left. Meantime skirmish firing and cannonading have almost ceased.
I believe you know that I shall feel no apprehension of the
war being abandoned if McClellan is elected President. I therefore feel
desirous to see him nominated at Chicago. Then, no odds how the people vote,
the country is safe. If McClellan is elected the Democracy will speedily become
a war party.
А great good that will be. I suspect some of our patriots
having fat offices and contracts might then on losing them become enamored of
peace! I feel more hopeful about things than when I saw you. This Presidential
election is the rub. That once over, without outbreak or other calamity, and I
think we save the country.
By the by, I think I'll now write this to Uncle Scott. So
good-bye. Love to chicks. Ever so much for their grandmother and more for you,
darling.
Ever yours,
R.
MRS. HAYES.
SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and
Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 495-6
