Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sardis Birchard: Sunday, May 29, 1864

MEADOW BLUFF, May 29, 1864.

Dear UNCLE:— Contrary to my expectation when I wrote you a few days ago, we are still here. We are detained, I suppose, by different causes, but I suspect we shall move soon towards Staunton. We may drift into the army of Grant before a month. My proper brigade is now here and all of it camped in sight of where I now sit, viz., Twenty-third and Thirty-sixth Ohio, Fifth and Thirteenth Virginia. I have seen them all in line today. They form a fine body of troops. We are soon to lose the enlisted men of the Twenty-third who did not become veterans. I think a good many officers will leave at the same time. It is probable that the veterans of the Twelfth will go into the Twenty-third. If so it will make the regiment better and stronger than ever before.

We are not informed how Grant succeeds in getting into Richmond. You know I have always thought he must get the Western Army there before he can whip Lee. It looks a little now as if he might do it without Western help. We shall see,

Sincerely,

R. B. Hayes.

I hear from Lucy that she is settled in a good boarding-house at Chillicothe.

S. Birchard.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 467-8

Diary of Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: December 3, 1863

The recent victory of Grant near Chattanooga seems to be very complete. We have not heard from Burnside, besieged in Knoxville by Longstreet, since the 24th or 25th. We have some apprehensions, but hope that he has been relieved by Grant's success. Meade has pushed into the heart of eastern Virginia after Lee. I fear the result. The Army of the Potomac has been as unlucky on Virginia soil as the army of Lee on our soil.

Company B left today for home, over three-fourths, fifty-four, having enlisted as veteran volunteers. Companies A, E, and F are likely to follow suit.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 445-6

Diary of Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes: September 30, 1863

Today I explained to the Twenty-third Order Number 191 respecting the re-enlistment of veteran volunteers. I told them I would not urge them to re-enlist; that my opinion was that the war would end soon after the inauguration of a new President or of Lincoln for a second term, say within one year after the expiration of their present term, i. e., June 1865, unless foreign nations intervened, in which case they would all expect to fight again. About sixty re-enlisted.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 437

Colonel Rutherford B. Hayes to Sophia Birchard Hayes, September 28, 1863

Today I explained to the Twenty-third Order Number 191 respecting the re-enlistment of veteran volunteers. I told them I would not urge them to re-enlist; that my opinion was that the war would end soon after the inauguration of a new President or of Lincoln for a second term, say within one year after the expiration of their present term, i. e., June 1865, unless foreign nations intervened, in which case they would all expect to fight again. About sixty re-enlisted.

SOURCE: Charles Richard Williams, editor, Diary and Letters of Rutherford Birchard Hayes, Volume 2, p. 437

Veteran Reserves

An order has been issued from the Provost Marshal General’s office, at Washington, which states that the name of the organization authorized by the War Department as the Invalid Corps is changed to that of the Veteran Reserve Corps, and that all orders relating to the Invalid Corps will remain in force as at present with respect to the Veteran Reserve corps. This is a change of name which will no doubt be hailed with great pleasure by the gallant soldiers in this corps, and will greatly increase its present high and well deserved popularity. Three years of hard fighting have given our brave soldiers of the Union armies a just title to be called veterans, in the noblest and truest sense of the term. – We have now Veteran Volunteers and Veteran Reserves; nobly have they earned their name, and proudly will they protect the title and gloriously wear its honors. – [Phila. Inquirer

– Published in The Union Sentinel, Osceola, Iowa, April 9, 1864