McKinley himself wrote: —
"I always look back with pleasure upon those fourteen months in which I served in the ranks. They taught me a great deal. I was but a schoolboy when I went into the army, and that first year was a formative period in my life, during which I learned much of men and affairs. I have always been glad that I entered the service as a private and served those months in that capacity."
Early in October the regiment returned, with the rest of the Kanawha division, to West Virginia, marching by way of Hagerstown. There was a report of a Stuart raid in Pennsylvania, and a quick march was made in that direction. Quick marches were the order of the day, and on returning to Hancock the regiment ate breakfast in Pennsylvania, dinner in Maryland, and supper in Virginia, which was certainly a remarkable accomplishment when it is considered that the troops covered the ground largely on foot.
In the middle of November the regiment went into winter quarters at the falls of the Great Kanawha. The records show that during the campaign of 1862 it marched about six hundred miles. It had lost several valuable officers and a large number of men; in round figures, over two hundred. Many were sick, and the camp equipments were no longer of the best. More than this, the eyes of every volunteer were now wide open to the fact that the soldiers of the South could fight just as bravely and sturdily as those of the North, and that the war was likely, in consequence, to last for a long while to come.
"Tell you what, it ain't going to be no picnic, after all," drawled one of the privates. "It's going to be hard work and plenty of it."
Yet for the time being there was little to do. The regiment remained where it was until the middle of March, 1863, when it was ordered to Charleston, Virginia, remaining there several months. During this time Lieutenant McKinley was occupied in drilling a portion of the command. His spare time was used in reading history and the biographies of noted military men, for he was now thinking strongly of making the army his chosen profession. In speaking of those days, one old veteran has said: —
"He was a model officer, and a good fellow to boot. To be sure, there was a certain reserve about him, so that one couldn't get too familiar, but he was never harsh, and he never swore at us as some officers did. He never seemed to care for rough stories, and I don't think he ever told such a story in his life, even though he would occasionally make a good-natured joke. He was a great fellow to read and to watch how matters were going in camp, and he kept his uniform and equipments as clean as the cleanest."
At this time Morgan's guerillas were doing much harm in the vicinity of Buffington Bar and Hockingport, on the Ohio River, and about the middle of July the regiment moved upon the noted raider, in company with other commands.
Morgan's raid was remarkable in the dash and fire with which it was carried out, and also in the amount of property which was either carried off or destroyed by the raiders. The daring guerilla had under him several thousand cavalrymen, almost as daring as himself, several regiments from Tennessee, and a battery of artillery. With this force he, late in June, set out from Sparta, Tennessee, and marched into Kentucky. After one or two small encounters, he reached New Market, and then set out for Lebanon. This town was guarded by a force of four hundred men who fought for seven hours, but were at last forced to surrender. Entering the place, the raiders supplied themselves with all they desired, and then pushed on to Bardstown and other places. At Shepardsville, a train was stopped, and the guerillas captured a number of soldiers, and confiscated a large amount of valuable mail matter.
The next stop was made at Brandenburg, where Morgan secured passage over the river into Indiana. There was now more alarm than ever, for the noted guerilla was steadily gaining strength, and there was no telling where he would strike next. The Union forces gathered at Springfield and marched to Brandenburg just after Morgan left it.
General Hobson was in command, with Kentucky and Ohio cavalry and mounted infantry numbering three thousand men. Other forces were speedily rushed to the front and traps were laid in all directions to catch the wily Confederate, who moved about with the slyness of a fox, striking when least expected and vanishing before he could be cornered.
But at last Morgan began to find himself gradually hedged in, and then his one thought was to get to the South again. After a brief stop at Harrison, he moved along through Glendale and other towns and crossed the Miami River at Miamiville, the Union forces being only a few hours behind him.
"We'll get him yet!" was the cry of those who were following, and day by day the pursuit was kept up, through numerous towns and villages and across rivers and mountains, until the Confederates reached the Ohio, near Buffington's Island. Here they tried to cross, but were driven back, and a small portion of them surrendered. Then the others were pursued, first to a spot fourteen miles above Buffington, where more of the guerillas were captured, and then to New Lisbon, where the noted raider Morgan was himself taken with four hundred more of his followers.
In the rounding up of Morgan and his daring men the Twenty-third Ohio took an active part. It was led by Colonel Hayes, who was at the head of two regiments and a battery of artillery. There was a small battle one day and a heavy contest the next. The Confederates, knowing it was their last chance, fought with a desperation wonderful to behold and worthy of a better cause. But they could not withstand the galling fire poured into them and at last surrendered as above mentioned.
When the fighting was over, the route taken by the raiders was carefully gone over, and it was found to be literally filled with things first taken and then cast aside because of the hurried flight, — carriages, wagons, rolls of silks, muslins and calicoes, lace goods, gloves, watches and jewelry, all mingled with guns, pistols, parts of uniforms, ammunition, and boxes of provisions. The woods were full of horses and mules, many shot dead or disabled by those who had thus been forced to leave them behind, and even large packages of United States greenbacks were discovered, torn to shreds. Some of the valuables were returned to their rightful owners, but the majority of the things remained unidentified, and were either kept by the victorious soldiers or turned over to the government at Washington.
CHAPTER VII
Winter in Camp — Dividing up with the Soldier Boys — A Disagreeable March — Battle of Cloyd Mountain — A Teamster's Tribute
Having assisted in the defeat and capture of Morgan and his raiders, the Twenty-third Ohio returned to Charleston, Virginia, and there went into winter camp, where it remained until the end of the following April.
The days proved long and dreary to the soldier boys, especially to those who could not obtain furloughs for the purpose of seeing their folks at home. There was a great deal of sleet and rain, and often a chilling wind would come up calculated to freeze the marrow in one's bones. Truly war isn't all glory, and Lieutenant McKinley found it so. But he stuck to his duty, and his old army friends say that he tried to make the best of the situation.
In those days delicacies were hard to get, and those who managed to obtain them were reckoned unusually fortunate. When a box of good things came in for anybody, the others would gather around, hoping for a share.
One day a small box came in for the second lieutenant, and was carried to his tent, to be opened in private.
"We won't get any of that," said one of the privates, a young man from Poland. "Mac's an officer now."
"Yes, but he's not the one to go back on his old friends," answered another. "You ought to know that as well as I."
"Ordinarily, yes; but we haven't had anything but bacon and hardtack for a week now, and I reckon he's as crazy for some good things as any of us," returned the first speaker.
By this time a little group had formed around those who were talking. They were all men from Poland, Niles, and the vicinity, who had known McKinley for years. Would he keep all his good things to himself, or would he "divide up," as had been his habit when in the ranks?
Presently one of the soldiers saw him come to the door of his tent and beckon to him. The private ran over. In his hand McKinley held