was opened on the leading Federal brigade, and in a few moments one-third of their number was stretched upon the field, Lieutenant-Colonel Hayes receiving a bad wound in the arm. On the arrival of reinforcements, the brigade charged up the hill and drove the enemy from his strong entrenchments at the point of the bayonet. During the balance of the day the regiment fought with its division, under the immediate command of General Cox, and in all made three severe bayonet charges with success. The regimental losses for the day were nearly two hundred, one-fourth of whom were killed outright.

Severe as this battle of South Mountain was, it was but a prelude to that of Antietam, for which both sides were now making the utmost preparation. This great battle was fought, September 17, 1862. It has passed into history as the bloodiest single day of war during the rebellion. McKinley's regiment fought at the right of the First Brigade of the Kanawha Division. It was called into battle before daylight and without breakfast. The entire division soon found its left and rear exposed to a terrific attack of the enemy from a corn field. Its colors of the 23d went down, to be hoisted again by Major Comly, on a new line facing the enemy, to which the entire regiment quickly conformed, and by a decisive fire forced the enemy to retire. The regiment, not receiving the orders of the division to withdraw, held its position till the arrival of a special order for it to fall to the rear. Notwithstanding the arduous and bloody duties of the day, the regiment spent the night in support of a battery, and found final relief only on the next afternoon. All through the angry fight of the 17th, Sergeant McKin ley spared no exertion to relieve the men of his regiment of the pangs of hunger and thirst. He was in the midst

of the fires of conflict from morning to night, serving with his own hands the food and drink which the men had been deprived of by the early morning outburst of battle. It was this occasion of bravery and self-sacrifice under fire, and this incident of devotion and administrative ability, that earned for him the applause of his officers and companions. Word of it reached the Governor of his State, and recognition came back in the shape of a promotion to the Second Lieutenancy of Company D, September 23, 1862.

The relief which came to a dangerous military situation through the battle of Antietam, enabled McClellan to send McKinley's regiment once more to West Virginia, where its presence was much needed. It made a hasty journey westward and went into winter quarters on the Great Kanawha, after a march of six hundred miles during the year, a campaign of severe mountain service, and participation in two of the bloodiest episodes of the war. McKinley was promoted to be First Lieutenant of Company E February 7th, 1863.

During 1863, the regiment was engaged in the scouting duty incident to the occupation of West Virginia, but once it was called upon to participate in the movement which brought Morgan's raid to termination by the engagement at Buffington's island, Ohio. During the winter of 1863-64, it was in winter quarters at Charleston, West Virginia.

In the spring of 1864, it marched to Brownstown on the Kanawha, where it became a part of the force of General Crook, who was then preparing for his celebrated raid on the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. This expedition differed but little in its dangers and hardships from the everyday West Virginia experience. It embraced

toilful mountain marches, the threading of deep and dangerous ravines, exposure to frequent rainfalls, precarious supplies of food, repeated encounters with guerrillas, till on May 9, 1864, patience and effort culminated in the spirited battle of Cloyd's mountain.

In this engagement the 23d Ohio occupied the right of the First Brigade which was face to face with an enemy strongly posted on the wooded steeps of the mountain, with an open meadow in front. A charge was ordered on the enemy's lines, amid a terrific fire of musketry and artillery. It was bravely made across the open space and up over the first line of entrenchments, the enemy retreating to a second fortified line further up the mountain. A second charge up the steeps dislodged him from this line. Reinforced, a third stand was made, but nothing could now check the ardor of the Union troops. They rushed in hand to hand encounter upon the enemy's guns, and after an heroic struggle succeeded in capturing them, and thus accomplishing an important aim of the raid. This victory was followed by a series of active operations, involving the artillery duel at New Bridge, and the destruction of the bridge; the continuous battle march to Blackburgh, and the embarrassing crossing of Salt Pond mountains, owing to incessant rains, the wretched condition of the roads, and the flocking of "contrabands," whom pity could not leave to starvation, or perhaps a worse death.

Crook's force was now within reach of that of Hunter, who had been ordered on a similar raid up the James river. It was therefore ordered to join with Hunter, which it did at Lexington, Virginia. March was taken for Lynchburg, with the intent of attacking. Lee had sent heavy reinforcements from Richmond, and when the encounter came, the Union forces met with severe repulse.

At the time of the junction of Crook's forces with Hunter, they were in no condition for battle. They had been on almost incessant night and day marches for a long time, had scaled mountains and forded streams, had passed through repeated encounters, some of which rose to the dignity of battles, and had never had a sure supply of food.

The fortunes of the 23d Ohio now for a time became those of Hunter to the north of Richmond and in the Shenandoah Valley. Or to speak more accurately, its fortune remained that of General Crook, for all of Hunter's infantry command had not yet arrived from the Kanawha valley. And this fortune was by no means a happy one, for the enemy followed up his advantage at Lynchburg, and attacked the Union forces at Liberty, where a brisk battle occurred, resulting in a further Union retreat.

On June 20, 1864, the rear of the Union forces, consisting of Hayes' brigade, with Crook present, held Buford Gap against the enemy's advance, and then made a hasty night retreat for the van, supposed to be at Salem. But Hunter was not found at Salem. The enemy had attacked and cut off his trains, and had forced him beyond the place. Crook's rear guard was in a manner surrounded, and it was only by rare strategy and brave fighting that he extricated his command from this dilemma.

This retreat before a superior force was kept up without opportunity for rest and with an insufficient supply of food and ammunition till June 27th, when a safe spot was reached on Big Sewell Mountain. It had been a continuous fight and march for nearly 180 miles. It need not be recited here how General Early's successes in the Shenandoah Valley at this time emboldened him to carry his invasion to the very front of Washington, and to

challenge a fight for the National Capital. It was all too plain that the Union forces under command of Hunter in the valley were unable to cope with the augmented forces of Early. So Grant sent two corps from Richmond for the rescue of the Capital.

Before these Early beat a retreat southward, carrying along a rich supply of stores and booty gleaned from the valley. He was pursued for a time by Hunter's command, and had gotten as far as Strasburg in his retreat. Here he halted, and learning that he was no longer pursued, resolved to return and fall upon Hunter's in detail.

It had become the opinion of all that Lee had recalled to Richmond the reinforcements previously sent to Early. Hence Hunter felt comparatively secure, after seeing his enemy so far south as Strasburg. He had not only called off pursuit, but had posted his all too meagre forces at various strategic points in the valley. These were driven, somewhat in surprise, from their positions, by Early's returning forces, and forced northward, in a line through Winchester, which General Crook held, with his rear guard of Hunter's army. Crook's command contained Hayes' brigade, in which was the Ohio, 23d Regiment.

On July 24, 1864, Crook's command heard firing to the south of Winchester. He promptly marched his forces, numbering some 6,000 men, out some four miles in the direction of the firing, and to the village of Kernstown. Here he formed a line of battle with Hayes' brigade, numbering 1,700 men, on his left. Here it soon became manifest that Early was present in force, and that a severe struggle impended.

Early pushed the attack with his greatly superior force. It was an attack by centre and both flanks, and was successful on the centre. But Hayes' brigade kept the left