★ Hays, William

William Hays​

Born: May 9, 1819

Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia

Wife: Cornelia Georgiana Hibbard 1827 – 1905

(Buried: Protestant Cemetery, Capri, Italy)​

Children:

Ena Hays​

(Buried: Saint John's Cemetery, Yonkers, New York)​

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Louisa Hays – 1864​

(Buried: Saint Johns Cemetery, Yonkers, New York)​

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Sophia Hays – 1894​

(Buried: Saint Johns Cemetery, Yonkers, New York)​

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Maria Sheppard Hays Wordsworth 1854 – 1903​

(Buried: Protestant Cemetery, Capri, Italy)​

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Mary Cornelia Hays 1856 – 1928​

(Buried: Cimitero Evangelico degli Allori, Florence, Italy)​

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John Campbell Hays 1858 – 1900​

(Buried: Saint Johns Cemetery, Yonkers, New York)​

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Sibyl R. Hays 1868 – 1936​

(Buried: Cimitero Evangelico degli Allori, Florence, Italy)​

Education:

1840: Graduated from West Point Military Academy – (18th​ in class)​

Occupation before War:

1840 – 1847: 2nd​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

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1846: Served in the Battle of Palo Alto, Mexico​

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1846: Served in the Battle of Resaca de a Palma, Mexico​

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1846: Served in the Battle of Monterrey, Mexico​

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1847: Served in the Siege of Veracruz, Mexico​

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1847 – 1853: 1st​ Lt. United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery

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1847: Served in the Battle of Cerro Gordo, Mexico​

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1847: Served in the Capture of San Antonio​

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1847: Wounded at the Battle of Molino del Rey​

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1847: Brevetted Captain for Gallantry at 2 Battles​

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1847: Brevetted Major for Gallantry at Battle of Chapultepec​

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1848 – 1849: Garrison Duty at Fort McHenry, Maryland​

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1850 – 1851: Garrison Duty at Castle Pinckney, South Carolina​

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1851 – 1853: Garrison Duty at Fort Moultrie, South Carolina​

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1853 – 1863: Captain United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

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1853 – 1855: Served against the Seminole Indians​

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1856 – 1857: Garrison Duty at Fort Independence, Missouri​

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1857: Served in the March to the Pipestone Quarry​

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1857 – 1858: Frontier Duty at Fort Snelling, Minnesota​

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1859 – 1860: Frontier Duty at Fort Ridgely, Minnesota​

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1860 – 1861: Garrison Duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia​

Civil War Career:

1853 – 1863: Captain United States Army, 2nd​ Artillery​

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1861 – 1862: Served in the Defenses of Washington, D.C.​

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1861 – 1862: Lt. Colonel and Aide in the Union Army​

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1862: Commander of Horse Artillery Brigade​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Yorktown, Virginia​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Williamsburg, Virginia​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Mechanicsville, Virginia​

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1862: Brevetted Lt. Colonel for Gallantry in Peninsular Campaign​

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1862: Served in the Battle of Malvern Hill, Virginia​

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1862: Commander of Reserve Artillery in Battle of Antietam​

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1862 – 1866: Brigadier General, Union Army, Volunteers​

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1862 – 1863: Commander of Reserve Artillery until February​

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1862: Commander of Artillery Brigade at Battle of Fredericksburg​

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1863: Captured at the Battle of Chancellorsville, Virginia​

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1863: Prisoner of War, held by Confederacy – (May 4th​ – June)​

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1863: Acting Commander of Second Army Corps, Army of the Potomac​

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1863: Suffered from abscess of the scar, just below right clavicle​

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1863 – 1875: Major of United States Army, 5th​ Artillery​

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1863 – 1865: Provost Marshal, Southern District of New York​

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1865: Brevetted Colonel for his service in the War​

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1865: Division Commander during the Richmond Campaign​

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1865: Commander of Reserve Artillery in Siege of Petersburg, Virginia​

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1865: Brevetted Brigadier General for his role in the War​

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1865: Served in Pursuit of the Confederate Army​

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1865: Served in the March to Washington, D.C.​

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1865: Served in Camp of Instruction for Field Artillery​

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1866: Mustered out of the Union Army on January 15th​​

Occupation after War:

1863 – 1875: Major of United States Army, 5th​ Artillery​

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1866 – 1867: Garrison Duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia​

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1867: Inspector of Registration at Vicksburg, Mississippi​

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1867 – 1869: Garrison Duty at Fort Monroe, Virginia​

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1869 – 1872: Garrison Duty at Fort Independence, Missouri​

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1872 – 1875: Suffered from Valvular disease of the heart​

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1873 – 1875: Commander of Fort Independence, Missouri​

Died: February 7, 1875

Place of Death: Fort Independence, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts

Cause of Death: Disease of heart due to congestion of lungs and liver

Age at time of Death: 55 years old

Original Burial Place: Saint Johns Cemetery, Yonkers, New York

Current Burial Place: U.S. Military Academy Post Cemetery, West Point, New York

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday (Monday) Brig. General William Hays! Salutes remembering General Hays on his birthday week.

 

[ErnieMac]

General Hays tenure with the Army of the Potomac came to an abrupt end on the morning of April 6, 1865. The following note sent to Meade's headquarters explained the circumstances (OR Series 1, Volume XLVI, Part 3, pages 599-600).

Headquarters Second Army Corps,
April 6, 1865—7.10 a. m. (Received 7:45.)

Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. S. Webb,
Chief of Staff:
At 6.30 o'clock this morning I proceeded to the Second Division to see how its movement was being conducted. The division was not in motion. At General Hays' headquarters I found every one sound asleep. Upon proceeding to General Smyth's brigade, which I was informed by Major Norvell, assistant adjutant-general, was the leading brigade, I learned from General Smyth that no order of precedence had been given to the brigade, and in consequence no one was moving. I ordered him to lead and move at once. I have relieved General Hays from the command of the Second Division and assigned General Smyth to it.

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General, Commanding,
Headquarters Second Corps.​

 

[Sheltowee]

Sound asleep….. wow.

 

[John Hartwell]

General Hays tenure with the Army of the Potomac came to an abrupt end on the morning of April 6, 1865. The following note sent to Meade's headquarters explained the circumstances (OR Series 1, Volume XLVI, Part 3, pages 599-600).

Headquarters Second Army Corps,​

April 6, 1865—7.10 a. m. (Received 7:45.)​

​

Bvt. Maj. Gen. A. S. Webb,​

Chief of Staff:​

At 6.30 o'clock this morning I proceeded to the Second Division to see how its movement was being conducted. The division was not in motion. At General Hays' headquarters I found every one sound asleep. Upon proceeding to General Smyth's brigade, which I was informed by Major Norvell, assistant adjutant-general, was the leading brigade, I learned from General Smyth that no order of precedence had been given to the brigade, and in consequence no one was moving. I ordered him to lead and move at once. I have relieved General Hays from the command of the Second Division and assigned General Smyth to it.​

​

A. A. HUMPHREYS, Major-General, Commanding,​

Headquarters Second Corps.​

Doesn't seem to have inhibited his career much. Was there a court martial? Or just a reprimand?

 

[ErnieMac]

There was no court martial. I don't know about formal reprimand. Hays reverted to his Regular Army rank of major and never received another promotion.

 

[Pollaco]

After relieving Hays of divisional command General Thomas Smyth commanded both his own brigade and the 2nd division (2nd Corps).Had he stayed as commander of the division he may not have had the distinction of being the last Union General to die from Civil War wounds.He was leading his old brigade when he was mortally wounded.