President's Day - William McKinley's Civil War

ErnieMac

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At age seventeen he entered the junior class of Allegheny College at Meadville, Pennsylvania; but he studied beyond his strength and returned to Poland, where for a time he taught in a neighboring country school. When the Civil War broke out in 1861 he promptly enlisted as a private in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry. He saw service in West Virginia, at South Mountain, where this regiment lost heavily, and at Antietam, where he brought up hot coffee and provisions to the fighting line; for this he was promoted second lieutenant on the 24th of September 1862. McKinley was promoted first lieutenant in February 1864, and for his services at Winchester was promoted captain on the 25th of July 1864. He was on he staff of General George Crook at the battles of Opequan, Wisher's Hill, and Cedar Creek in the Shenandoah valley, and on the 14th of March 1865 was brevetted major of volunteers for gallant and meritorious services. He also served on the staff of General Rutherford B. Hayes, who spoke highly of his soldierly qualities. He was mustered out with his regiment on the 26th of July 1865. Four years of army life had changed him from a pale and sickly lad into a man of superb figure and health.
 
McKinley, 15 years old
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McKinley, 1865
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In July, 1865, when the Veterans Corps was mustered out of service; two of the generals that McKinley served under, Samuel S. Carroll and Winfield S. Hancock, encouraged McKinley to apply for a place in the peacetime army, but he declined and returned to Ohio the following month.
 
Great pictures. I knew about McKinley of course - the only president NOT to have served in ACW was Cleveland - he bought himself a substitute. Every president from Grant to McKinley served. Says something, maybe? I have never seen those pics; do you have equivalent of Hayes?
 
The momument was dedicated on October13, 1903, a little over two years after McKinley's assassination.

The front inscription:
WILLIAM McKINLEY
January 29, 1843 - September 14, 1901

The back inscription:
Fourteen Years Member of Congress
Twice Governor of Ohio 1892-3 and 1894-5
Twice President of United States 1897 - 1900 - 1901


Sergeant McKinley Co. E. 23rd Ohio Vol. Infantry, while in charge of the Commissary Department, on the afternoon of the day of the battle of Antietam, September 17, 1862, personally and without orders served "hot coffee" and "warm food" to every man in the Regiment, on this spot and in doing so had to pass under fire.
 
Littlestown, nice photo. Do you have more from that trip.

When we went a couple years ago, it was raining. We took pictures but didn't come out as good as we liked. We hope to go back one of these days.
Donna, I snapped about 100 photos. Hope you get to enjoy a dry return visit. I want to spend more time in that area again.
 
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