Virginia, and particularly at the
battles of Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek, Virginia."

General Hayes was wounded four times in battle. From one wound he has
never entirely recovered. He was struck by a shell, just below the knee,
while on horseback. He did not get off his horse at the time, but
remained at the front throughout the battle. The wound now troubles him
when ascending stairs. According to the excellent authority of
Adjutant-General Hastings, Hayes was under fire sixty days in 1864. He
must therefore have been exposed to death on one hundred days during the
war.

A soldier who would thus risk life and limb to preserve the Union is
perhaps entitled to have something to say concerning the government of
it. He who is willing to die for the republic, will see that the
republic suffers no harm.

The qualities of General Hayes as a soldier will be reviewed when we
come to speak of his characteristics as a civil magistrate and as a
man.

CHAPTER VI.

IN CONGRESS.

_Nomination--Refuses to Leave Army--Election
Incident--Election--Course in Congress--Services on Library
Committee--Votes on Various Questions--Submits Plan of
Constitutional Amendments--Re-nominated by Acclamation--Re-elected
by Increased Majority--Overwhelmed with Soldiers'
Letters--Character as Congressman._

On the 6th of August, 1864, while General Hayes was absent from Ohio in
the field, he was nominated by the Republican Convention of the Second
Congressional District of Cincinnati for Congress. This was the result
of the spontaneous action of his friends, and was brought about through
their agency alone. The nomination was neither sought nor desired. The
following extract from a letter written in camp, and bearing date July
30, 1864, makes known the then existing state of the case:

"As to the canvass that occurs, I care nothing at all about it; neither
for the nomination nor for the election. It was merely easier to let the
thing take its own course than to get up a letter declining to run, and
then to explain it to everybody who might choose to bore me about it."

The first information of the nomination for Congress was conveyed to
General Hayes through the letter of a friend written the day after the
convention met, which information was received on Monday, August 22d,
while preparing for battle, and on the same day he did a "good thing" in
the way of taking prisoners while charging on the rebe