🇺🇸 Most Badass Presidents: Combat Veteran Edition #6 Rutherford B. Hayes Rutherford B. Hayes, our 19th President, was one badass President. He was wounded four times, had four horses shot out from under him, and kept leading charges under heavy fire. Born October 4, 1822, in Delaware, Ohio. A successful lawyer and politician, Hayes volunteered for service when the Civil War erupted. He was appointed major in the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, the same regiment that included a young William McKinley. He quickly rose to colonel and commanded from the front in every fight. In the wild mountains of West Virginia, Hayes frequently led anti-guerrilla bushwhacking expeditions. During one raid, Hayes personally led a small squad that charged a cabin filled with Confederate bushwhackers, engaging in frantic, hand-to-hand combat to capture the post. Despite his high rank as a Colonel and General, Hayes refused to sleep in luxurious quarters if his men were roughing it. In spring 1862 a fragment from an exploding artillery shell struck Hayes directly below his right knee near Pearisburg. At the Battle of South Mountain on September 14, 1862, Hayes led a daring charge against entrenched Confederates at Fox’s Gap. A musket ball tore through his left arm just above the elbow, shattering the bone. He tied a handkerchief around the wound to stop the bleeding and remained on the field to lead before passing out. He lay stranded between the lines for twenty minutes while the fighting raged. A small squad of Union soldiers braved heavy Confederate musket fire to sprint out into the open clearing, lift Hayes off the ground, and carry him back behind Union lines. At the Battle of Kernstown on July 24, 1864, as the Union lines buckled and fell into intense confusion, a bullet struck him directly in the shoulder. At the same time, Hayes' horse was shot out from under him, violently crashing to the ground. Hayes managed to scramble to his feet and escape the rapidly advancing Confederates At the Battle of Third Winchester on September 19, 1864, Hayes' horse became stuck in deep mud. He dismounted and crawled across on all fours under heavy Confederate fire. His raw, gritty leadership inspired his men to follow him, breaking the Confederate line and routing the enemy. At the Battle of Cedar Creek on October 19, 1864, his horse was killed instantly in a gallop, going heels over head. He was thrown hard, sprained his ankle badly, and was hit in the head by a spent musket ball that lost its force going through someone else. Hayes passed out next to his dead horse. Believing the head wound was fatal, fleeing soldiers spread rumors that the colonel was dead, causing immense grief for his wife Lucy before the truth reached her. When Hayes regained consciousness, Confederate lines were closing in. Refusing to surrender, he managed to hobble away on his damaged ankle and scramble up a hill into a grove of trees to successfully evade capture. He fought in more than fifty engagements and rose to brevet major general for gallant and distinguished service. Even after serving as president, he explicitly stated that his favorite title was "Colonel" He bled for the Republic on Civil War battlefields long before he ever stepped foot in the White House. Thank you, Colonel! 🇺🇸🫡
