William McKinley Civil War diary   Save
Ohio History Connection Archives/Library
Description: William McKinley's Civil War diary details his service with Company E of the 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.) at Camp Jackson (later Camp Chase) in Ohio and throughout Virginia. He mentions daily activities, including drill, visits, prayer meetings, and troop movements, from June to November of 1861. McKinley also writes in detail about the Battle of Carnifex Ferry, his first major battle, including his fears and the actions of Major Rutherford B. Hayes, another future president. The diary is approximately 72 pages and measures 3.5" x 6" (8.89 x 15.24 cm). The first several pages, which are torn and illegible, are not included here. William McKinley (1843-1901), the twenty-fifth president of the United States, was born in Niles, Ohio. He enlisted in the army at the outbreak of the Civil War and, after being mustered out, studied law and opened a law office in Canton, Ohio. McKinley served in the U.S. Congress for 14 years, and became president in 1897, largely due to the influence of Marcus Hanna, boss of the Cleveland political machine. McKinley was most noted for his foreign policy and the conduct of the Spanish-American War in 1898. It was during McKinley's administration that the U.S. acquired its first overseas possessions in the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico. He was re-elected in 1900, but was assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901. His running mate, Theodore Roosevelt, then became president. View on Ohio Memory.
Image ID: Om1351_1152662_001
Subjects: Military Ohio; Presidents and Politics; Civil War; 23rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (O.V.I.); McKinley, William, 1843-1901; Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 1822-1893
Places: Columbus (Ohio); Franklin County (Ohio); Virginia; Niles (Ohio); Trumbull County (Ohio)