Brig. Gen. Alexander Hays

[jkBluesman]

Brig. Gen. Alexander Hays (b. 1819, d. 1864). Born in Franklin, Pennsylvania Hays attended Allegheny College in the Keystone State. However, one year before graduation he left college to enter West Point. At the United States Military Academy he made friends with future Gen. and Pres. Ulysses S. Grant who was one year ahead of Hays. Graduating in 1844 Hays first served in Louisiana. During the Mexican-American War he was promoted for gallantry at Resaca de la Palma but resigned his commission after the war to search for gold in California. Unsuccessful he returned home and worked as an engineer, first for a railroad company and from 1854 on for the town of Pittsburgh. When the Civil War started he enlisted in the local militia and soon became colonel of the 63d Pennsylvania Regiment. His first battle was at Yorktown at the beginning of the Peninsular Campaign in 1862, followed by Williamsburg and Fair Oakes. During the Seven Days he fought at Savage’s Station and Malvern Hill where he was wounded while leading a charge. Upon recovery he was sent to Gen. John Pope’s Army of Virginia which lost the Battle of Second Bull Run at the end of August, Hays being again wounded while leading a charge. For this action he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers on September 29, 1862. He commanded troops around Washington until the Gettysburg Campaign in summer of 1863. When Gen. William French was reassigned Hays got in command of a division due to his seniority of rank. He past the test as division commander at Gettysburg, where his men held the right part of the Union centre on the battle’s third day. From behind a stonewall they repulsed “Pickett’s Charge”, inflicting high casualties. In fall of 1863 Hays’ division repulsed a charge by Gen. A.P. Hill’s Confederates at Bristoe Stattion and was driven back over the Rapidan River during the ensuing Union Mine Run Campaign. When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized for the Overland Campaign of 1864 Hays was put in charge of a brigade in the II corps. In the Battle of the Wilderness he led his in the attack on the Confederates near Orange Plank Road when he was struck by a bullet through the skull–Hays was dead. Known for hard drinking rumor had it that he had been tipping his canteen of whiskey thus exposing his temple when the bullet hit him. Hays was buried in Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh. Grant visited his grave during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh when he ran for the presidency.

Ldr: 6
Tact: 6
Init: 3
Cmd: 3
Cav: 0

Teaches: Chargers twice, Swampwise

[Gil R.]

Copied, thanks.

[Gil R.]

Here's Hays. The rumor about his death is certainly memorable.


Brig. Gen. Alexander Hays (b. 1819, d. 1864). Born in Franklin, Pennsylvania, Hays attended Allegheny College in the Keystone State. However, one year before graduation he left college to enter West Point. At the U.S. Military Academy he made friends with Ulysses S. Grant, who was one year ahead of Hays. Graduating in 1844, Hays first served in Louisiana. During the Mexican-American War he was promoted for gallantry at Resaca de la Palma, but resigned his commission after the war to search for gold in California. Unsuccessful, he returned home and worked as an engineer, first for a railroad company and then, beginning in 1854, for the town of Pittsburgh. When the Civil War began he enlisted in the local militia and soon became Colonel of the 63d Pennsylvania Regiment. He first saw action in the Siege of Yorktown at the beginning of the Peninsula Campaign, followed by the battles of Williamsburg and Seven Pines on May 6 and May 31-June 1. During the Seven Days’ Battles that followed he fought at Savage’s Station and Malvern Hill, where he was wounded while leading a charge. Upon recovering he was sent to Gen. John Pope’s new Army of Virginia, which lost the Battle of 2nd Bull Run at the end of August, Hays again being again wounded while leading a charge. For this action he was promoted to brigadier general of volunteers a month later, on September 29. Hays next commanded troops around Washington, D.C. until the Gettysburg Campaign in summer of 1863. When Gen. William French was reassigned Hays gained command of a division due to his seniority of rank. He passed his first test as a division commander during the battle when his men held the right part of the Union center on the battle’s third day: from behind a stonewall they repulsed “Pickett’s Charge,” inflicting high casualties. That fall, Hays’s division repulsed a charge by Gen. A.P. Hill’s Confederates at Bristoe Stattion, and were themselves driven back over the Rapidan River during the Union’s ensuing Mine Run Campaign. When the Army of the Potomac was reorganized for the Overland Campaign of 1864, Hays was put in charge of a brigade in II Corps. During the Battle of the Wilderness he was leading his men in an attack on the Confederates near Orange Plank Road when he was struck and killed by a bullet through the skull. Known for hard drinking, rumor had it that Hays had been tipping his canteen of whiskey and thus exposing his temple when the bullet hit him. Hays was buried in Allegheny Cemetery, Pittsburgh. Grant later visited his grave during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh when he was running for the presidency. (Bio by Joern Kaesebier)

Ldr: 6
Tact: 6
Init: 3
Cmd: 3
Cav: 0

Teaches: Chargers twice (13), Swampwise (12)

Start date: 41
Death date: 81