Editing William McKinley (section)

==Civil War==
===Western Virginia and Antietam===
[[File:General Hayes.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Rutherford B. Hayes]] was McKinley's mentor during and after the Civil War.]]
When the Confederate states seceded and the American Civil War began in 1861, thousands of men in Ohio volunteered for service. Among them were McKinley and his cousin William McKinley Osbourne, who enlisted as privates in the newly formed Poland Guards in June 1861.{{sfnm|Armstrong||1pp=3–4|Phillips||2pp=20–21}} The men left for [[Columbus, Ohio|Columbus]] where they were consolidated with other small units to form the [[23rd Ohio Infantry]].{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=8–10}}

The men were unhappy to learn that, unlike Ohio's earlier volunteer regiments, they would not be permitted to elect their officers; these would be designated by Ohio's governor, [[William Dennison Jr.|William Dennison]].{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=8–10}} Dennison appointed Colonel [[William Rosecrans]] as the commander of the regiment, and the men began training on the outskirts of Columbus.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=8–10}} McKinley quickly took to the soldier's life: he wrote a series of letters to his hometown newspaper extolling [[Union Army|the army]] and the [[Union (American Civil War)|Union cause]].{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=10–11}} Delays in issuance of uniforms and weapons again brought the men into conflict with their officers, but [[Major (United States)|Major]] [[Rutherford B. Hayes]] convinced them to accept what the government had issued them; his style in dealing with the men impressed McKinley, beginning an association and friendship that would last until Hayes's death in 1893.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=12–14}}

After a month of training, McKinley and the 23rd Ohio, now led by Colonel [[Eliakim P. Scammon]], set out for western Virginia (today part of West Virginia) in July 1861 as a part of the [[Kanawha Division]].{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=120–21|Armstrong||2p=14}} McKinley initially thought Scammon was a [[martinet]], but when the regiment entered battle, he came to appreciate the value of their relentless drilling.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=15–16}} Their first contact with the enemy came in September when they drove back Confederate troops at [[Battle of Carnifex Ferry|Carnifex Ferry]] in present-day West Virginia.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=125–26|Armstrong||2pp=18–22}} Three days after the battle, McKinley was assigned to duty in the [[brigade]] [[Quartermaster Corps (United States Army)|quartermaster]] office, where he worked both to supply his regiment, and as a clerk.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=22–23}} In November, the regiment established winter quarters near [[Fayetteville, West Virginia|Fayetteville]] (today in West Virginia).{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=128–30|Armstrong||2pp=24–25}} McKinley spent the winter substituting for a commissary [[sergeant]] who was ill, and in April 1862 he was promoted to that rank.{{sfnm|Armstrong||1pp=25–29|Phillips||2p=21}} The regiment resumed its advance that spring with Hayes in command (Scammon led the brigade) and fought several minor engagements against the rebel forces.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=136–41|Armstrong||2pp=30–33}}

That September, McKinley's regiment was called east to reinforce General [[John Pope (general)|John Pope]]'s [[Army of Virginia]] at the [[Second Battle of Bull Run]].{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=141–43|Armstrong||2pp=33–36}} Delayed in passing through Washington, D.C., the 23rd Ohio did not arrive in time for the battle but joined the [[Army of the Potomac]] as it hurried north to cut off Robert E. Lee's [[Army of Northern Virginia]] as it advanced into Maryland.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=141–43|Armstrong||2pp=33–36}} The 23rd was the first regiment to encounter the Confederates at the [[Battle of South Mountain]] on September 14.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=146–48|Armstrong||2pp=36–38}} After severe losses, Union forces drove back the Confederates and continued to [[Sharpsburg, Maryland|Sharpsburg]], Maryland, where they engaged Lee's army at the [[Battle of Antietam]], one of the bloodiest battles of the war.{{sfnm|Armstrong||1pp=38–41|Phillips||2p=21}} The 23rd was in the thick of the fighting at Antietam, and McKinley came under heavy fire when bringing rations to the men on the line.{{sfnm|Armstrong||1pp=38–41|Phillips||2p=21}}{{efn|In 1896, some of McKinley's comrades lobbied for him to be belatedly awarded the [[Medal of Honor]] for his bravery that day; Lieutenant General [[Nelson A. Miles]] was inclined to grant McKinley the award, but when the then-President-elect heard about the effort, he declined it. See {{harvnb|Armstrong|pp=38–41}}; {{harvnb|Phillips|p=21}}.}} McKinley's regiment suffered many casualties, but the Army of the Potomac was victorious, and the Confederates retreated into Virginia.{{sfnm|Armstrong||1pp=38–41|Phillips||2p=21}} McKinley's regiment was detached from the Army of the Potomac and returned by train to western Virginia.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=43–44}}

===Shenandoah Valley and promotion===
[[File:McKinleyBrady 1865.png|thumb|upright|McKinley in 1865, just after the Civil War, photograph by [[Mathew Brady]]]]
While the regiment went into winter quarters near [[Charleston, West Virginia|Charleston, Virginia]] (present-day West Virginia), McKinley was ordered back to Ohio with some other sergeants to recruit fresh troops.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=44–45}} When they arrived in Columbus, Governor [[David Tod]] surprised McKinley with a commission as [[second lieutenant]] in recognition of his service at Antietam.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=44–45}} McKinley and his comrades saw little action until July 1863, when the division skirmished with [[John Hunt Morgan]]'s cavalry at the [[Battle of Buffington Island]].{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=157–58|Armstrong||2pp=47–55}} Early in 1864, the Army command structure in West Virginia was reorganized, and the division was assigned to [[George Crook]]'s [[Army of West Virginia]].{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=162–64|Armstrong||2p=63–65}} They soon resumed the offensive, marching into southwestern Virginia to destroy salt and lead mines used by the enemy.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=162–64|Armstrong||2p=63–65}} On May 9, the army engaged Confederate troops at [[Battle of Cloyd's Mountain|Cloyd's Mountain]], where the men charged the enemy entrenchments and drove the rebels from the field.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=162–64|Armstrong||2p=63–65}} McKinley later said the combat there was "as desperate as any witnessed during the war".{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=162–64|Armstrong||2p=63–65}} Following the rout, the Union forces destroyed Confederate supplies and skirmished with the enemy again successfully.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=162–64|Armstrong||2p=63–65}}

McKinley and his regiment moved to the [[Shenandoah Valley]] as the armies broke from winter quarters to [[Valley Campaigns of 1864|resume hostilities]]. Crook's corps was attached to [[Major general (United States)|Major General]] [[David Hunter]]'s [[Union Army of the Shenandoah|Army of the Shenandoah]] and soon back in contact with Confederate forces, capturing [[Lexington, Virginia]], on June 11.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=166–68|Armstrong||2pp=66–69}} They continued south toward [[Lynchburg, Virginia|Lynchburg]], tearing up railroad track as they advanced.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=166–68|Armstrong||2pp=66–69}} Hunter believed the troops at Lynchburg were too powerful, however, and the brigade returned to West Virginia.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=166–68|Armstrong||2pp=66–69}} Before the army could make another attempt, Confederate General [[Jubal Early]]'s raid into Maryland forced their recall to the north.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=70–71}}

Early's army surprised them at [[Second Battle of Kernstown|Kernstown]] on July 24, where McKinley came under heavy fire and the army was defeated.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=168–69|Armstrong||2pp=72–73}} Retreating into Maryland, the army was reorganized again: Major General [[Philip Sheridan]] replaced Hunter, and McKinley, who had been promoted to [[Captain (United States O-3)|captain]] after the battle, was transferred to General Crook's staff.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=170–71|Armstrong||2pp=75–77}} By August, Early was retreating south in the valley, with Sheridan's army in pursuit.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=78–80}} They fended off a Confederate assault at [[Battle of Berryville|Berryville]], where McKinley had a horse shot out from under him, and advanced to [[Battle of Opequon|Opequon Creek]], where they broke the enemy lines and pursued them farther south.{{sfnm|Hoogenboom||1pp=172–73|Armstrong||2pp=80–82}} They followed up the victory with another at [[Battle of Fisher's Hill|Fisher's Hill]] on September 22 and were engaged once more at [[Battle of Cedar Creek|Cedar Creek]] on October 19.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=84–91}} After initially falling back from the Confederate advance, McKinley helped to rally the troops and turn the tide of the battle.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=84–91}}

After Cedar Creek, the army stayed in the vicinity through election day, when McKinley cast his first presidential ballot, for the incumbent Republican, [[Abraham Lincoln]].{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=84–91}} The next day, they moved north up the valley into winter quarters near Kernstown.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=84–91}} In February 1865, Crook was captured by Confederate raiders.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=95–96}} Crook's capture added to the confusion as the army was reorganized for the spring campaign, and McKinley served on the staffs of four different generals over the next fifteen days—Crook, [[John Dunlap Stevenson|John D. Stevenson]], [[Samuel S. Carroll]], and [[Winfield Scott Hancock|Winfield S. Hancock]].{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=95–96}} Finally assigned to Carroll's staff again, McKinley acted as the general's first and only [[adjutant]].{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=98–99}}

Lee and his army [[Battle of Appomattox Court House#Surrender|surrendered]] to [[Lieutenant general (United States)|General]] [[Ulysses S. Grant]] a few days later, effectively ending the war. McKinley joined a [[Freemasonry|Freemason]] lodge (later renamed after him) in [[Winchester, Virginia]], before he and Carroll were transferred to Hancock's First Veterans Corps in Washington.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=99–101}} Just before the war's end, McKinley received his final promotion, a [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] commission as major.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=103–05}} In July, the Veterans Corps was mustered out of service, and McKinley and Carroll were relieved of their duties.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=103–05}} Carroll and Hancock encouraged McKinley to apply for a place in the peacetime army, but he declined and returned to Ohio the following month.{{sfn|Armstrong|pp=103–05}}

McKinley, along with Samuel M. Taylor and James C. Howe, co-authored and published a twelve-volume work, ''Official Roster of the Soldiers of the State of Ohio in the War of the Rebellion, 1861–1866'', published in 1886.<ref>[[#roster|McKinley, Taylor, Howe, 1886]]</ref>