Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/111

Rh "William McKinley, to be captain of Company G, for gallantry at the battle of Kernstown."

The soldier boys greeted their new captain warmly. They thought he fully deserved the promotion, and did not hesitate to say so. In fact, in the whole regiment there was no more popular young man than William McKinley. Said one of the veterans:—

"Nobody begrudged him his promotion, and plenty of us thought he ought to be a major or a colonel. Perhaps he was looking for something higher, but if he was, he never said so. But as soon as he took hold of the company, I can tell you there was a sprucing-up all round, for he believed in toeing the mark, and making everybody do likewise."

After the battle of Kernstown followed a series of marches and countermarches up and down the Shenandoah Valley, near Winchester and beyond. The regiment was engaged at Halltown, and captured a number of prisoners who had been "lying low," and who were very much surprised when taken into custody. In September