Webb Hayes

Infobox Military Person
name= James Webb Cook Hayes
born= birth date|1856|3|20
died= death date and age|1934|7|26|1856|3|20
placeofbirth=Cincinnati, Ohio
placeofdeath=Fremont, Ohio
placeofburial=


caption=James Webb in his Army Uniform
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= Ohio National Guard United States Army
serviceyears=
rank=
commands= American Expeditionary Force
unit= 1st Ohio Cavalry Fifth Army Corps 31st Infantry
battles= Spanish American War San Juan Hill Boxer Rebellion Russo-Japanese War World War I
awards= Medal of Honor
laterwork= Union Carbide, founder State Department

James Webb Cook Hayes (March 20, 1856 – July 26, 1934) was an American businessman and soldier. He founded Union Carbide, fought in two wars, and was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Early years and family

Born as James Webb Cook Hayes, he was the second son of President Rutherford B. Hayes.

Since he was five years old he spent six months every winter at his fathers encampment usually Camp White, West Virginia. He became very close with the commander of the unit, General George Crook, who later become his godfather. Crook also taught him how to live off the land including hunting, fishing and survival. Years later, after Crook became famous in the west as a hunter and Indian fighter, the two made annual trips into the Rocky Mountains for a hunt of big game.

Hayes attended Cornell University from 1873 to 1875 and was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon. He left Cornell to work as his father's secretary when his father was the governor of Ohio. When his father was elected president, he again served as his father’s secretary.

In 1881, Hayes moved to Cleveland to work as the treasurer of the Whipple Manufacturing Company. In 1887, he, with three others, founded the National Carbon Company, which is now known as Union Carbide. Hayes stayed with this company for many years as the vice president.

He was the principal proponent for founding the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, the first presidential library.

Hayes died on July 26, 1934 in Cincinnati, Ohio and was buried at the Rutherford B. Hayes Home, Spiegel Grove, in Fremont, Ohio."Webb Cook Hayes", "Find-A-Grave".]

Military service

He also served in the military. He was a member of the First Cleveland Troop, later known as Troop A of the Ohio National Guard. During the Spanish American War, he became a major in the First Ohio Cavalry. He fought in Santiago de Cuba Campaign, during which he was wounded during the crossing of the San Juan River and the assault on San Juan Hill, and later in the invasion of Puerto Rico.

Following this, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and sent to the Philippines. Just hours after landing there, he led a rescue party to free captured men at Vigan Island. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for this action. He went on to participate in the China Relief Expedition during the Boxer Rebellion and as an observer in the Russo-Japanese War.

During World War I, Hayes was promoted to colonel and first served as a special agent for the State Department in France and later held an administrative assignment on the Italian front. After the war he was promoted to brigadier general

Medal of Honor citation

Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, 31st Infantry, U.S. Volunteers. Place and date: At Vigan, Luzon, Philippine Islands, 4 December 1899. Entered service at: Fremont, Ohio. Born: 20 March 1856, Cincinnati, Ohio. Date of issue: 17 December 1902.

Citation:

:Pushed through the enemy's lines alone, during the night, from the beach to the beleaguered force at Vigan, and returned the following morning to report the condition of affairs to the Navy and secure assistance.

ee also

*List of Medal of Honor recipients

Notes

References

*cite web
accessdate=2004-06-29
url=http://www.rbhayes.org/mssfind/hayes_coll/wchayes1.htm#Biographical%20Sketch
title=Web C. Hayes: Biographical Sketch
publisher=Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center

*cite web
accessdate=2007-10-22
url=http://www.army.mil/cmh/html/moh/philippine.html
title=Hayes, Webb C.
work=Medal of Honor Recipients — Philippine Insurrection
publisher=U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH)

*findagrave|8501. Retrieved on 2006-10-22.