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After the war, the French awarded the Croix de Guerre to 170 members of the 369th, including Colonel Hayward, and a unit citation was awarded to the entire regiment. The Hellfighters were the first New York unit to return to the United States as well as the first unit to march up Fifth Avenue with
Hayward leading the way.
In 1921, President Harding appointed Hayward U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, a position he held until 1925. He left office to return to practicing law. Along with his stepson, he went big game hunting in Africa in 1926 and 1927 and presented several trophies to the Museum of Natural History in New York. In 1929, he traveled to the Arctic and brought back several living polar bears which were given to the Bronx Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo.
As for Hayward’s presentation Model 1899, the inscription appears on the underside of the receiver: “PRESENTED TO/COL. WM HAYWARD/BY/UTICA LODGE No. 33 B.P.O. ELKS/JUNE 14, 1924.” The circumstances surrounding the presentation remain unknown as well as Hayward’s connection to the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, a fraternal order created in New York City in 1868 and to this day continues to operate on “the principles of Charity, Justice, Human love and Fidelity” while serving the local community. In the summer of 1924 Hayward was seeking the New York Republican gubernatorial nomination. The Republican state convention met in September; however, Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. was nominated. The election was held that November, and the Democratic candidate, Al Smith, won the gubernatorial race. Hayward remained the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York, a position he held from 1921 to 1925. The Southern District has been known for being highly independent and nonpartisan and has a reputation of aggressively pursing criminals. The officer in charge of the SDNY earned the nickname “Sheriff of Wall Street” since the officer presides over Manhattan, the financial epicenter in the United States. This masterwork of Savage artistry may well have been Utica Lodge’s gift of appreciation to one of New York’s finest public servants and war veterans or as a political endorsement for his party’s gubernatorial nomination. The receiver is decorated with near full coverage Grade D factory scroll and oval panel game scene engraving. The left side of the receiver features an American bison, and the right side of the receiver features a tiger. Along with the inscription, the underside of the receiver carries an engraved elk’s head. The sides of the takedown collar are also engraved. The engraving
was likely carried out by noted engraver Enoch Tue. Tue apprenticed with London gunmakers and was Savage’s master engraver in the early 20th century. The upper tang is factory drilled and tapped for
a sight. The rifle is fitted with a pinned beaded blade front sight and an elevation adjustable rear sight. The barrel has the two-line Savage legend ahead of the rear sight and “SAVAGE HI-PRESSURE STEEL/303” at the breech. The forearm and pistol grip stock are select grade walnut and feature
factory “B” carved checkering. The buttstock has a checkered hard rubber grip cap and a serrated steel Savage buttplate.
The Harlem Hellfighters