Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-01-21
Litti. Eddie, The Drummer.
kEzrNlscEscE OF wilson's GREER.


orders to join Gen. Lyon, on his march to
/ Wilson's Creek, the drummer of our COM
/ pany was taken sick and conveyed to the
hospital, and on the evening preceding the
! day that we were to march, negro was
arrested within the lines of the csmp AND
/ brought before our Captain, " ha asked him
what business he had within the lines p
/ He replied. Il know drummer that would
] like 10 enlist in your company, and | have
/ come to tell you II it, lie was immediate.
! ~ requested tc inform the drummer that If
he would enlist for short term Of service,
he would be allowed extra gay, and to do
tins he must be upon the ground early in
the morning. The negro was then passed
| beyond the guard.
VI the lvlio"ing morning there appeared
before the Captains quarters. during the
beating OF the reveliie, a good looking,
! Inlddie aged woman, dressed in deem nuur
ming leading by the hand a SHARP, spfight-
| ly locking boy, apparently AbGut tHeiyn or
| thirteen years old. Her story was soon
! told. She LES from East Tennessee, where
! her husband had been killed by the rebels
and their property destroyed. She bad
c. me 10 st. Louis In search OF her sister.
| but not finding her, and being destitute of
money, she thought if she could procure q
situation for her boy as drummer for the
service, she would find employment for
| herself and perhaps find her sister by the
time We were discharged
During the rehearsal Of her story the lit
! tie fellow kept his eyes intently fixed upon
the countenance VI The Captain, who was
abjut To express determination not to take
so small boy when he spoke Cut, saying,
'Dont be afraid, Captain, can drum. =
! This was spoken with so much confidence,
| that the Captain Immediately observed
! with smile, We'll, well. Sergeant, bring
the drum, and order our fifer 81 come for
ward In a few minutes the drum was
| produced, ami our filler made his appear-
ance, tall round shouIdered, good nater-
cd fellow from the Dubuque mines, who
stood. when erect something over six feet
In height.
lyon being introduced to his new com
rade, be st0oped downward, with hig bands
resting upon his knees that were thrown
| into an acute angle, and after peering into
! the little fellow E face a moment. he Observ
| ed, My little man, can you drum?' Yes.
sir he replied, Il drumraed for Cantan
| Hill in Tennessee Our 6ler immedtat,l :
c"mmenced Strengthening himself upward.
until all the angles in bis person had dis
appeared, when he placed his file To bis
m 9th and played the Flowers IF Eden
! borough one of the m1st difficult tunes to
follow with the drum that could have been
selected but molly did the little fellow fol-
low him, showing him to be master of the
drum. When the music ceased, our Gao
tain turned to the mother and observed
Madam, will take your boy What is his
name?' Edward Lee The replied then
placing her hand upon the Captains arm,
she continued, Captain, if he is not kill
ed here her mental feeling overcame her
utterance, and she bent down oyer her how
and kissed him upon the forehead. As she
arose, she observed, Captain, Won will
bring him back with you, won't you p
Zee. yes, he rspiied, we will be certain
to bring him back with us. We shall be
discharged i'll SIX weeks
Ia an hour alter, our company led the
Iowa First out of camp, our drum and fie
playing The girl leIt behind me- Eddie,
| as we called him, soon became a great fu-
v0riTe with ali the men in the Company -
When any OF the boys had returned from a
horticultural excursion, Eddie's share of the
peaches and melons was the first apnnrtiGn
ed cut. During our heavy and fatguing
march from Rol!a to Springfield, it was of
ten amusing to see our long-legged fifel
wGdlng through the mud with our ittIC
drummer mounted upon bis back-ant
always IN that position when fUrdina
streams.
Du ing the fight at Wilson's Creek, | wa,
stationed with part of our company on the
right OF T0tten's battery, while the balance
OF cur comany with part of the Hin il
regiment was ordered down into a deer
timber Iayine upon our left. which it wa,
known Il portion Of the enemy was conceal
ed, with whom they we're soun engaged. L.
The guntrst IN the ravina continuing som,
time. TUtteu suddenly wheeled his batter,
upon the eaemy in that quarter, when ther
soon retrea;ed TO the high ground behiut
thelr lucs. In lrss tlau twenty minute
Totem had drgI the enemy from the r..
vine, the word passed from man to man
through the army, Lyon IL killed, and 500.
after, hosul'ties having ceased upon boti
sides, the order came for our main forces t,
TALL back upon Springfield. while part Of
the Iowa LIST, aud two companies Of thu
Missouri regiment were to camp upon TIA,
ground and cover the retreat next morning
That night | was detailed Cor guard duty
my turn of guard closing with the mornin,
call. When j went out with the officer as
high emiuenee that overlooked the deep re
vine in which our men had engaged the en-
envy, until Totten's battery came to thei
assistance. 1t was dreary, Ionesom
beat. The moon had gone down in til
early part of the night, while the star
:wInkled dimly through hazy atmosphere
Lighting up imPerfectly the surrounding
objects. Occasionally would place M,
\ ~ r..
Of footsteps; but all was silent except tn
far off bowling OF the wrH taat seemed l.
scent upon the evening air the banquet tina
We had been preparing for him. The hour
passed ,llwly away, when at length tn
morning light began to streak along tn
eastern sky. making surrounding object
more Tliinly visible. Presently heard
drum beat up the morning call At FIRST
thought it came from the camp Of the enc
my across the creek; but as | listened
found that 1t came ep from the deep ravinG
for a few minutes 1t was silent, aud then a
; it became more light heard it again.
} listened the sound Of the drum wa
familiar to me-aud knew that il was
Our drummer boy from Tennessee,
Deaiins for help the reveiile.
l wa. abput to desert my post to 20 +,
his assistance, when discovered the Office
of the guard apFroachiuing with two mel
We al! listened tn the sound, and were sal
isfied that it was Eddie's drum, | aske
permission to go to his assistance. I'll
, officer hesitated, saying that the ordei
were to march in twenty minutes.
promised to be back in that time, when
consented. | Immediately started dow
, the bill through the thick underground
and upon reaching the valley followed tt
sound OF the drum, and soon found hi
seated upon the groon1. his back leanir
-, against the trunk of fallen tree. while Il
? drum hung uDon bush in front If hi
reaching nearly to the ground As soon
A he Uncovered me. ne dropped his drum
I sticks and exrlaimed. 20 Corporal, am
4. glad 70 see YOU! Give me drink, Teacl