The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-03-15
little Eddie. tLa Drummer.


Louis, gives a very touching story of a
drummer boy:
ga few days before our regiment receiv-
ed orders to join Gen. Lyon. on his march
to Wilson's Greek, the drummer of our
company was taken sick and conveyed to the
hospital, and on the evening preceding the
day that we were to march, a negro was ar
rested within the lines OF the camp and
/ brought before our captain, who asked him
''what business he had within the line 90
He replied, 81 know drummer that would
| like to enlist in your company, and have
come to tell you of it, He was immedi-
ately requested to inform the drummer that
if he would enlist for our short term of SER
vice he would be allowed extra pay, and to
do this he must be upon the ground early
in the morning. The negro was then pass
ed beyond the guard.
On the following morning there appear
ed before the Captains quarters, during the
beating of the reveile, good looking mid
die aged woman, dressed in deep mourning.
leading by the hand sharp. sprightly look
ing boy, apparently about twelve or thir-
teen years old. Her story was soon told.
She was from East Tennessee, where her
husband bad been killed by the rebels and
| to st. Louis in search of her sister, but not
finding her, and being destitute of money,
she thought if she could procure situa-
ton for her boy as drummer for the short
time that we had to remain in the service,
she could find employment for herself and
perhaps find her sister by the time we were
discharged
During the rehearsal of her story the lit
A. ell Ii, Il, ~
the Captain, who was about to express a
determination not to take SO small boy,
when he spoke out, saying, Don't be afraid,
Captain, / can drum This was spoken
with so much confidence that the Captain
Immediately observed, with smile, ''Well,
sergeant, bring the drum. and order our
ffer to come forward In a few minutes
the drum was produced, and our fifer made
his appearance, a tall round shouldered,
good -natured fellow from the Dubuque
mines, who stood, when erect, something
over six feet in hight.
Upon being introduced to his new COM
rsde, he stopped downward, with his hands
resting upon his knees that were thrown
forward into an acute angle, and after peer
ing into the little fellows face moment,
he observed, ''My little man can you drum?"
"Yes, sir" he replied, 81 drummed for Cap.
Hill in Tennessee" Our ffer Immediately
comm strag htening himself upward
until all the angles in his person had dis
appeared. when he placed his fife to his
mouth and played the ''Flowers of Edin
burg" one of the most difficult tunes to fol-
low with the drum that could have been
selected, but nobly did the little fellow fol-
low him, showing him to be master of the
drum. When the music ceased our Cap
tain turned TO the mother and observed,
Madam, will take your boy. What is
his name 90 edward Lee,'' she replied i
then placing her hand upon the Captain 3
arm, she continued, Captain, if he is not
klIled''-here her maternal feelings over
came her utterance, and she bent down over
her boy and kissed him upon the forehead. |
AS she arose, she observed, captain, you
will bring him back with you, won't you 90
eyes, yes,'' he replied, ''We will be GER
tain to bring him back with US. We shall
be discharged in six weeks
In an hour after, our company led the Iowa
First out Of camp, our drum and fife play
ing "The girl left behind me-" Eddie, |
as we called him, soon became a great ia
vorite with all the men in the company.
When any of the boys had returned from |
horticultural excursion, Eddie's share oil
the peaches and melons were first appor-
toned out. During our heavy and ia
tiguing march from Rolla to Springfield it
was often amusing to see our long legged
ffer wading through the mud with our lit
tie drummer mounted upon his back-and
always in that position when fording streams.
II
The night after the fight at Wilson's
Creek, where Lyon fell, was detailed for
guard duty. The hours passed slowly
away, when at length the morning light be-
gan to streak along the eastern sky, making