Washington telegraph., 1862-02-26

dent Of the Chicago Tribune, writing f,om
Benton barracks, St. Louis, gives very
touching story of a drummer boy:
| \ few days before our regiment receiv
ed orders to join Gen. Lyon, on bis march
to Wilson's creek, the drummer of our
company was taken sick aud conveyed to
the hospital, and on the evening precediug q
the day that We were to marci,, u negro
was arrested Within the lines of the camp
and brought before our captain, who ask :.
ed tim what business he had within the
lines. lie replied, 81 know drummer
that would like to enlist in your comm ,ud
L have come to tell you of IT. lie was
immediately requested to inform the
drummer that he would be allowed extra
pay, aud to do this, he must be up n the
ground In the morning. The negro was
then passed beyond The guard
On the following morning there appear
ed before the captains quarters, during
the beating of the reveille, a good look
Ing, mlddle-agei woman dressed in deep
mourning, leading By the hand sharp
sprIghty looklng buy, apparently about
Twelve or thirteen years old. Her story
Was soon told. She was from East Ten
nessee, where her husband has been kill
ed, she said, aud all their properly des
trDyed. She had come to st. Louis in
search OF her sister, but not finding her,
aud being destitute OF money, she thought
If she could procure situation for her
boy gs a Irunn for the short time We
had to reuI.Iu IN the service, she cuui Id
tud employment for herself aud perhaps
mad her sister by the time We We're dis
charged.
During the rehearsal of her story the
little fellow kept his eyes iutently fixed
upon the cUuntenauce of the captain who
was ab ut to express determination not
to take small boy, when he sp Ike out
saying, Don't be- afraid, c,ptaiu, | eau
drum" his Was SPOKEN with So much
cunhdeuce that the captain edateiy
observed with smie. "N ell, we'll, ser,
geaut, bring the drum aud order cur fter
forward In few minutes the drum
Was produced, and our fter made his ap-
pearance, d tall, rouud-shuulriered, good
natured Fellow from the Dubuque mines,
who stood, when erect, something over six
feet III hight.
Upou being introduced to his new COIN
IA de, he stuop,d d downward, with bis hands
upuu his kuees that were thrown forward
lnto an acute angle, aud peerlng into the
little fellows t"ce for Il mument, he OBJ
served My iiule man, can you un.?
Yes, sir" he repl'eI, Il drummed for
Capt Hill in Tenues>ee." Our ifer I'M
mediateiy commenced STRENGTHENING hi,n.
self upward, until all the angels in his
persUu had disappeared, when he plsced
the fife to his mouth and played the
"Flowers of Edeuborcugh," one of the
most difficult tunes To fJlluw with the drum
that could nave been selected, but nohly
did the little f.low follow him, showing
him to be master OF the drum When
the music ceased, our captain turned to
the mother aud observed, MADAME,
will take your boy. What is his name?
Il Edward Lee" she replied; then placing
her hand upon the captains arm, she
I continued, captain, If he is not killed
" here ber maternal feelings overcame her
utterance, and she bent down over her
= boy aud kissed him upon the forehead
d As she arose she observed, Captain, you
/ / will bring him back with you, wont your
1 Yes, yes" he replied, I'VE will be Ger
tain to bring him back with US. We shall
be discharged ID six weeks
il lu au hour after, our company led the
It lSt Iowa cut OF camp, oar urum and file
!, playing, 1.-The girl left behind =
Eddie, as We called hun, soon became "a
e great iavorlte with the men III the com
c pany. When auy OF the boys had ie-
tur.ed from a Horticultural excursion,
: EGdIe's share of the peaches and me!ous
Was the first apportlo"ed out. During
. Jur heavy aud fatI tIguing march from RJlla
, tU Springfield, 1t Was often amusing to
see our long legged fler wadng through
the mud with ur little drummer mounted
t upon his back --and always in that pvsl
tluu when .ording streams.
* *
The night after the fight at Wilson S
Creek, where Lyon tell, | was detailed for
guard duty The hours passed slowly
away, when at length the morning light
began to streak along the eastern sky
making surrounding objects more plainly
visible. Presently heard the drum beat
the morning call At first L thought it
came from the camp of the enemy across
the creek; but as list ned | found 1t came
room the deep ravin'; for few minutes
it was silent, and then as it became light
er [ heard it again L listened-the
sound of the drum was familiar to me-
aud knew il was
Our drummer boy from Tennessee
Beating, for help, the reveille.
was about to desert my post to 60 t.
his assistance, when | discovered the otfi
Ger of the guard approaching with two
men. We all listened to the sound, and
were satisfied that it was Eddys drum