Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-02-13
,I;ittls, I'd dis.,The, DRUMMER. e.

! ,Littls, Mddie..The, Drummer. c,
.Aoorespondsnt ofthe Chicago 5TriboDe,
writing from Benton Barracks, St Louis,
gives very touching story Of drummer
boy.,.y,sr ad yc3 " --.- ifir9liis0J
! Afew days before ,our.regiment received
orders TO Join Gen., Lyon, on his march to
Wilson's Creek, the drummer Of our COM
pany was taken sick and conveyed 10 the
hospital, and on the evening preceding the
day that we were to march, negro was ar
rested within the lines of the camp and
brought before our Captain, who asked him
what business he had within the lines p
He rephedy yhI know sdrummer that would
like to- enlistihs your company, and have
come 10 tell yth Of it. " He was immediate
ly requested to inform the drummer that If
he would enlist for oar short term of SER
vice, be would be allowed extra pay, and to
do this he must be upon the ground early
in the morning. The negro was then pass
led beyond the guard. 2 ,HI .7E O. 'IIlr
r On the following morning there appeared
before the Captains quarters, during the
beating of the reyeille, a good looking, mid
die aged woman, dressed in deep mourning,
leading by the hand, sharp sprightly look
ing boy, apparently about twelve or thirteen
years old. Her story was soon told. She
was from East Tennessee, where her hus-
band had been killed by the rebels, and all
their property destroyed She had come to
st. Louis in search Of her sister, but not
finding her, and being destitute of money,
she thought il she conld procure situation
for her boy as drummer for theshort time
we had to remain in the service, she could
eS enS tnp'oylnent iei he:seII anu perhaps
s upo nsr @s'er pyt sns 'ine we were ais-
0"m1,s:s ms .I.r.
M cIi,ilng .ne rsnearsa' IN u her stoIy sne NJ
l.setehom nop. =" syS iIoen.'y hxe1 upon
.ls .hs,'s oeahsensncs y. " .ne Eap!an, VINO was
sooa. y express e aeternlnaaon not 70 !ake
s.na. ~ sn,sh ovy, ane1ne T spoke OUT, SAYING
M non oo sirau' Esp'e'n, = eau u.9nl'
inls was spoken with 80 much commence
.nas ine VaRfsIn .W ,meIisee,y I'M, ooservea win
ssiuhe. Nv @h' Well Sergeant, D1ng 5ne
qrum, ana 9raer our nfer TO come forward. forward,
and our iffer made his appearances, a tall,
ISu11.snoaioered, n.,naioerd, GOOD natured Iellow rom
tne nI9uaue mines: VINO stoodi wnen erect
soae.ning M over SIX ieet III neigne
I Ep1n nelhg ihtloduceu 70 M new COM
raue, ne seoopea d1wnward, WIN MS nands
resuns upon MS Knees ,ual were thrown
iorMaiu ihio az acgoe angie, anu peerlng IN
70 tne htt,s Ieiiow STAGE moment, ne oD, 90,
seWvvea' ..My ntt'e Ina1' can you urum I
aos,: sI, G:u ne repheu, 1rulnsneu iol
Ssgta,n I'm ~ = enuessee. Uur nler i'h
lneS,aGy me co.n,lseneea as T strengthening MIN
sen tpSIsMu, M uuM vi 'ne anees IN ms pc!
's2n ~, naa aisappesIed, '.wnen ne piaeed MI
nte g ms mouth = ana pieyed tne tiSweI' siS,
@ %sIsH.sa, W. :. yne 81 .ne nlost eilncI ~,
ars .ne NJ s',d, Gcui|
) fellow follow him, showing him to be mas
, ter of the drum, When the music ceased
: our Captain turned to the mother and OBJ
! served. Madam, will take your boy. -
! What is his name?' ''Edwurd Lee, sht
replied then placing her hand upon tn,
Captain s arm, she continued, Captain, il
) he ia not killed there her maternal feel
ings overcame her ,utterance, and she ben
down oyer her boy and kissed him upon tn,
! forehead. As she arose, she observed
: Captain, you will bring him back with YOU
won't you pr i'Yes, yes, he replied, Wv
will be certain to bring him back with u.s.
, we shall be discharged IN SIX weeks"
: In an hour after, our company led the Is
iowa Out oi camp, our drum and !, ME play
7 ihR 1nS giri lett petiinu me. Eouie
AZ We caned "a nm, soon became a great Ia
y1rice WIN an tne men N the company
' men any OF tne ooys haa returned IRON
nortlculturai excursion, Eadie snare OF Tn
d peacnes ana melons was tne nrst aPpcrtloh
d ea outc ,D4n9g our heaVy aga iatlguih
4 marcn from hoiia 70 oprin gneid, II was IS 9
ii zen nmashg 70 zee our iohgteggeu " M,
r waudnng tnIougn the mgc win our h5ti y
J, drummer mountea upon ms 6ack-and q
ways IN tna' position when Iording streams
), - -,
: The night after the fight at Wilson
v Creek, where Lyon fell, was detailed fc
), guard duty. The hours passed slowly ava,
" when at length the morning light began
"a streak along the eastern sky, making. su
~ rounding objects more plainly visible
!. Presently heard drum beat up the NOR
ing call. AT first thought it came from Il
m camp of the enemy across the creek but
q l listened found that it came from dee
y rayina; for few minutes it was silent, al
then as it became more, light l heard
ig again. ! listened-tho sound of the dru
~ was familiar to me--and knew it was
.' 2', Oar a,,u,us, bSv f,orn T.ou.,,ss ...t
l'''.' Besiing iOr help ,is rsyeiIs. ',.5 n
Ve .ho,,. - aos,,,. 49, 90. 81 20
lWas apout u oes9r. my Post anu ~