Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-01-26
Little EddIe--rho Drummer.


A correspondent Of the Chicago Tribune, Wri
ung from Benton Barracks, 81. Louis, gives
very touching story Of a drummer boy:
A lew days before our regiment received or
dere TO join Gen. Lyon, on bis march TO Viii
sons Creek, the drummer of our company wa
taken sick and conveyed to the hospital, and OF
toe evening preceding the day that we we're t,
march, negro was arrested within the line
Of the camp and brought before our Captain
who asked him "what business he had within
our lln6s7' He replied, "I know a drummel
that would like to enlist In your COMPANY, spC
have come to tell you OF it" He was imme
diately requested to inform the drummer tha,
II he would enlist for our short term of service
hewould be allowed extra pay, and to do this
he must be upon the ground early iu the morn
ing. The negro was then passed beyond th,
guard.
On the following morning there appeared be
lore the Captain's quarters, during the beatinl
OF the reVeille, good looking, middle aget
woman, dressed In deep mourning, leading b,
the hand q sharp, sprightly looking boy, appa
rently about twelve or thirteen years old. tie
story was soon told. She was from East Ten
nessee, where her husband had been killed b,
the rebels, and all their property destroy -
She bad come to st. Louis In search Of her Gle
ter, but not finding her, aud being destitute o.
money hhe thought If she could procure bIt
uaton for her boy as drummer for the shorI
time we had TO remain In the service, she could
nod employment for herself and perhaps nnd
her sister by the time we were discharged.
During the rehearsal of her story the Hssle
fellow kept his eyes intently fixed upon the
countenance Of tho Captain, who was about "a
express determination not to take 90 small 4
boy, when he spoke out, saying, "Don't bs
airaid, Captain, can drum" This wac spoken
with 90 much confidence that the Captain In.
mediately observed with smile, "Well, we'll,
sergeant, bring the drum, aud order our hfer %
come forWart." 10 . few minutes the drum
SaS produced, and our ffer made bis appearance
tall, round.shouldered, good nstured felIoS
from the Dubuqs mines, VINO stood, when erect
something over six feet in height. =. s,,7-l q
Upon being Introduced to his new .comrade,
he stooped downward, witn his hands resting
upon his knees that were thrown forward Into
an acute angle, and pssring into the little fel.
lows face Q a,moment, he observed, "My little
man, can you drums" "Yes, sir," he replied
II drpmmed for Captain Hill In Tennessee. !
Our ffer Immediately commenced streighten,
Ing himaelf upward, until all the angles in his
person had disappeared, when he placed bis fife
~ AAS ~ASANSt ssAh PAoJSe ibWGEU VI Elueu-
borough" one OF tho most dficult tunes to
follow with the drum that could have been se,
leoted, but nobly did the little fellow follow hin
showing him TO be master of the drum. Whe1
the music ceased, our Captain turned to tn,
mother and observed, "Madame, I will takt
your boy. What Is bis name2" "Eiward Lee, !,
she replied; then phcing her hand upon thG
Captains arm, she continued, "Captai,, IL he
10 not killed" here her maternal feeifpol
overoame her uttesance, and abe bent down over
her boy and kissed him upon the forehead. As
she arose she observed, "Cap.ain, you will brinp
him back With you, won't youf" eyes, yes,T
he replied, Eve will be certain to bring hin
back with US We shall be discharged In si1
weeks" 5.i soaa',2 % - i'sI'
In an hour after, our company led the Firsi
Iowa out Of camp, our drum and fife playins
"The girl left behind me-" Eddie, as ",
called him, soon became o great favorite viii
all the men In the company. When any of th,
boys had returned from horticultural exour
sion, Eddie's share Of the peaches and melon
was the fret apporioned out. During on
heavy and fatiguiDg march from Rolla to Spring
field, IL was often amusing to see our long leg
ged fler wading through the mud with our liz
tie drummer mounted upon his back---and al
ways in that position when fcrdins streams.
.1 /,
The night after the fight at Wilson's Creek
where Lyon fell was detailed for guard duty
The hours passed slowly away, when at leuRtl
the morning light began to streak along ID,
eastern sky, making surrounding objects NOR,
plainly visible. Presently heard drum bsa
up the morning call. Al frat I thought /
came from the camp Of the enemy across tn,
ersekj but as listened found that it cam
from the deep ravine; for few minutes Il va
silent, and then ss IL became more light hear
IL again. listened-the sound OF the drun
was familiar to me-and knew that IL was
| Our drummer boy from Tennessee, fa I
| Beating, for help, the rsvellle. s
was about 70 desert my Post to 70 to bis al
sistance, when ] discovered the officer of th
guard approaching with two men. We ell lii
tened to the sound, and were satisfied that it wa
Eddie's drum. asked permission to 20 to hi
assistance. The officer hesitated, sayine that N
ORDERS were TO march In twenty minutes.
promised 90 hs back in ihat time, when he con
sented. Immediately started down the hi
through the thick underground, and upon reach
ing the valley, | followed the sound of th
drum, and soon found him seated upon th
ground, his back leaning against the trunk of
fallen tree, while his drum hung ubon bush /
front Of him, reaching nearly to the GROUND
As aoon as he discovered me. be dropped hI
drumstcks and exclaimed, "0h corporal, / al
so glad to see you! Give me drink!' react
ling out his hand for my cantsen, which va
empty. Immediately turned to bring hir
some water from the brook that I could hea
rlppling through the bushes near by, wher
thinking that Twas about to leave him, he con
meneed crying, saying, "Don't leave me, oorpc
raj, ! Icant walk"
/ was soon back with the water, whom dis
covered that both Of his feet had been sho
away lby cannon ball. After satisfying bi
tbirst, he looked up into my face, and said
I"You don't think will die, corporal, do you
Tho man eald I would mott he said the eureeol
could cure my feet" nov discovered ma
lying in the grass near him, dead. BY his dres
I recognised him as belonging to the enemy
II appeared that be had been shot through th
bowels, and had fallen near where Eddy las
! Knowing that be could not live, end seeing th