Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1862-02-28
Charley Freeman. the Bethel Drummer

Charley Freeman. the Bethel Drummer
BOY.
Afsw days sinss, while 90 board one Of
the csn on che Grand Trunt Railway. We
saw little boy surrounded by some hall
do,en men earnestly engaged in conver'a
ton. oil appearing TO address their remarks
to the little fellow. Who, Tor the time being
Vas the centre Of attraction in that eud OF
the car. Our curiosity VAS at once excited,
and We inquired into the cause. Captain
Robinson. Of Bethel. Of the Maine Battery.
a, oues informed us ina, IN. youns-''r IN
quircd after wa. +" Charley Freeman. the
Bethel drummer boy"
4" Charley" has a History" although
he .. now but thirteen years Of age. To
commence, he is an orphan boy. and bis
parents formerly resided in Gilead. In Or
ford County. Quite number OF year,
.incc. hi. a.her grew i-alou. Of his wi'e'
became frantic. sbo, her. and then killed
himself Thi. LEI, Charley without father
or mother. lie was. however. cared for.
and a, the eommcnccmcn, Of the war he was
residing with Cap, ila.'ine.. Of Bethel,
with whom he had for sometime been living
and very kindly treated.
Capt. clark ). Edwards, OF Bethel, re-
eruitrd a company in the vicinity OF that
town for the 5,h Regimen, The excite
men, attending these operations extended TO
Charley; he caught the var fever and
wanted :, 60. Ills friend. tried TO di.'aade
him from u; bot /, only famed the fame.
60 he must, lie was natural musician.
could ffe. drum, play on the banp. mslo'
deon. OF anything else bot he was too
Young tor . musician: the arbitrary rules
Of ,h. army excluded him. ~ last Il va.
arranged tha, Charley should 50 waiter to
Capt. Edwards; and - he went. and was
~i,h the company MI the way through. IN
al n. battle Of Bull Run. Daring ih.
time he VA. NJ, inactive. but became TT
IN the company. Although ncmihAlly q
waiter boy. he become ih' aier for the eom'
pan..
In this capacity b, acted at the hattie u
Boil Ron srd While a., sl''' a'w ,hickly
around little CHARLEY could h . blowing
away With III, .hrilI sir. psalins nu, Van.
kce pocdle above the rosr OF cannon and
din Of taiile. Capt Ejwari- s,y' he sp
pc.red ju.r Ne cool and indifferent a. II SIT
ting down IN Capt. lla.,tns.' rarlur, on
Bethel iill. When the rc,rra, eommen~d.
CA.rb-v .sid =. u would not do u leave any
Of the woundcl out % he company IN the
hand " the enemy" 80 away be ran, not
from the enemy, ba, in,o ,hv,r very midst,
AMI when 90 his errand ., mercy vas taken
Nv the rebels. and With tie her rrislner.
,n.n,beI OF t. RiehHiooi lie ~a- rep r,e-i
among N. Kidd. and Tor long time u was
-app,.cl be Sa- dead.
Will, at Richmond. be va. confined In
the same PRISON with Co.'s CoreOran and
Wilcox. and Ccosrc,msn Ely, and other
federal prisoners H. b,cAme ther wat,r
boy and rci. liz narratives OF what took
place there would gu volume. AID make
a spicy one. too Bot W. must pas, over
that
Last fall BE- va. exchanged, and 'sn,
home 10 Bethel IL bad ouly h~vn home n
i,~ dsys. when ~. var fever came on more
inteu-s than s,cs Circumstances favored
HI, dc-ir,s Capt. Eiward' came home On
a Iirloo:h AMI obtained place Tor Charley
q. drummsr IN tie lith Regiment. and
when We .av huu on h1irl the ear. he
va. on hr way 70 j,iu b., Regiment. then
quar,~rcl a, augusta
Whether We shall ever 80 ih- brave little
fellow again IN Maine. i' All y matter Of un
certainty, for the soldier, when he leave.
M, home, TAKE. hi. life in hi- hands, and
moo, empha,ieally Z" know. not wis; a day
may br,n: forth. Charley may NEE, death
upon The battlefield. but II tha, eon,'n.
..nry ever come. be Will be found hra',lY
facing the fOe--b~.,ing upon hi' fai,hial
drum the long. loui R'r',i's. cheering his
comrades on to victory or death.