The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1862-03-07
Little Eddie, the Drummer.


gives very touching story Of a drummer
boy; :
orders to join Con. Lyon, on his march TO
Wilson's Greek, the drummer OF our regi
mont was taken sick and conveyed to tho
hospital. aud, on the evening preceding the
day that we wore to march. q negro was ar
rested within tho lines Of tho camp. and
brought before our captain, who askeh him
what business no had within tho lines lIo
replied, Il know u drummer that would like
TO enlist in your company. and have come
to toll YOU Of it, lie was Immediately re-
quested to inform tho drummer that ii he
would enlist for our short teru-of sotvice,
he would DO allowed extra pay, and 30 do
this he must be upon tho ground carly in
the morning. Tho ncgro was then passed
beyond tho guard.
On the following morning thero appeared
before the CaptBins quarters. during the
bentiug OF tho roveille, good looking, mid.
dle.agod woman, dressed in deep mourning,
leading by tho hand sharp. sprightiy look.
ing boy, apparently about twelve or thirteen
years of ago. Her story was soon told
Sho was from East Tennessee, where her
husband had boon killed BY tha robols, and
her property destroyed. Sho had como TO
ST. Louis In search OF hor sistor. but not ind.
ing hor, and being destitute of money, she
thought she could procure q situation for
her boy rs drummer for the short time We
had to remain in the servlcc; she could find
employment for herself, aud perhaps find
her sistcf by tho timo 90 were discharged.
During the rehearsal of her story the lit
tie fellow kept his eyes intently .ixed upon
the countenancc of tho Captain. who was
about to express determination not TO tsko
so snall boy. whom ho spoke out. saying.
Don't DO afraid, Captain. can drum.-
This was spoken with so much confidence
! that tho Captain immediatoly observed. with
smile, We'll, we'll, sergeant. bring tho drum.
aud order our fier TO como forward Ia a
few minutes the drum was produced, and
our fifur made his appearance, a tall. round
shoulderod, good natured fellow from tho
Dubuque mines, who stood, whom erect,
something over six feet. .,r..
| Upon being introduced to his now CON-
raLu. ho stopped downward, with his hunds
resting upon bis kn ees, that wero thrown
forward into an acute angle, and aftor peer
ing Into tho little follows face u moment. he
observed. MY littlo man. can YOU drum
Yes. SIR no replied; i drummed for Capt.
Hill, in Tennessee Our lifer commenced
/ u
auglos in bis porson had disappeared, when
he placed his fife to his mouth, and PLAYED
the Flowers of Edinburgh ono Of the most
difficult tunes to follow with the drum that
could have bccn selected, but nobly did the
litilo follow follow him. showing him to BE-
master of tho drum. Whom tho music had
ceased, our Captain turned to tho mother
aud observed, Madam. will take your boy.
! wigr 10 i'is uanu.' .il'tw~rd Loe.' s1o 70
| Piled; then placing her hand upon tho Cap.
tains arm, sho continued, Captain, il no Is
not killod'-hero her maternal .ealings over.
camo her utteranco, and she bcnt down owe,
hor boy and kissed him upon his forehead
As she arose, size observed. Captain, you
will bring him back with you. won't you?-
Yes. yes,' he replied; we will DO ceri ain tC
bring him back with US. Wo shall DO dis
charged in six weeks
\ In an hour after our company led the
Iowa First out of camp, our drum and
fite playing Tho girl left behind me.
Eddie. as we called him, soon became, Q
great favorite with all the men in tho com.
pany. When any of tho boys had returned
from a horticultural excursion, Eddie's share
of the peaches and metns were first appor.
toned OUT. During our heavy md fa.
iiguing marches from Rola to Springh cid
it was Otton amusing to soc our long legged
fifer wading through tho mud with OuI
little drummer mounted upon his back--and
always in tina. position when fordinl
streams.
Tho night after tho fight at Wilson,
Creek, whore Lyon fell, was detailed fOl
guard duty. The hours passed sIowl,
away, whom at length the morning ligh
began to stream along tho eastern sky
making surrounding objects moro piainI,
visible. Presently heard drum boat u,
the morning call. Al first l thought /
camo from tho camp of the enemy ncros
the creek but MS listened found that /
came up from the deop ravine; for few
minutes Il was silent, and then as IL becam,
moro light l heard it again. ! listened
the sound of tho drum was familiar 10 mo
know that Ii was
Our drummer boy from Tennessee,
Beating Tor help the reveille. ...
was about to desert my post to go Il
, his assistance, whom disco cred the Office
. Of the guard approaching with two men
We all lietened 10 tho sound, aud were sat
, isfied that it was Eddic's drum. l aske,
: permission to 60 TO his assistance. Tn,
officer hesitated. saying that the order
wore to march in twenty minutes.
: promised TO DO back in that time, when b
3 consented, / immediately started dow
q tho hill, and upon reaching the valley,
q followed the sound of the drum, and sooI
0 found him seated on the ground. his bsc
leaning against tho trunk Of q falling tro,
while bis drum hung upon bush la iron
: Of him, reaching nearly to the ground.
soon as he discovered mo, he dropped bi
drumsticks and exclaimed. 'Oh. corporal.
!, am so glad to see you Give mo drink
s reaching ont his hand for my cantoen, whic
9 was empty. @ .sA-t s..
Immediately turned TO bring him som
water from tho brook that could bear rI
q plng through the bushes near by, whe,
thinking that was about to leave him. b
Il commenced crying. saying. Don't leaV
!. me. corporsi-i cant walk / was 500
y back with the water, when ! discoverc
that both of his feet had been shot away
J. a cannon ball. After satisfying bis tbirs
u he looked up into my face and said, 'Yo
d don't think l will die, corporal, do you ?
= this man said would not--ho said the SUI
a geon would cure my feet
n IL now discovered man lying 10 th
> grass near him. dead. By his dress i n
: -cognized him as belonging to tho enem,
y Il appeared that he had boen sho. throue