Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-04-28
The Little Ohio Orderly.

ID. II. ldytoTi III mIhlug iiOm Nhsttahooeo
to the Chicago Journal, gives the following:
A pleasant little scene occurred last eve
ming at the headquarters of Gen. Thomas.
Of course you remember the story of little
Johnny Clem, the mothcrless atom of q
drummer-boy "aged ten," who strayed
away from Newark, Ohio, and the first we
know of him, though small enough to live
in drum was beating the long roll for the
22d Michigan. At Chickamauga, he filed
the office of marker" carrying the
guidon whereby they formed the lines. On
the Sunday Of the battle, the little fellows
occupation gone, he picked upa gun that had
slipped from some dying hand provided
in the periods quite on his own account,
blazing away close to the ground like fire.
fly in the grass. Late in the waning day,
the wait left almost alone in the whirl of
the battle, rebel Colonel dashed up and
looked down at him, ordered him to sur
render: Surrender " he shouted, "you
little d. d son of a i" The words were
hardly out of the rebels mouth, when John
ny brought his piece to "order arms, and
as his hand slipped down to the hammer,
he crossed it back, swung up the gun to the
position of charge bayonet, and as the
officer raised his sabre to strike the piece
aside, the glancng barrel lifted into range,
and the proud Colonel tumblcd dead from
his horse, his lips fresh stained with the
syllable of vile reproach he had flung upon
mothers grave in the hearing Of her
child
A few swift moments tieked off by musket
shots, and the tiny gunner was swept up at
rebel swoop and borne away prisoner. -
Soldiers bigger but not better, were taken
with him, only to be washed back again by
surge of Federal troopers, and the pris-
oner of thirty minutes was again John Clem
"of ours, and General Rosecrans made
him Sergeant, and the stripes of rank Gov
cred him all over like mouse in harness
presented him silver medal appropriately
inscribed, which he worthily wears, roya
order of honor, upon his left breast, and
all men conspire to spoil him, but, since few
ladies can get at him here, perhaps he may
be saved.
But what about last night? WE'LL like
Flora McFlinsey, the Sergeant had moth
ing to wear. The clothing in the wardrobe
of loyal livery was not at oil like Desdcmo
mas handkerchief, 'too little" but like
, the garments of the man who roomed 6
month over bakers oven, "a world toe
wide, " and so Miss Babcoek, of the SAM
tary Commission, suggested to resident o
Chicago that uniform for the little Order
ly would be acceptable. Mr.. Wiate ant
other gentlemen of the Sherman House
ordered it, Messrs a. d. Ellsworth Il Go
made it. Chaplain Raymond brought it, Mis-
: Babcock presented it, and Johnny put it on
Chaplain RAYMOND of the 5lst Illinois, b.
the by, a mos earnest and efficient officer
accompanied the lift with exceedingly ap
propriate suggestion and advice.
This morning happened at headquar
ters just as the beted am armed Sergean
was booted and spurred anu Ieady to ride
Resplendant in his elegant unifo,m, r'gged
cap a. pie, modest, frank, with GEAR c.y
and manly face. he looked more like ianc.
picture than living thing Said he to tn
, Chaplain, you captured me by surprise
, yesterday. Now he is "going on thir
, /, teen, as our grandmothers used to say, bu
l he would be no monster if we called hin
t only nine. Think of sixty-threo rouno
Q Sergeant-fancy q handful Of Hero, ant
then read the ARABIAN Nights" and be
lieve them! Long live the little Orderly