The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-06-01

| IdCCepUeus
"Madam, what is your boys name,''
tsaid the captain. 1.aat.- fe ar,
Edward Lee" she replied, and taking
the boy in her arms, continued: Captain,
if he is not killed'-at the word killed, the
mothers feelings completely overpowered
her, and clasping her child tightly to her
bosom, she kissed him again and again.
Having calmed her emotions, Mrs. Lee
bade Eddie good by, and went away a few
steps, and then, turning back, said:
"Captain, you will bring him back with
your" fa.r ag,
"Yes, yes" the captain replied, "we will
bring him back with us, and very soon, IN
we shall be discharged in six weeks"
! In an hour after this scene took place,
the company to which Eddie was attached
led the First Iowa out of camp, the drum
and fife cheerily playing "The girl left
| behind me-" Eddie soon became great
favorite in the regiment, and he was par
ticularly beloved by the fifer. Often, on
| the march from Rolla to Springfield, the
huge form of the fifer could be seen trudg-
ing along with little Eddie mounted on his
brawney shoulders.
During the fight at Wilson's Creek, Ed
die was with his regiment in the thickest
OF the conflict. TWAS the First Iowa which
gallant General Lyon was so bravely lead
ing when he fell. After the fight, the other
troops were withdrawn. The Iowa First,
and two companies of Missouri regiment,
were directed to remain on the battlefield
to cover the retreat the next morning.
The sentinel on duty, just before the MORN
ing call, was walking his beat on an emil
nence overlooking a ravine that had been
the scene of one of the most desperate con-
flicts of the battle. Suddenly he heard a
faintly-beaten drum roll out in the ravine.
This was his first thought; next he conclu-
ded the sound came from the enemy's
camp beyond the creek. But somehow or
other he again altered his mind to the first
opinion. Then he called the corporal of
the guard, and afterlisteninsto the sounds
the latter agreed that it came from the ra-
vine. The drum-roli grew fainter or fuller
at intervals as the wind capriciously car
ricd it away or brought it back. The loca-
tion of the sounds being thus decided, the
natural inference followed that they were
beaten out of a Union drum. AS this juno
ture the notes changed somewhat. and then
came peculiar tap which only Eddie Lee
could make. #J6 "..... @-.'f
"By -, that's our boy, Eddie Lee"
exclaimed the corporal. "He's wounded, :,
and that's the way he's calling to us to
come and help him. Poor little fellow, I'll
go and bring him in if 1 die for it!' And
the big-hearted soldier, forgetting his duty,
was in the very act of bounding away when
an officer, accompanied by two men, COM
ing mp, halted him. With more haste than
respect, the corporal made his salute and
explained what otherwise appeared to be
an attempted desertion. All ears were
bent toward the ravine, from which again
came that faint drum-roll; and all were
convinced that it was Eddie Lee who was
was beating it. s, .n......~s ~sts.......~
But the regiment was to move away i'm
mediately, and the officer hesitated about
granting the corpora's request to go aud
bring the boy in. Once more the drum
rolled ont its distant wall for help, and the
| officers heart melted, for the sound this
time was feebler, and had trembling in
it. .r.EH...'
"Of with YOU, corporal, and hurry on
after u.s., said the officer, his eyes filling
up. Hemust havehad a little boy at home.
The next moment the noble corporal was
! running like deer straight for the ravine,
in which he was presently lost to sight
Passing through a heavy underground,
bearing on all sides evidence of the terrible
character of the battle, he followed the
sound of the drum, and not long after broke
from the bushes into an open but secluded
spot. Here he saw the little drummer seat
ell on the ground, with his back leaning
against fi,llcn tree and his drum suspen-
dcd on bush before him. He was play
ing with an intention to bring some one to
his assistance.
80, Corporal, l am so glad to see you!-
Please give me some water"
The corporars canteen was empty. and
rs he turned away to seek some stream, the
boy thonght he was going to leave him.
Bursting into tears, he exclaimed:
''Oh, please don't leave me, Corporal,
can't walk" ......... ..
The soldier told him what his object was
in leaving him, and he was satisfied.
On his return the corporal examined the
boys wounds, and found both feet carried
away by n shell. Some rough but tender
hand had torniqueted both limbs, and for
the present saved the boys life.
Having satisfied his thirst, Eddy looked
beseechingly in the corporal's face, and
asked: -...... ...-..... -. .-,.-.
"Iwon't die, will l, corporal? This man."
pointing to dead body beside him, "said
I would not; he said the surgeon could
cure my feet. don't want to die now; i
must see mother first; she will be SO sad
If I don't see her. s
For the first time, the corporal noticed
the uniform of the dead man, showing him
to have been one of the enemy. Those
dead hands, which, perhaps, had fired the
missile that had so recently torn Eddie's
tender frame, had afterwards adjusted the
cords which prolonged the boys life.
The lad had scarcely. finished the narra-
ton of his story, when one of the enemy's
scouts dashed in and took both the corpor-
al and the drummer boy prisoners. The
corporal requested the scout to take the
boy on the horse in front of him. He COM
Piled with the request, and the party NOV
ed off. Before, however, they had reached
the enemy's camp, the boys limbs again
commenced to bleed, and before surgeon
could be called, little Eddie was dead.
.The corporal, few days after, effected
his escape and rejoined his regiment, which
was, a few weeks later, mustered, out of
service, 1t being three months organiza-