Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-12-30

word passed from man TO man throughout the
army, " Lyon is killed, and soon after, hos
tilities having ceased upon both sides, the
order came for our main force to fall back on
Springfield, while q part Of the Iowa First
aud two companies Of the Missouri regiment
were to camp upon the ground and cover the
retreat the next morning. That night ! was
detailed for guard duty my term Of guard
closing with the morning call.
When | went out with the officer as q re-.
lief, ! found that my post rose upon high
cmiuence that overlooked the deep rayine in
which our men had engaged the enemy until
Totten's battery had come to their assistance
II was a drcary, lonesome beat the moon
had gone down in the oarlypart Of the night,
while the stars twinklcd dimly through hazy
atmosphere, lighting up impcrlectly the sur
rounding objects
Occasionally | would place my ear near the
ground, and listen for the sound of footsteps;
but all was silent, save the iar-of bowling Of
the WOLF that seemed TO scent on the evening
air the banquet we had been preparing for
him. The hours passed slowly away; when
as length the morning light began TO streak
along the eastern SKY, making surrounding
objects more plainly visible.
Presently heard drum boatup the mlru-
ing call. At first | thought it came from
The camp Of the enemy, across the creek, but
as listened found that it came from the
deep ravine. For few minutes it was silent,
.eSa .ihsn, as it became more light, heard it
AGAIN. Listening, the sound Of the drum was
familiar to me, aud knew that it was
our drummer boy from Tonnosec,
Beating for help Che reveillc.
l was about to desert my post TO 60 to his
assistance, when | discovered the officer Of
the guard approach with two men.
We all istenedto the sound,an were satis-
fed that t was Eddies drum | asked per-
mission to 60 to his assistance. The officer
hesitated, saying that the orders were to
march in twenty minutes. | promised to be
back la that time aud he consented.
Immediately started down the bill through
the thick underground, and upon reaching the
valley | followed the sound Of the drum, aud
soon found the boy, seated upon the ground,
his back leaning against the trunk of fallen
tree, while his drum hung upon bush in
front Of him, almost down to the ground.
As soon as he saw me, he dropped his
drum-stick and exclaimed
"Oh, corporal, am so glad TO see you ;
give me a drink reaching out his hand for
my canteen, which was empty.
| Immediately turned to bring him some
water from the brook that / could hear rip
pling through the bushes near by, when,
thinking l was about to leave him, he CONF
menoad crying, saying:
Don't leave me, corporal; | can't walk.
was soon back with the water, when |
discovered that both OF his feet had been shot
away by a cannon-ball.
After satisfying his thirst, he looked up
into my face and said
" You don't think | will die, corporal, do
you? This man said | would not he said
the surgeon would cure me"
now discovered man lying on the grass
near him. BY his uniform | recognized him
as belonging to the enemy. 1t appeared he
had been shot through the bowels, and fallen
near where Eddie lay. Knowing he could
not live, and seeing the condition of the boy,
he had crawled to him, taken his buckskin
suspendcrs, and corded the little fellows legs
below the knee, and then laid down and died
While he was telling me these particulars
| heard the tramp Of cavalry coming down
the ravine and in a moment a scout Of the
enemy was upon us and was taken prisoner
| requested the officer to take Eddie up in
front of him, and he did SO, carrying him with
.rse-a tenderness and care When We reached
the camp the little fellow was dead