Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-09-15

we knew of him, though small enough to
live in a drum, he was beating the long
roll for the twenty-second Michigan. At
Chicamauga he filled the Office of 3" mark
er," carrying the guidon whereby they
form the lines duty having a counter
part in the surveyors more peaceful call
ing, in the fagman who futters the red
signal along the metes and bounds. On
Sunday of the battle, the little fellows oc-
cupation gone, he picked up gun that
had fallen from some dying hand, provided
himself with ammunition, and began put
ting in the periods quite on his own ac-
count, blazing away close to the ground,
like FREELY in the grass. Late in the
waning of day, the waif left almost alone
in the whirl of the battle, a rebel colonel
dashed up, and looking down, ordered him
to surrender Surrender" he shouted.
YOU little rascal" The words were
hardly out of his mouth when Johnny
brought his piece to d" order arms" and as
his hand slipped down to the hammer, he
pressed 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 glaneing barrel lifted into range,
and the proud colonel tumbled from his
horse, his lips fresh stained with the sylla-
bic of vile reproach he had flung on a
hers grave in the hearing of her child.
- few swift moments tieked-ssa-h az mus
ket shots, and the tiny gunner was swept
up at rebel swoop, and borne away a
prisoner. Soldiers, bigger but not better.
were taken with him, only to be washed
back again by a surge of federal troops,
and the prisoner of thirty minutes was
again John Glenn " of ours ;" and General
Rosecrans made him a sergeant, and the
stripes of rank covered him all over, like
a mouse in a harness and the daughter of
Mr.. Secretary Chase presented him a
silver medal appropriately inscribed, which
he worthily wears, a royal 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 Well, ike
Flora MeFlimsey, the sergeant & had moth
ing to wear !" the clothing in the ward
robe of loyal livery was not at all ike Des-
demona's handkerchief, '' too little" but
like the garments of the man who rOomed
a month over a bakers oven, world
too wide;'' and so Miss Babcock, of the
Sanitary Commission, suggested to a resi-
dent of your city that uniform for the
little orderly would be acceptable. Mr..
Waite and other gentlemen of the Sher-
man House ordered it 81; Messrs A. D.
Ellsworth 4 Co., made it, Chaplain Ray
mond brought it, Miss Babcock presented
it, and Johnny put it on. Chaplain Ray
mond. of the Fifty-frst Illinois-by-the-by
a most earnest and efficient oficer-ac-
the gift with exceedingly appro-
pirate suggestions and advice. This morn
ing | happened at headquarters Just as the
belted and armed sergeant was booted and
spurred and ready to ride. Resplendent
in his elegant uniform, rigged caD-a-pie,
modest, frank, with clear eye and a man
ly face, he looked more ike a fancy pic
ture than living thing. Said he to the
chaplain: '' You captured me by surprise
Yesterday" Now, he is going on" thir-
teen. as our grandmother used to say, but
he would be no monster if we called him
nine Think of a sixty-three pound ser
geant fancy a handful of hero. and then
read the Arabian Nights and believe them
" Long live the little Orderly ;"
In one particular the above Is incorrect
Glenn was not really taken prisoner at
Chicamauca. While his regiment was be-
ing marched to the rear by one rebel force,
it was fired upon by another, when he,
dropping as if shot Law still until the
rebels had moved off. then travelled 10
Chattanooga during the night. He was
mustered out of the service by order ofthe
Secretary of War. at Atlanta. Georgia.
September Il, 1861 He has been at
tending school at indianapolis for the last
three years, at the suggestion, and We be-
lieve at the charge. of General Thomas,
who seems to have tlken 4 special and a
fraternal interest in his welfare
The letters from the great to the little
hero of Chicamauga are semi-monthly.
and, as might be expected, are models Of
simplicity. The last one, dated at San
Francisco, closes with these words a. Re-
member that modesty and self-denial are
among the best of virtues"
The recent reunion of the eighteenth
regiment brought out an anecdote relating
to the little sergeant, which we do not re
member having seen in print. While the
eighteenth and twenty-second were living
in front of Nashville, very strict orders
were issued against foraging. Impelled
by hunger, however, Johnny made a clan
destine raid on herd of swine, and Just as
he had brought down the last one, he was
confronted by Colonel Doolittle. of the
eighteenth. "Don't you know" demanded
the stern disciplinarian. q this is against
orders?" " Yes, sir" was the cool response,
but can't allow hogs to bite me, you
know" As it was clearly a case of self
defense, the offender escaped with slight
reprimand.
Johnny now holds an appointment to
West Point, and intends to avail himself
of it next June. He is no longer 81 an
atom of drummer boy" but promising
student, five feet one-eighth of an inch in
height, just an eighth more than is required
for admission at West Point.