Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-12
Johnny Clem, 'the Drummer-boy of
Chickamauga.''

! a WIN III p1AloC Va l1AC.
Johnny Clem, ''the Drummer-boy of
Chickamauga.'
There are but few poop who lived
during the late war, and read current
events, who are not familiar with the bril-
liant achievements made, and the inyin-
chile spirit and soldierly qualities dis
played, by the boy soldier, known as
Little Johnny Glenn, the drummer
boy of Chickamauga." His acts have
war. LOSING speaks OF him as 'proba-
bly, the youngest person who ever bore
arms in BATTLE" and every incident con-
nected with his army life possesses pecu-
liar interestto the people In general. That
interest will be still greater with our peo-
pie when it is known that he is now a
resident of Wisconsin. Such being the
case, we propose to give a brief sketch of
his entrance into the army, and of his
subsequent life.
| John L. Glen, was born in New ark,
Ohio, August Is, 1851. lie had lost his
mother, and In May, 1861, before he was
ten years old-when he was so small he
might have been placed inside of regu-
lation drum-ofered his service as a.
drummer to the Sd Ohio regiment; but
was rejected Oh account of his size and
tender age. The little hero went out on
the same train with the regiment, and
meeting the 22d Michigan regiment, Of
Tered his services to that and was again
rejected; but with undaunted spirits and
determination, he followed the fortunes Of
the regiment, until at length he was beat
ing the "long roll" in front of Shiloh, in
| April 1862, where his soldierly spirit SO
| won the admiration and confidence of the
| officers OF the regiment, that in June or
July, 1862, he was enlisted in Covington,
Kentucky, as drummer, and served af-
forwards as a "marker''
At Shiloh his drum was smashed by a
piece of a shell, which won for him the
appellation of "Johnny Shiloh," as title
of distinction for his fearless manner in
the bloody battle. It was at Chicka-
manga, that field Of glory and renown
tor Gen Thomas, he received the title Of
''Ihe Little Drummer Boy of Chicka
mauga," under which he has passed into
history, and his name and title will live
forever, in connection with brave acts per-
formed by him, which for GOODNESS and
undaunted valor find no parallel on the
pages OF ancient or modern warfare in
one so young. We give one act, which
won tor him the highest need OF praise
from Rosencrans and Thomas, and every
other officer and private in the Army Of
the Cumberland.
At the battle of Chickamauga, little
Johnny Glenn, having just passed his
twelfth year, exchanged the ''long roll'
OF the drum for the ''brisk fire. of the
deadly musket; and on the 23d day of
September, 1868, when the line of battle
was about being formed, our Little Drum
mer Boy, now acting as ''marker,"
might have been seen with his trusty lit
tie musket, as it afterward proved, which
had been shortened for his use, seated
upon a calsson, side by side with artillery
men. going to the front to form the line
and face the coming storm of death in
common with others. The line being
formed, he now took his position in the
ranks, and with his true and trusty little
musket began putting in the periods
quite on his own account, blazing away
close to the ground Ike FREELY in the
grass. At the close Of Che day, when the
army was retiring towards Chattanooga,
the brigade to which little johnny BE-
longed was ordered to hold its position,
but, being afterwarel surrounded by the
rebels, demand for its surrender was
made directly after its charge had been
repulsed, when rebel colonel rode
up to our little hero, who could
not tall back as rapidly as the rest
OF the line, and made special de-
mand of him: "Halt! Surrender! you d
ID little Yankee son of a b--h!" Still
coming with his sword drawn upon
little Johnny, who had now brought his
musket to an "order arms" and, in doing
which, slipped his hand down the barrel
and cooked it while at 'sorder," when
our little hero, uninspired to obedience
of the chaste summons he had Just re-
ceived, suddenly swung up his musket
to the position of ''charge bayonet" and
fired, when 10! our Little David brought
down the proud Goliah, who fell from
his saddle, his lips fresh stained with
the reproachful epithet he had just flung
upon mothers grave in the hearing of
her child. simultaneously with the per-
formance of this brilliant deed, the regi-
ment to which little Johnny belonged
was fired into by surrounding rebels,
when he fell, as though he had been shot,
and laid there until darkness closed in,
when he arose and made his way to
Chattanooga after the rest of the army.
Now all history may be searched in
vain for an instance of such bravery and
courage as this, and which alone has CIV
en- this child-soldier an immortality of
fame as one Of the most heroic characters
OF the war. A reference to this most
daring act in the papers Of the day was
the first lntimation his family had re-
ceived of his whereabouts during his two
years and upwards of absence.
| Upon being asked 'Why he laid aside
his drum and took up the musket?' he
replied, because I did not like to stand
and be shot at without shooting back p
And during the battle of Chickamauga,
he SAID to some one of his comrades that
he did not intend to be captured by any
one man, and he kept his promise.
For his heroic conduct, the little drum
mer boy was made Sergeant by Rose
Grams, and attached to the Headquarters
of the Army Of the Cumberland; and a
daughter of Chief Justice Chase present
ed him with silver l,sdal, inscribed
Sergeant Johnny Clem Twenty-second
Michigan Volunteer Infantry, from N.
NJ. G." which he worth1ly wears, as a
J priceless badge Of honor, upon his left
breast IN nOnnoction with hic Grand