Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-03
YOUNGEST SOLDIER.
coNsspERATes or TENDER YEARS
WHO RENDERED VALIANT SERVICE.
A samber OF Interesting Letters Do
scriptive OF Active Service In the
Southern Army.

Southern Army.
think. dear DISPATCH, that IL was my
LOT 70 discover "the youngest Confederate
soldier though Il am unable to give his
name.
About the time of the battle of Cold
Uarbor a body Of newly-arrived troops
nassed through Richmond down Main
street. marching with but little regard to
order. do not remember that one of
them wore q uniform and many had caps
of souirrel and 'coonskins, while one poor
fellow was rendered conspicuous by very
tall and narrow-brimmed drab hat, evil
IDENTIFY an ancient heirloom. Though in good
snirits they were gaunt, sunburnt, and, for
Inc most part .miserably clad, and altogeth-
or the most rugged body OF soldiers when
had seep during the war. AS they passed
noticed amongst them tall, gray-haired
nld man who carried his rife strapped on
bis hack and walked with rough pinestick.
nv his side and holding bis hand was boy
of apparently not above eleven or twelve
wears of age, also carrying nile he was
q white-haired, sun-onrnt, orave-looking
little fellow, with an innocent expression
and frank blue eyes that gazed curiously
about him in the strange city. AS they
nausea for moment opposite our
house he produced a piece OF corn-bread
and ate IL hungrily. Then the procession
nassed on. but the memory OF these two
has haunted me ever since with desire TO
know their subsequent fate, for in the
course of the war / saw few spectacles TO
me more touching. How came that old
man and that boy, still a child, to be IN
the ranks of the army? Ihey were EVIL
IDENTIFY mountaineers. from western Viz
ginia perbaps, or Kentucky or Tennessee.
and their home may have been destroyed
bv the enemy. And | cannot think that
that boy had q mother who could have
tbua sent him forth to face the hardships
and dangers of war, even in the cause we
Must not this have been the youngest
Confederate soldier?" 5. A. W.
A cAvALBYMAN.
APRIL %, 1891.
To the Editor Of he Dispatch:
In the DISPATCH Of the 22d of this month
YOU ask who was the youngest Confed-
crate soldier, his name, his age at enlist
ment, his company and regiment, whether
an officer. private, or drummer, and how
long he served in the field z" and you
might have added with arms in his hands.
i do not know who was, but will tell what
I know, and it can be substituted by
several gentleman living in Richmond.
On Friday. July %, 1864, two days before |
was sixteen years old (July "a, 1854, was
sixteen wears old, i started for the army,
and after travelling 100 miles reached my
regiment, the Fifth Virginia cavalry, Com
pany G, on July 26th, then .camped on
Gravelly Run, about four miles south OF
Reams's station, in Dinwlddle county, Va,
and at that time on picket near Reams' S
station. I served continuously in the
ranks with that command through the
arduous campaign in the Valley of Virginia,
where we were soon sent, and until the
close Of the war, period of little more
than eight months. / had pistol for
which gave S75, a sword took from q
wounded Yankee at Summit Point. Va,
and carbine furnished by the Confederate
Government. z. j. w.
of Company G, Fifth Virginia cavalry.
he FIRED HISTORICAL SIGNAL SHOTS.
To he Editor Of the Dispatch:
In the early part Of the spring Of 1852,
before arriving at the age of fifteen,
assisted in organizing the boy battery OF
Richmond (Parker's battery, commanded
bv our now esteemed DR.. w. W. Parker.
We were assigned TO s. ID. Lees battalion,
Longstreet's corps, and fought in the
battle of Manassas or Chantilly, and was
wounded at Sharpsburg September II,
1862; was engaged in Fredericksburg on
December 10, 1892 was captured al
Marye's Heights May g., 1868 (the day
Stonewall Jackson was killed):. was Q
prisoner OF Fort Delaware until last OF
June and was paroled and exchanged at
CITY Point before arrived at the age OF
sixteen. / served with the battery under
Longstreet's command at Chickamauga,
Missionary Ridge, Lookout Mountain and
Knoxville, and was engaged in the
battle of Gettysburg, and had the honor OF
firing the signal shot tor the bombardmeni
OF Cemetery Heights, and O ewhours later
the same honor in hiring the signal FOL
Pickett's heroic charge. Both shots were
fred in the direction of Little Round-ToT
Mountain from our position IN the peach
orchard. l was wounded at North Anna
river when Grant was making his left-hanb
movements to get to Richmond; served
with Longstreet's corps at Petersburg, and
was captured at Sailors Creek April q, 1865
was prisoner at Point Lookout" where
| met with nearly 10000 Confederate pri.
soners and remained in prison until July
(refusing to take the oath of allegiance).
After nearly all had been paroled, leaving
few hundred to keep my company, got
home-sick and swallowed the oath, return
ed home a genuine, ragged, bare-footed
Confederate soldier boy.
d. A. Brown. JR.,
Parker's Battery. Alexander's Battalion
Longstreet's Corps, now Quartermaster
Il. L. Lee Camp.