Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-10-16
MAJOR HENDERSON, DEPosED.
The Proceedings that ousted The
Drummer Boy Of the Rappahan-
mock"

Grand Army men and Others in this
State who have become acquainted
with the so-called Drummer Boy of
the Rappahannock" during his fire.
quent mOncy-making tours of the Pa
citic coast, will read the following ex-
tract from Detroit paper with con-
siderable interest:
There was an extraordinary scene
at the reunion of the Seventh Michigan
infantry, when Major Robert II. Hen
dershot, known to Grand Army history
as "The Drummer Boy of the Kappa
hammock" was called upon to prove to
the satisfaction of the regiment that
he had really crossed with the Seventh.
General Alger was among those present.
"The major, elaborately dressed and
decorated with many medals and
badges, produced the letters he possess
es from Lincoln, Burnside, Grant,
Horace Greeley and others. The pre-
siding officer said that he wished full
justice to be done Mr.. Henderson,, and
If he was deserving of the title he bore
he should be glad to have it known.
Mr.. Henderson, was then subjected to
a severe cross-examination, and became
badly confused as to facts concerning
the incident upon which he claims to
base his title, and upon the location OF
places and regiments. He was asked
how far away from the bridge was the
Eighth Michigan, to which he belonged,
on the llth of December, 1862. The
major declared it was about three
quarters of mile, whereas in reality
the regiment was five miles distant.
He stated that he was of rowing dis
position and was skirmishing around
on His own hook when he fell in with
the Seventh, although at that time
heavy and disastrous fire was being
sent into the Union camp by the rebels.
Henderson, declared he had no drum
with him at the time and could not tell
with which Of the five boats he crossed
the river. He finally said he crossed
in the water, holding OH to one of the
boats on that historical December ii.
&C. II. Robinson, of Boston, supreme
secretary of the order of Egis, a MEM
Der OF the Twentieth Massachusetts,
some of whom accompanied the
Seventh Michigan; DIR. ]. w. Sawyer,
of Saugus, Me-, of the Nineteenth Mas
sachusetts, which was also present on
that day; II. w. Brazier, OF Minneapo-
lis, and several Bay State comrades de-
clared that no sign was seen of young
Henderson, on December IL.
Captain Williams called upon any
of the $50 members of the regiment to
raise his hand if they had seen any boy
clinging to boat during the crossing
of the Rappahannock. Not hand
was raised. Mr.. Williams then asked
those who were sure that Mr.. Hender-
shot did not cross with the Seventh to
raise their hands, and every member
present held his hand aIoft.
Early in the proceedings there were
calls for John T. Spillane, who was the
little drummer-boy of the Seventh
and is now a roundsman of |
police in this city, and Spillane came
forward amid cheers and occupied a |
seat on the platform. Several of the |
Seventh testified that Spillahe was the
only drummer-boy who crossed the
Rappahannock under fire on December
III, 1862. Spillane was ordered out of |
one of the first five boats by Lieuten-
ant-ColOnel Baxter because of his |
youth, but pluckily stuck to the boat,
and was among the first to reach the
Fredericksburg bank under the rebel |
ramparts.
The meeting in closing unani
mously rendered the title of 'the
drummer-boy OF the Rappahannock' to
Comrade Spillane."