Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-10
JUVENILE SERGEANI.
RICHMOND, VA, May Q, 1891.
To he EdNor of he Dispdtch:

JUVENILE SbhtEANAs
RICHMOND, Va, May Q, 1891.
To NE Editor Of he Dispatch:
As further contribution to your inter
esting war papers on the subject OF the
Youngest soldier would like 20 have my
say. / was not the youngest soldier and
was very jealous OF the boy who believe
was. / enlisted at sixteen years and ten
months old in the Forty-fourth Virginia in-
fantry in June. 81. and in August was made
sergeant in Latham's Nelson Light ArtillAry,
which was Lumpkin's Battery of Haskell $
Battalion, First Corps, Army OF Northern
Virginia.
In that battery was Samuel Wood, boy
just fourteen, who was allowed to enlist
because his brother, Salathiel Wood, had
done so, and as they comprised the entire
family he had no other home but the
tented field.
This boy served creditably through the
whole war in q battery which lost in killed
and wounded more men than it started out
with, and was twice built up with con-
scripts from Camp Lee to prevent its being
disbanded. He was never wounded, ana
is perhaps living now in Nelson county,
Va. If he was ever absent from fight L
do not remember it. ] have in my MEM
ory, which is particularly rotentiye, OF
little things, many interesting recollec-
tons, but will hold them until you get on
\ J. w. EGGLEsToS.
NELSON SOLDIER.
I first enlisted when seventeen years and
seven months old in company being
raised in Lyuchburg in April, 1861, but was
afterwards transferred to q company raised
and equipped by Captain Charles Bruce, OF
Charlotte county, Va, in May or June,
1861, aud entered the service in and con:
tinued with that company TO the end OF
the war. There were, of course, very
many younger soldiers than /. was not
wounded, but as result of service in the
war haye been since 1876 almost entirely
deaf. Is.
THE GOVERNOR.
SUNNY SIDE, May Q, 1891.
To he Editor Of he Dispatch:
To the old soldier every incident that
reyiyes the memories of tho days that tried
mems souls has in 1t engaging interest.
In ycur recent issues of the Sunday Dis
PATCH the writer has much enjoyed the
contributions of persons proposing the
names Of those supposed TO be the young
est who left the endearments OF home 10
battle for their country.
These contributions recall an incident
that took place in the Cumberland Troop.
Company Ct, Third Virginia cavalry, IN the
spring of 1864. There was Texan in the
company, a low, corpulent, good-natured,
overgrown boy, n fine soldier, whom all
the bows knew as Texas" There was O
very diminutive specimen of the Son OF
Mars, a gallant boy, who was nick-naned
&c oyernor." In one of the many engage
ments in which that company participated
in the charging and counter-charging
several members in the melee became
detached from the company. and after q
few hours they came up. and our Gov
ernor.n the small and daring boy, was re-
ceiylng the congratulations of his com
rades in his escape from capture, when
our big Texas boy put in his appearance
and showed great exuberance of feeling IN
the Governors" happy escape. The
"Governor desired TO know his reasons
for such exulting. when in long, drolling
voice the Texan replied: " If the Gov
ernor' had been CAPTURED the Yankees
would have concluded the Confederacy
was about played out, since they were
recruiting their army from the nursery"
Now. if any old soldier can produce O
Younger member than our Texan Thought
the Yankee" would believe Our Gov
ernor" to be let Us hear his record. The
surviving members of this grand old com
pany are raising means TO erect on the
courthouse square Il suitable monument
TO the gallant boys who gave their lives 70
the Lost Cause. They died for q principle
and we desire the generations TO follow US
in reading the names of these chiyalrOus
men to understand that these were sacri.
feed TO make possible the principles oil
civil liberty. COMPANY G.