The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-02-25
The Boys In the War.

~ noticed in last Sundays Star, where
mention was made of young congress
men, q statement to the effect that Gen
eral Logan could hardly have been an
officer in the Mexican war before he was
Is years of age" The speaker was a
medicinal man of this city who was a
surgeon during the war. "My own e5pe'
rience," he continued, "would prove that
a great many combatants of rank were
mere boys.
"Early in May, 1864, I then being an
assistant surgeon in the Confederate SER
vice, was stationed at Howafd's Grove
hospital, near Richmond. Shortly after
went there it became an Alabama hos
pital, and it was then that came across
one of the many notable cases to which l
can refer. While on my rounds one
morning I noticed among the new cases
q scrawny, sallow, thin checked fellow.
He was an insignificant looking young.
ater and was not much surprised, when,
in response to question: was making
up the hospital record-he said he was l5
years of age. When 1 asked what bis
command was he said, The Fifteenth
Alabama and then gave his rank as
captain. He was such poor, puny little
fellow that I thought Alabama regiments
must be badly off for officers. don't
know but I was somewhat prejudiced
against him because of his unpreposaess.
ing youth, although he had commenced
to fight when but IL years old. he was
a decidedly sick boy-not wounded-yet
I had very poor opinion of him. Sud-
denly he spoke up and said, Doctor, I
want you to get me out of here as quick
as you can.'
"We always do that 1 replied.
"'Yes,' said he, but soldiers don't
always want to get out of hospital. I
went out at the first call, and this is the
first time have been separated from my
command
"In day or two he began to mend
more rapidly than I expected him 10 Go
and on the fourth day he commenced
to bother me by insisting that be vas fit
for duty. he said he felt fully able to
get up, and he pleaded hard with me to
report him for duty. I told him that if
I reported him he would at once be sent
back, while I would be .censured. By
that time I had changed my opinion Of
him, but I had to speak somewhat rough
ly to him for two days to prevent him
tormenting me. On the seventh day he
again commenced to plead, and I at last
told him that if he improved as rapidly
in the next twenty-four hours as he had
previously l would report. He held me to
my promise and was reported as fit for
duty. While he was in line with others
about 10 be discharged the hospital mail
came, and in it was big letter addressed
to him. He opened it and in moment
cried out: Take this back; don't want
itp 1t was thirty days furlough
which his father-au influential man
had procured for him from Judge Camp
bell, assistant secretary Of war. Fur
loughs we're very desirable things just
then, but that boy captain positively re-.
fused his and returned at once to his
command. Sometime af:erward I told
Col. w. G. Oates of the youngster. The
Colonel, who is now in Congress, com-
manded the Fifteenth Alabama, and
when I mentioned the little fellows
name, he said: Why, he is one of the
best officers I have. He has been with
the regiment in twenty FIVE pitcbefbat-
ties and eighty skirmishes, and stands
right up to fire. He has his men under
better control in field and camp than any
of the other captains doesn't display his
authority as SO many of the less effective
do, and is altogether most desirable
officer
20, could tell you about lots Of boys
who proved themselves worthy the name
of men," continued the surgeon. "There
was Colonel Lowry, who commanded a
Mississippi regiment. BE came into the
hospital with saber cut across his face.
He was II years of age and didn't look a
day older Then there was a captain OF
artillery whose right leg was amputated
at the thigh. He was from Florida aud
was but IA years old. Two South Caro-
lima boys were brought in the same day.
One was 1S years old and had lost his
right leg at the hip the other was Is and
his left leg had been amputated at the
knee. The younger one-a fine, rosy
faced child-succumbed 10 the weakness
which followed the operation. Every
body around the place was 30 sorry fol
hi.
"I wasn't an old man when I started
out-from the little village Of Millwood
Mo.-to be soldier. I was private il
the First regiment, third division, Mis-
souri, State guard-then part of Price:
army. The first human being I saw
killed was boy Of IA Our regimen
was at the battle of Wilson's creek, ano
some one in our ranks fred the shot tha
killed General Lyon. A 13 year ID boy
in Company D claimed to have free
that shot, and while he may not have
found it possible to prove his assertion
no attempt Was ever made to controver
it. We went into that battle with 23t
men, and after eleven hours of hare
fighting came out with 105. The boy
were conspicuous there. Captain Hal
leck commanded one of our companies
He had been land official unde
Buchanan and was we'll known. In hi
company we're his two sons-Alonzo