Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-10-07
THE BOY BATTALION.
Why They Did Not End the Civil
War.

tics the drums, flags and long lines of
marching men took captive the hearts
and fred the Imagination of boys.
Marbles, bats, tops and balls were eX-
changed for military implements and
trappings. Every urchin became sol
dier; every squad of boys company or
battalion.
So eager were we, in our North Caro-
lima neighborhood, to fill our ranks and
outdo the neighboring plantations, that
all manner of recruits were gladly re-
ceived and enlisted, including our ne
gro playfellows, and on pinch even
our sisters and girl cousins.
After a time we grew tired of drilling
and longed for more stirring service.
The men had gone to the front and our
hearts had gone with them. Our mot
ley companies were disbanded one by
enc, and the more enterprising boys of
the neighborhood began to discuss the
advisability of a forced march to the
seat of war.
To such proceeding we were quite
sure our mothers would object. But
had they not, in some cases, opposed
the enlistment of our fathers? We
heard the loud cry on all sides, that it
was every ones duty to do his utmost
30 end the war
Just then we found in the garrets of
our homes several longforgotten lots
of military accoutrements used by rel
atives in the Mexican war; or in mill
sin drills. That decided the matter.
Now we could equip ourselves.
A marching column, comprised of
Ned Tippet, Mark Lanny, Tom Mallet,
myself and several smaller boys, was
Instantly formed.
we were to muster at the Creek
Bridge at daybreak. OF course we
were too much excited the night before
to sleep. We were all on hand before
The day broke, and the boy battalion
was formed We wore huge light-horse
helmets, made of leather, declled with
trailing horsehair and shaped like the
helmet of Alexander the Great, beside
cutaway coats radiant with buff trim
mings and brass buttons. The coat
sleeves We're rolled up so that we might
the lining of the helmets leaves were
stuffed to keep them from dropping
down over our faces.
We had an armament that we felt
must be decisive. Indeed, we wondered
how our elders could have overlooked
such irresistible weapons; and we
counted ourselves the most fortunate of
beings in having discovered them.
L bore sword which no less an au-
thority than Uncle Primus, the car
riage-drivcr, declared to be nearly sharp
enough to shave with. Ned had a
pistol which discharged six shots with
ont reloading. Mark had one which
required no cooking, but was fired by
the pulling of the trigger, and Tom
had u rifle that would kill at distance
of mile
The fact that had sword of course
made me captain. After inspecting the
guns to see if they were all loaded, and
ordering to their homes all recruits I'M
der nine years old was twelve-for
the reason that they were too small and
had no uniforms or weapons, l shouted
the command:
Shoulder arms! Forward mar-rchI'
We trudged bravely forward. AS
soon as the friendly screen of the woods
was reached the command was halted,
or rather it halted itself, in order that
a line of march might be agreed upon,
For two reasons we decided to aban-
don the highway and strike across the
country. One reason was that we
wished to surprise the enemy and end
the war with Il volley. The other rea-
son, and the chief one, was that the
most formidable enemies of the eXpedi-
ton in the persons of our mothers held
4 I I,
suit along the road
So, filing off by the left flank, we
struck out through the woods and
fields. The thorns and briers seemed
thicker than we had ever before known
them and the gullies closer together
and deeper. But filled with enthusi-
asm, we pressed manfullv forward.
The sun crept slowly up, becoming
hotter every moment. Our weapons
grew heavier, and our military coats
seemed to be larger and longer with
every step we made. Hunger reminded
us that we had not only left home with
out breakfast, but that in organizing
we had also entirely overlooked the com:
missary department!
To our minds soldier was fighter,
pure and simple. we had never for an
instant associated soldering with eat
ing. That the soldier might get killed
was likely; that he might get hungry we
had not dreamed of.
My men began to murmur, and now
and then to halt and look back
urged them on, reminding them that it
was soldiers duty to suffer and even
die for his country, and that the more he
did of both, the greater and trueI
soldier he was With many other cheer
ing words that l had picked up, from
listening to the grown people, l cx
horted my army to do it's duty.
But in spite of all l could do the com
mand began to straggle so badly that
was forced to detail Private Lanny a.
a rear guard, with strict orders to keeI
the men in line. But as the rear guart
itself soon began to straggle, / wa.
forced to quit my place at the head o.
the column and fill that place myself