The Forrest City times., 1893-10-06
THE BOY BATTALION.
Why They Did Not End the Civil
 War.

 ties the drums, flags and long lines of marching men took captive the hearts and fired the imagination of boys. Marbles, bats, tops and balls were ex- changed for military implements and trappings Every urchin became a sol dier; every squad of boys a 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 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 one, and the more enterprising boys of the neighborhood began to discuss the advisability of 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 1t was every ones duty to do his utmost to end the war.
 Just then we found in the garrets of our homes several long-forgotten lots of military accoutrements used by rel atives in the Mexican war, or in mili- tia 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. decked 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 were rolled up so that we might have the use of our hands, and under 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.
 I bore sword which no less an au- thoritv than Uncle Primus, the car riage-driver, declared to be nearly sharp enough to shave with Ned had a pistol which discharged six shots with out relocating. Mark had one which required no cooking, but was fired by the pulling of the trigger, and Tom had a rifle that would kill at a distance of a mile.
 The fact that I 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 un' der nine years old-I was twelve-for the reason that they were too small and had no uniforms or weapons, l shouted the command:
 "Shoulder-r arms. Forward mar-rch?
 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 Q 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 n volley. The other req son. and the chief one, was that the most formidable enemies of the expedi- ton in the persons of our mothers held