The Mt. Sterling advocate., 1893-07-25
THE DRUMMER BOY.

If you ever go out on the Great
Northern railroad and stop off at
Fort Assiniboine, as l did, to enjoy
the hospitality of the Twentieth
United States infantry, you may see
the hero of my story.
In 1861 Davy Murray was a New
York newsbey. He had been a wharf
rat" and he had been a bootblack.
The great war was on. The blare
of bands on Broadway, the cheers and
the madness in the very air-all were
intoxicating.
The march past of a gallant zouave
regiment, with colors flying and
drums beating, fairly swept Davy off
his feet. 'I'll learn ter beat drum,
he said. He went back to his old
thievish tricks as wharf rat, and he
got the drum.
His rat-a-plan, rat-a-plan-ta-ra-ra,
ta-ra-ra- birrh became the nuisance of
''de fellers" in Greenwich street, and
he had to fly to the wharvea
The longshoremen threw bricks at
him, but the rat-a-plan, tuttuttoo,
rat-a-plan-birrh still beat ON.
One day on the North river big
steamers were filing with men and
munitions of war for Little Mac
Davy stood by among the men and
drays beating off a long roll and
thinking.
Suddenly he ducked under big
dray, shot under the bellies of two
big Norman Percherons and flew up
the gangway of the transport.
Hi, there, kid, what's der trou-
ble9" The question came from a
young fellow about year older.
"Ya, I'm going to be a drummer
boy. Seer"
The other boy laughed and took
him to an officer and introduced him
as a kid that wanted to list as
drummer boy.
The sergeant looked down at Davy
and his toy drum, but the wharf rat
simply beat a roll-rat-tat-too, tara
ra-birrhl
Hell do" growled the sergeant
and took him to the adjutant, and
David Murray, aged 12, was duly en-
rolled in Company A, New York
zouaves.
Davy was quartered with the fife
and drum corps, and before the
transport had reached Hampton
Roads he could rattle off ''reveille,r
retreat, tattoo" and taps" right
merrily.
He'll be the best drummer in the
army" prophesied the sergeant
The zouaves were brigaded with
Doubleday's column, and in a month
or two were en- route Ito the front
and not long after in the fight at
Malvern Hill Davy distinguished him
self.
Captain Ned Howard of Company
A was shot in the leg and left for
dead on the field on the extreme |
right of the Union line. The zouaves
held the point during the hottest of
the fight and were driven back two
or three times, but always rallied and
retook the line.
When the captain of his company
fell, the quick eye of the little wharf
rat drummer saw it. The regiment
was under CALLING fire, and the Con
federates were charging across an
open field in overwhelming force.
The boy dropped, too, as if shot, and
the zOuaves retired to the shelter of |
the woods.
Davy lay on his face and wormed
his way along into some trampled
bushes After awhile he heard a
ringing cheer and saw the zouaves,
supported by Brooklyn regiment,
coming on cheering and yelling.
Then the Confeds ran to the shelter
of these woods.
"Seesaw," chirruped the gamin.
Now for a search"
He found Captain Howard badly
wounded and ran for water. He
lifted the handsome young officers
head and held the canteen to his lips.
"Where are you hurt, cap2"
my leg is broken, said the cap
tain, and he looked so white that
Davy thought he was going to faint.
"Yah, der boys is on der run
again" shouted Davy, jumping up
as the line of red legged zouaves be-
gan to roll back. He yelled to the
nearest: Here, some of yer blokes.
Hist the captain"
But nobody needed The craze of
a panic struck them, and they threw
away their muskets as they ran. A
moment more, and more stragglers
ran past to the rear.
eli, dere, fellers, Cap'n Howard
we're is wounded. Nice blokes you
air. Pick him up easy, or III blow de
Il G1aou