The Press., 1900-05-31
YOUTHFUL HEROES.
BOY SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN, the
CIVIL WAR.

BOY SOLDIERS WHO FOUGHT IN. THE
CIVIL WAR.
Drummer Boys Who Possessed the
Courage of veterans-Johnny Olem
at Pittsburg Landing - Little Glib
and the Pony.
Boy heroes were not rare during the
civil war, and in many cascA the boy con-
tingent proved the flower of regiment.
Yet it Is not generally known at what
very tender age boys were actually al
lowed to join the army.
Johnny Glen, the drummer boy of
Chickamauga, was born in 1851. In
1851, when he was 10 years old, he offer
ed his services as drummer boy to the
Third Ohio regiment. He was rejected
because of his youth. While the regi-
ment was on it's way to the front Johnny
Glen installed himself on the train and
on it's arrival in Cincinnati repeated his
offer to the Twenty-third Michigan. His
pertinacity was at last rewarded. He
was enrolled as drummer boy and later
az q marker"
"A
drum was smashed by a shell, but 1t was
at Chickamauga that he performed the
act of yalor which won him his sobri-
ouet. At the close Of that memorable
day the Union army fell back to Chatta-
nooga, the brigade to which Johnny be-
longed being left behind to guard the po-
sition. 1t was soon surrounded by the
troops in gray, and a colonel on horse
back dashed forward and ordered the lit
tie fellow to surrender. Instead OF obey
ing the boy raised his musket and as the
colonel bore down upon him, sword in
hand, fred, and the officer fell dead from
his horse. A fierce onslaught followed.
Three balls pierced Johnny's cap on that
day, Losing, the historian, tells us. BE
lay as if dead, and not until the Confed-
crates had ceased firing and night had
fallen did he venture forth, making his
way to the Union headquarters at Chat
tanooga. He was then created sergeant
by General Rosecrans.
On his return to the Union lines he
went through other battles in which the
Army of the Cumberland was engaged.
When he was mustered out in 1865, he
went to Indianapolis to attend school.
General Grant made him a second lieu
tenant of the Twenty fourth infantry in
1871, and in 1874 he was graduated from
the artillery school at Fort Monroe and
subsequently acted by the appointment
of the secretary Of war as professor of
military science and tactics at the Gales
burg university. He was created major
and Quartermaster in 1895 and stationed
at Atlanta, where he became exceedingly
popular with his southern neighbors and
friends.
Some years ago the Wisconsin legisla-
ture awarded a medal to J. e. Francisco
of Mason City as the youngest real SOL
der of the Union army during the late
war. Such it may be said his friends in
Grand Army circles believe him to have
been. Young Francisco was not drum
mer boy, but carried a musket from his
enlistment to his mastering out. He was
born Nov. 25, 1S49. At the breaking out
of the war his three brothers enlisted and
went to the front. During the first three
years of the war Francisco was too
young to be accepted as soldier, but in
1864 he had attained a stature and devel-
oped physique which were the envy of
boys several years his senior. He yearn-
ed to go to the war; Life on the farm
had become unbearable. So young Fran
cisco ran away to Madison, only to be
brought back by the constable Defeated
in the second attempt, the third was sue
cessful, though the surgeon expressed his
doubts of the boys ability to success
fully withstand the hardships of SOL
dier's life, whereupon John promptly Of
fered to satisfy them as to his soldierly
| qualities by whipping the surgeon or any
officer present.
On his enrolment the captain, think
ing to relieve him of many trials and
hardships, offered to attach John to him.
self as his servant, an offer which, made
In all kindness, was hotly resented.
1t should be mentioned that at the early
age Of IA young Francisco cast his first
vote for Abraham Lincoln in accordance
with that special act of congress by
| which the franchise was extended to all
enlisted men.
| Mr.. Francisco's career after his dis
charge is hardly less interesting than his
war record. Straight from his army ex
perience he went to work as a farm hand
but in 1867 embarked in the lumber bust
ness. Later he established grocery
store in Mason City, Ia, which became
one Of the largest in the state.
There are other youngest soldiers OF
the war;" Little Glib" is known far an6
wide in army circles. Gilbert Van Zandt
the we'll known cashier of the Sherman
House in Chicago, enlisted Aug. 6, 1862
with the Seventy-ninth Ohio Volunteer
infantry. He was then aged 10 year,
and months. He soon became the PEI
Of his regiment and was in all the en-
gagements that occurred during Sher
mans famous march to the sea. Al
Nashville his colonel had a small swort
made especially for him, and the gift was
accompanied by another from the mem
bers of his regiment in the shape of {
handsome drum and shield.
At Milledgeville, Ga, a pony was cap
tured, and by the generals orders it wa.
turned over to Little Glib" Mounted
ON this pony, he acted as one of the gen
erals orderlies.
When the pony was confiscated on th'
muster out in Washington in June, 1866
Gilbert, who was then only 13 years ant
6 months old, went to President johnson
and asked permission to take his pom!
home with him. (Which would 20,
rather have, the pony or an officers com
mission?" asked the president. eth
pony" promptly responded the boy, tru
to his equine friend, and so the pony wa
given him and taken to his Ohio home
| ROBBED THE GRAvE.-A startling inc
dent, Of which Mr.. John Oliver of Phils
delphia, was the subject, is narrated b
him as follows: 81 was in a most dread
f,1l oondition NV ekin waa aImoat vel