Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1900-05-31

tOUrUHc OF NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. W."
Mt pittsburg Landing - Little Glib
and the Pony.
Boy heroes were not rare during the
civil war, and in many cases the boy con.
tngent proved the flower OF a regiment,
Yet it is not generally known at what
very tender age boys were actually al
lowed TO join the army.
Johnny Glenn, the drummer hoy Of
Chickamauga, was born in 1901. In
1SG1 when he was 10 years old, he offer
cd his services as drummer hoy 10 The.
Third Ohio regiment. lie was rcjcctoT
because Of his youth. While the regi'
ment was ON its way to the front johnny
Clcm installed himself on the train aud
on its arrival in Cincinnati repeated hi3
offer to the Twenty third Michigan. lii'
pcrtinacity was at last rewarded. lie
was enrolled as drummer boy and later
a. marker
At the battle Of pittshurg Landing hi.
drum was smashed by a shell, but II waa
at Chickamauya that he performed the
act Of valor which won him his sohri'
olct. At the close of that memorable
day the Union army fell back to Chatta-
noora. the brigade 10 which Johnny be-
lonycd being left behind 10 guard the po'
sition. 1t was soon surrounded by the
troops in gray, and colonel on horse
back dashed forward and ordered the it,
tie fellow to surrender. Instead of obey
ing tho boy raised his muSket and as the
colonel bore down upon him. sword in
hand. fired, and the officer foil dead from
his horse \ fierce onslaught followed
I.ol Tg1 a.
day. Tossing. the historian, tells MS. He
lay a, if dend, and not until the Confod'
crates had ceased firing and night had
fallen did he venture forth, muking his
way to the Union headquarters M Chat.
tanooga. He was then created n sergeant
by General Rosecrans
On his return 10 the Union lines he
went through other battles in which tho
Army Of the Cumberland was engaged,
When he was mustered out in 1860, he
went to indianapolis 70 attend school.
General Grant made him a second lieu.
tenant Of the Twenty-fourth infantry ID
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 1898 and stationed
at Atlanta. where he became exceedingly
popular with his southern neghbors and
friends.
Some years ago the Wisconsin legisla-
turc awarded a medal to J. r. Francisco
Of Mason City as the youngest real sol
dior Of the Union army during the late
war Such it may be said his friends in
Grand Army circles believe him 10 have
been. Young Francisco was not n drum.
mcr boy. but carried a musket from his
enlistment to his mastering out. He was
born Nov. -, 1919. 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 a soldier, but in
1864 he had attained a stature and devel
oped a physique which were the envy OF
boys several years his senior. He yeern
ed to go to the war. Life on the farm
had become unbeatable. 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 hnrdships OF sol
dier's life, whereupon John promptly of
fercd to satisfy them as to his soldierlJ
qualities by whipping the surgeon or an,
officer present.
On his enrolment the captain. think
ing to relieve him Of many trials ant
hardships, offered to attach John 10 him
self as his servant, an offer which. madt
in all kindness, was hotly resented.
1t should be mentioned that at the early
age of II young Francisco cast his frs
vote for Abraham Lincoln in accordanc,
with that special act Of congress b!
which the franchise was extended 10 al
enlisted men.
Mr. Fraucisco'S career after his dis
charge is hardly less interesting than hi
war record. Straight from his army *
perience he went to work as a farm hand
but in 1867 embarked in the lumber bust
ness. Later he established a grocer,
store in Mason City, Ia, which bccam
one Of the largest in the state.
There are other youngest soldiers o
the war" Little Glib" is known far an
wide in army circles. Gilbert Van Zaud'
the well known cashier Of the Sherma
House in Chicago, enlisted Aug e, 1856
with the Seyenty-ninth Ohio Noluntee
infantry. He was then ased 10 year
and ! months. He soon became the pc
of his regiment and was in all the en-
mans famous march to the sea. y
Nashville his colonel had a small swor'
made especially for hiIn. and the gift wa
accompanied by another from the Nom
bers of his regiment in the shape Of
handsome drum and shield.
) Al Milledceville. Ga, a pony was cap
, tured, and by the generals orders it Wa
turned over TO Little Glib" Mouutc
on this pony. he acted as one Of the gen
erals orderlies.
When the pony was confscated on ia
muster out in Washington in June, 1863
Gilbert. who was then only Is years an
: 8 months old, went To President Johnso
. and asked permission To take his pom
home with him. Which would yo
rather have, the pony or an officers con
mission" asked the president. 9TH
pony" promptly responded the boy, tru
TO his equine friend, and SO the pony wa
given him and taken to his Ohio home.
hymn.
/ Comrades. come With rey'rent tres.