The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1902-02-27
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.

How the Boys of Both Armies whiled
Away Life i'm Camp-Foraging Ex-
periences, Tiresome Marches-Thril-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.
| Youngest volunteers of the Civil War
have put forth their claims by the dOZ-
en- since the close of the great conflict,
but it has remained for Gilbert Van
Zandt. now citizen of Kansas City.
Mo. 10 demonstrate that the honor
rightfully belongs TO him. says the San
| Francisco Chronicle. In recent inter
| view. Mr.. Van Zandt gave the follow
ing interesting account Of his services
to his country:
| Il was born in the little village OF
Port William, Clinton County. Ohio.
Dec. 20. 1851. where enjoyed my first
schooling. and where lived when the
mutterings Of war began TO be heard
throughout the land. or patriotic fam
lily. | was, of course. highly wrought
up over the impending conflict. al
though not dreaming that | would ever
be permitted to take hand in 1t. Early
after call for troops was issued there
came to our little village a recruiting
officer with three OF four priyates and
a Government wagon. Notices were
| posted up about the town that war
meeting would be held in the school
| house. The town was alive with excite
ment. and when the time came for the
h. n.l- -ofN
with an eager and enthusiastic crowd.
| As l had quite a reputation in the vii
lage as snare drummer was engaged
| to handle the drum sticks while fel-
| low-townsman blew the fife, and we
| furnished the music for the occasion.
For my services that night I received
a silver 50-cent piece-the first money
ever earned.
"On the 9th day of August, 1862. I en-
listed in Company d. Seventy y-zinth
Ohio Volunteers. as drummer boy. at
the age Of 10 years. l remained with
my regiment. sometimes doing duty as
an orderly at regimental headquarters.
until was detailed as dispatch car
rier at division headquarters, Third Di-
vision. Twentieth Army Corps. serving
in that capacity until the close Of the
war.
Il was in the grand parade at Wash
ington, where l was mustered out of
the service June 0. 1865. my discharge
calling for a soldier '13 years old AMI
four feet high I brought home with
me pony which came into possession
of ut Milledgeville. Ga. As all captured
property belonged to Uncle Sam. and
as wanted to keep the pony. went
te President Johnson personally and
made known to him my desire. After
asking me quite a number Of questions,
he at last wanted to know what !
would prefer-to be made an officer or
to keep the pony. told him ! prefer
red to keep the pony. which he allowed
me to do. giving me transportation for
the animal to my home in Ohio.
Il served as dispatch carrier through
the Atlanta campaign. and from there
to the sea, winding up at Washington.
was in all the engagements that our /
division fought in. My father was
sergeant in the same company, and l
also had six uncles and a grandfather
in the service. brought home with me
a snare drum and a shield that was pre-
sented to me by the regiment while
encamped at Nashville. Tenn. I was
also presented with sword by the
Colonel of the regiment, which car
ried all through the march to the sea.
My ancestors have been soldiers
from the Revolutionary War down to
the present day. My youngest brother
served through the Spanish-American
war and then went to the Philippines,
where he gave up his life for his coun-
try last November. His body was
brought home and buried at Arlington
with military honors."
The following letters to the Secretary
Of War give an idea Of what the fight
ing qualities were which young Van
Zandt possessed:
Wellington. Kan, Jan. 16, 1S9S.-Gen.
Russell A. Alger. Secretary of War,
Washington. d. C.-Dear Sir: In behalf
Of Gilbert Van Zandt, the youngest ''old'
soldier of the late Civil War and a MEM |
Der of Company ID, Seventy-ninth Ohio |
volunteers. l beg Of you to award him |
badge Of honor for his display of |
bravery on the 18th Of March. 1865. Dur !
ing a severe engagement at BentOnville. |
s. c., the Fourteenth Army Corps was i
summoned to the front. With our IL |
vision the Third. commanded by Maj. |
Gen. W. T. Ward on the left, l was |
ordered to bring all available pioneers
TO the front to cut and cause defile |
through the timber to effect an enfilad- |
ing FIRE, with Capt. Gray's artillery TO |
support our infantry. This noble little |
trusty and brave soldier took the order.
and in less than thirty minutes returned
with my pioneers and reported to ME
during the thickest of shot and shell. Just
as ne rode up TO me my horse was wound
ed by a piece of shell from the rebel
guns. and the little soldier took the ami
NAL through the fire TO the rear. Through
out the engagement he displayed the no.
blest Of bravery. for which beg at your
hands a badge of honor" Other men,
bers OF the staff will cite you deeds of
bravery done by him. Though but Il
child soldier, he knew no fear. Most
respectfully,
WILLIAM HARDENBROOK-
LseuteQIut duu Stptisu |
Seventieth Indiana Volunteer Infan-
try. Chief OF Pioneers and Provost
Marshal Third Division, Twentieth
AC.
Taylorsville. Ky, Jan. 90. fS9s.-Gen.
r. A. Alger. Secretary of War. Wash
inston. d. C.-Dear Sir: At request Of
Capt. Hardenbrook l address You in be-
half of Gilbert Van Zandt. late Of Com
pany D. Seventy-ninth Ohio Vo,a2seer
Infantry. Ii being an excellent soldier
at very tender age entities a man to Il
..meial of honor" Van Zandt certainly
deserves one. He enlisted in 1862 as a
drummer boy or musician at the age of
10 wears. In 1864 his regiment was in
the First Brigade. Third Division. Twen
tieth Army Corps. was assistant adju-
tant general of the division. On the At
,,,,, c,mn,ivn some rirne near RpSaca |