The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-01-03
THE DRUMMER.

Dumpey was a drummer in a. foot
battery Of the United States artillery
stationed at one of the harbor posts in
the east. His descriptive list showed
him feet 1 inch high, sallow COM
plexion, brown hair, and SO years of age.
I can see him now, with his drum slung
from his neck, his little figure drawn UP
to its full height, proudly showing US
how to make the drum talk.
This is what we played at Mission
Ridge" And then he would begin.
One heard the tramp of marching
feet, the thunder of cannon, the rattle
of muSketry, the shouts and hurrahS of
the men, and, above all, the rub-a-dub-
1t sent the cold shivers down our backs,
the blood jumping through our veins.
Then came the slow and solemn beat
of the muff1ed drum, the long, melan-g
choly, almost human, roll, and we knew
that the battle was over and that the
dead were being laid away to their last
rest. The tears in our eyes, choking
in our threats, and then
They dressed me up in sojer clothes,
They treated me so kindly,
And yet I never could forget
The girl left behind me.
1t was sad day for the battery, and
particularly Tor Dumpey, when the
junior lieutenant left our post by trans
fer. The very next day Dumpey was
in the guardhouse with charges against
him for drunkenness. Intercession
proved of no aVail-the captain was de-
termined to make an example Of him
but the court was lenient; SO after a
months confinement Dumpey came
back to US, but an altered man Not
that his manner had changed toward
us-he was still our friend-but his
boyishness and lightness OF heart
seemed gone.
He'll get me yeti was all he said
when we asked him the trouble. He"
Of he 1or FOL rh0 for
some unaccountable reason had taken
a strong dislike to the lowiy drummer.
Things went from bad to worse. Dunn
pey was in the g'uardhouse continually,
first for one thing and then another,
which, though trivial enough in their
way. were rapidly building up a bad
reputation for him, which he did not
really deserve.
The end came when they found him
drunk guard. The general court
which tried him found him guilty and
sentenced him to be drummed out of
the service, The colonel wrote to the
reviewing authority rather strongly in
his favor, but Dumpey was doomed.
Nothing could save him, and the sch
tence was duly confirmed.
Never did sun shine brighter, never
were skies bluer. never was nature
more generous than on that dreadful
May morning. We had all been to see
before. We had shaken hands with him
and carried him such boyiSh gifts
we could to assure him of our loyalty
and friendship, and he, poor old boy,
had turned his face away from US and
wept like child.
1t was the first and only time had
ever seen man drummed out of the
service. ] can never again see such q
shocking sight of mans inhumanity to
man.
1 was a very young boy them still I
remember that the sun was bright and
that the skies We're blue. I remember
he ut q M ra-
member that the flag, emblem of liber-
ty and equality, threw out the glory of
its stars and stripes straight and strong
to the morning breeze. L remember
that we all stood huddled together
neutrality-suspicious. 1t came.
First the drums and flies, then two
platoons of men fully armed and equip
ped, their bayonetS flashing and SPAR.
king in the sunlight, and between them
Dumpey, with head closely cropped and
on his back a board marked drunk
ard"
And stiII-the sun shone, the skies
were blue and the flag tapped gaily
overhead.
On they came, the drums and flies
playing the 'Rogues' March"
Poor old soldier, poor old soldier,
Tarr'd and feathered and then drummd
out
Because he couldn't keep sober.
Our hearts were in our threats, but
we clinched our hands and held our
places like men.
There was no music in the march. It
was simply a wailing and sobbing of
the drums-the drums to drum Dunn
pey out of the service; Dumpey, their
champion, their hero, their king.
But on they came
Poor old soldier, poor old soldier.
Just as they passed up we heard some
one ask:
what makes him walk SO queer? He
seems to be limping."
Every boy there could have told him
that it was the bullet he got at Mission
Ridge, which the doctors had never
been able to take out.
And on they came
Tarr'd and teathered and then
drumm'd out.
At last they reached the sally port.
Because he couldn't keep sober.
shrieked out the flies, and a moment
later Dumpey stood outside the fort q
free man.
And then this worthless outcast, this
drummed out drunkard, this iimping.