Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-10-28
4 Soldier az ii.


of general who served in the Civil
War, All of these with one exception
will soon be retired. The exception
is that OF Col. John l.. Glen, of the
quartermaster's department. whose age
limit will not be reached until 1915.
This extended time is due TO the fact
that Little Johnny Glenn. the drum
mer boy of Chickamauga." as he was
Familiarity known. was probably the
youngest person who ever bore arms
in battle
Col. Glenn was also known as John
ny Shiloh, from the fact that in the
battle of Shiloh he rode to the firing
line on caisson by the side of vet
erap artilleryman. and then performed
an act of daring in such a brave and
cool manner that ii gave him a name
in history. He drummed the charge
at Shiloh when he was only II years
old, and with his short musket he kill
ed the Confederate colonel who de-
manded his surrender at Chickamau-
ga. He is a popular officer. not only
with his fellows of the army. but In
social circles as we'll being as genial a
man as he is chivalrous soldier.
Col. Glen was born in Ohio on Aug.
Is, 1851, and in May, 1861, before he
was 10 years old. be offered his serv-
ices to the Third Ohio Regiment as
drummer. but the mastering officer de-
clined to enlist him because of his size
| and his youth. Later he offered his
services 10 the Twenty-second Michi-
gan. and though enlistment was re-
fused, he was permitted to accompany
the regiment to the field and to beat the
long rolf in front of Shiloh in April,
1862. His soldierIy manner and con-
duct in that engagement so won the
| confidence and admiration of the off,
GERS of the regiment that in May. 1863
! he was permitted 70 enlist as a drum
mer and was then known as Johnny
Shiloh" But it was on Sept IS. 1863,
at the battle of Chickamauga, that he
displayed especial bravery. He had
| just passed his 12tn birthday anniver-
sary and had laid aside his drum for a
| musket, the barrel OF which had been
cut down for his use; and after acting
as a marker" for time he took his
/ place In the ranks. AS the day closed,
and the army retired to Chattanooga,
his brigade was ordered b. the enemy
! to surrender. and Little johnny was
himself covered By the sword Of a
! Confederate colonel. His regiment was
then fired into. and, falling as IL shot.
the juvenile soldier lay close until darg,
when he went to Chattanooga ara
joined his command. But as he fell
to the ground he ineG at the Confed-
crate officer and killed him, and this
! lemoralized the Confederate command
/ in such way that his own associates
escaped capture.
For his bravery young Glen was
made a sergeant by Gen Rosecrans
and detailed to the headquarters of
the Department OF the Cumberland. He
also received a silver medal from the
hands of Miss Kate Chase. daughter
! Of Chief Justice Chase. He was after
ward captured by the Confederates and
! held prisoner for SO days. and after
| his release he was promoted to orderly
sergeant by Gen Thomas. He was
discharged from the service lin Sap-
! TENDER, 1864. when he returned to his
old home and attended school, being
graduated from the Newark High
School in 1870 President Grant. who
had kept watch Of Little Johnny af-
| ter the war ended. appointed him a
! second lieutenant In the regular army
! in 1871. Three years later he went to
the artillery school at Fortress Mon
| roe for a course of instruction in mill
tal,g science. and a year later passed
| a most successful examination.
Incident of the Civil War.
In the summer of 1863. near Mari
eta, Ca. nj a T ace called MONDAY
Creek. the writer, a Yankee soldier,
was placed as 4 picket on one side of
| the creek. and on the other side, dis
tant about 100 yards, a Johnnie was
doing similar duty. 1t was a common
occurrence Tor the outposts of the con
tending armies to engage in converse
ton. but either side usually Kept them
selves in q position that the other par
ty could not take advantage Of them.
although in the afternoon Of each day
there was liable TO be skirmishing
along some part of the opposing lines
and sometimes the action became gen
eral. says the Atlanta Constitution.
ON this occasion the two pickets.
the Yank and the Johnnie, engaged in
conversation which resulted in
compromise, and each laying aside gun
and cartridge box walked cautiously
toward the other until they met in the
middle of the dry channel.
While busily engaged in a friendly
conversation, In which their whole at
tention was absorbed. they failed to
notice the approach of a third party,
and they suddenly found themselves
confronted by rebel officer, who, to
the Yankee, seemed TO be twelve feet
high and would weigh at least ton.
After torturing the Yank for awhile
by asking questions and making sug.
gestions, lea ding the Yank TO believe
he would he made a prisoner, the Off
Ger became more friendly and began
to talk In a way that he soon gained
the confidence of the scared Yank.
The officer informed the writer that
some time before this he had been
wounded and made prisoner and was
cared for in a Union hospital where he
had eoula friends IA vVhcuf he. xs-ould