Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-11-18
ADOPTED BY BOYS IN BLUE
How a Little Colored Boy Attached
Himself Permanently to
Union Army.

When we of the cavalry were falling |
back before Lee as he was headed for
Chantilly and Bull Run, a squadron of
US that had been detailed to bring a
wounded officer away from a house
that would soon be in the possession
of the advancing confederates found
ourselves shut up in front and rear.
We numbered about 30 men, and had a
two-horse ambulance in which the
wounded man had been made as
comfortable as possible. We had, in
deed, advanced about quarter of
mile before we discovered the box We
were in. The confederates who had
come in behind us were cavalry, and
owing to turn in the road and a bit
of woods, had not yet seen us. The
lieutenant in command consulted
with the major whom we were bring
ing away, and explained the situation.
Prepare me as well as you can for
the ride, give me a revolver, and then
form your men by tours and ride right
down on the confederates and cut your
way through" was the order of the
major.
l was in the advance set of fours,
and the man on my right was next 70
the highway ditch. All of a sudden,
just as we were waiting the order to
advance, little negro boy, not over
| three years old and as black as the
blacklist tar ever made, appeared in
| the ditch alongside of Parker. He
seemed to have been hiding in the
weeds, and think he must have fallen
| out of car or got parted from the
| family as they were hurrying into the
union lines before Lees advance. At
any rate, he was there and alone, and
as we saw him, Parker said:
Good lands! but here's Niger
baby right under foot and all alone!
What shall we do with him?"
At that moment we got the word to
go ahead, and Parker leaned over
picked up the child and placed him in
front of the saddle. Two or three Of
us called to him to drop the boy, but
he didn't do it. AS we moved forward
"Pick" was there and hanging on fol
dear life, his eyes as white as raw
onions and every tooth plain to bt
counted We were right on the con
federates before they saw us, and i
was biff! bang! slash! and we opened
lane and went through, every hors
on the keen run and the wounde;
major firing away whenever he found
|, target for his bullets. When we final
, ly got through Pick was with u
, and all right, and he had seen hi
first battle of the war. One woul
have said that he liked it, for his gril
was broader than before and he di
not seem a bit scared.
\ During the bloody days that fol
: lowed the little fellow was with
: company wagon, and 1 did not see hir
: for a week Then Parker took hir
: down to Alexandria and left him wit
: colored woman, but few month
: later, being made company commits
: sary and having the use of a Wagon
he brought Pick back to the arm.
Fl got a tailor to make him suit
Fl clothes, and then the boy was FL
81 ture with u.s. He took to army lif
Fl and every one of the company took
Fl him, and had anyone misused Pick
would have gone hard with him. Il
= was with us to the very last, and
q saw him munching bareback an
z looking on while Lees ragged old We
= Grams laid down their arms at App
z mattox. He chung to Parker abo0
= all others, and although the troop
Fl was rough fellow and unmarrie
= the offer of $1O0 for his little nigge
which was made over and over, W;
e no temptation.
RI When the war closed Pick W;
taken north to Ohio, sent to scho
and then put to a trade, and it WI