Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-05-24
A DRUMMER BOY AT SHILOH.

The history of the great Civil War
will never be complete until all of the
incidents, pathetic and otherwise. which
were witnessed by the private soldiers,
have been reduced to print and thus pre-
served. With the passing of the old SOL
dier very many things will be repeated,
with n great deal added thereto. which
will be handed down by tradition as
things that occurred during the War of
the Rebellion. This will, perhaps be to
intense patriotism and heroism displayed
by the men who fought the battles of the
Union from 81 to '65.
The battle Of Pittsblrg Landing, COM,
monty spoken of as the battle of Shiloh,
has furnished many instances which have
been told and re-told Some of them
have found their way into print. That
great battle. perhaps the greatest fought
by the Western army, was fought on the
9th and 18th days of April, 1862, under
the command of Gen. Grant. Whether
Or not the Union army was surprised is
n question that will probably be discuss
ed for all time to come. 1t Is well
known, however. that on Sunday morn
ing the enemy approached the Union
lines i'll great force and all through that
day drove the Federal troops back 70
the direction of the river or landing. /
have been at the battle ground twice
since the war and l am only astonishcd
that Grants army was not driven into
the Tennessee river by the overwhelming
force against them.
a comrade who was in the battle and
who was wounded the first day related
to me an incident which illustrates the
patriotism of the young men of that day.
This story am led to believe is true.
because the comrade who related it to me
| have found to he truthful man.
Late in the afternoon on Sunday, this
comrade was wounded and left upon the
battle field. When the battle ceased Mt
night he with many others. were still
lying where they had fallen. and it began
to rain very hard. Along about midnight
he heard voice which sounded very
| much like the voice of woman 1t was
raised in song and the person was sing
ing the familiar hymn:
| ''Oh sing to me of Heaven,
When nm called to die;
Sing songs of holy ccstacy.
To watt my soul on high
After singing that stanza, the COM
rade. who WAS listening. recognized it MS
the voice of a hoy. Being near. he be-
gan TO crawl to him on his hands and
knees; thinking he might aid or comfor,
him some. AS he approached him the
boy continued singing:
Around my dying bed.
| Let one sweet song he given
Let music cheer me last on earth,
| And greet me first In Heaven
As this stanza was being sung the
| comrade continued to advance towards
the boy. When very near to him n little
ravine interviewed. in winch there was a
stream of water. Here the comradc
stopped to battle his own fevered brow
and again the voice arose in song:
"Around my lifeless clay,
Assemble those | love
And sing of Heaven, delightful Heaven,
My glorious home above"
| BY this time the comrade had reached
tile hoy and placing his hand upon his
heart found him still in death. His
spirit had assembled to that home of
| which he had just been singing.
The patriotism of that day was the
outgrowth of such teaching upon the para
of the loyal, Christian mothers of the
North. He, of whom this incident is re-
lated, was drummer hoy of an Ohio
regiment scarcely twelve years of age
who had been upon the battle field dur
ing the bloody struggle of that day.
When they gathered up the dead, his
body was also found aid buried with
the rest. After the government took
charge of the National Cemetery at that
place and collected the bodies, the little
boy was buried near the west gate.
There under a little mound his body lies
and Mt the head of his grave has been
erected monument of cannon balls, as
emblematic of his heroism and loyalty to
the country for which he died.-Ram's