Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-02

"HERE was the music of brass band
in little Illinois town. Then came an
- irresistible desire to follow that band
and to see battle. Several months later a
snub nosed lad, with fresh, ruddy complex
ion and merry, dark eyes, was living in the
trenches with the besieging army in front of
Vicksburg With ten other boys he had
learned on the top of an upturned barrel,
under the eye of an irritated drum sergeant,
to beat the long roll, to wake the camp,
mount the guard, and to play for hours at a
stretch The Girl l Left Behind Me- in front
of the marching column
This was enough, in camp and on the road
(How could drill and discipline go with
out the drumsO But when the fighting began,
at Big Black and Champions Hill, the boy
found he had nothing to do but sit on his
useless drum, while the ranks of enlisted men
streamed past, rushing forward, except to
watch for a chance to help with stretcher
or run an Grand to the surgeon at the am
buance park in the rear.
The Value of Drummers
LIS Colonel, indeed, had said that in time Of
i i an engagement the drummers were to help
in this way, and that they were doing
much for the country if they fought with
guns in their hands. But in actual battle it
was not easy to remember what the Colonel
had said, when one could hear the charging
cheer of the soldiers away to the front, and
thunderous roll of musketry; and when, more
over, the frightful conical shells, aimed too
high, so that they flew the battle line,
descended close by, sending up without the
slightest warning shower of mud comninged
with steel After Champions Hill, the boy
determined that in the next battle he would
stay with the men of his company, whatever
might come of it.
The next morning, while it was still dark, he
was awakened by the drivers of a batteryhitch
ing in their horses. The army was in motion
boy fell in beside the infantry, and heard the
talking in low tones. Everyone seemed to
what they were going to do,-that Grant had or
Sherman to take the Rebel works by assault.
veterans who had fought at Donelson and
swung along, with their arms at will. They E
bled growled, swore. The boy initiated them
that they did. He cast aside his knapsack, lie
drum, and finally, when his short sword trppet
as he was scrambling up the steep side of gull
tore it out and threw it from him as far as he {
At last they reached their place in the battle lin
ing deep ravine, above which doomed the Conf
ate bastion. In the gray light could be seen the
earthworks, the muzzles of the cannon. Every
and then Confederates stood up in the rifle p
slight smoke was seen, and bullet whistled ps
Lie DOWN." shouted voice. Get out c
line of frel"
The boy, instead of lying down, strolled ov
the artillery, where they were beginning to
the guns. 1t was sultry morning and so1
the men were still sitting about the gun ira
leaning against the cool, ponderous wheels.
boy watched with intense interest the young
who was sighting one of the pieces. He say
man with the lanyard step back quickly an
enormous jet of flame shoot out. He followe
young officer to the next cannon and start,
talk with him. He was told impatiently t,
away. In a short time the whole place became