The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1908-11-05

Broad street on the way to the station
and to the front was ridiculed by
Southern sympathizer who, viewing the
passing columns from the sidewalk, re-
marked that the Southern men would
soon make short work of that crowd.
Why" said he, they are only school
boys" True, the regiment was COM
posed in great measure Of schoolboys,
but, during the following four years
it made a record for splendid fighting
never equaled by the finest regiment
that ever marched in any of the armies
Of Europe.
We might truthfully say that our
army was composed of schoolboys
Hundreds of thousands Of them threw
down their books and filed the ranks,
and tens Of thousands were laid In
soldiers graves and never returned to
school again, while other thousands
served during the entire war, returning
home veterans Of many battles, to
once more take up their books and, go
Ing back to school, finish their educa-
ton.
Think of it! Nearly a million of
those who carried muskets were under
10 years of age. To be exact, there
were S44.S91 of them, and. under IS
years Of age, there were 1,15i. 1873. or
the total enlistments OF 2,77S,Soo $780,
79S were under 81 years Of age, and
companies, regiments and brlgades were
commanded literally by schoolboys. An
eminent writer Of Englis history states
as remarkable fact that one Of the
divisions Of the army of Charles l was
commanded by general only 80 years
Of age. At the close of our war In
1865 It was rare to find a brigade or
| division commander who had attained
that age. In the Second Corps. Miles
commanded the First Division, while
John r. Brookes, James A. Beaver,
George N. Macy and the writer com
handed the brigades comprising that
command, and each had hardly reached
the mature age of % years. l person
ally recall some of the schoolboys, and.
when remember young faces beaming
with intelligence, enthusiasm and heroic
loyalty, / feel like recording their vir.
tues. and 1t may be that the boys OF
our own time, If ever called upon, will
profit by their example and display the
like noble qualities.
The youngest brigade commander
that / remember is now an eminent
citizen Of our State and vice president
Of the Lake Erie and Pittsburg Rail.
road, Colonel James NJ. Shoemaker
He was born June 80, 1912. and was
assigned to the command of the Sec
ond Brigade Cavalry Division, Army OF
West Virginia. January /, 1854, wher
Fl years and six months old. The
brigade consisted of the First Virgins
Cavalry; Fourteenth Pennsylvania Cav
airy, Twenty Pennsylvania Cav
airy and Gibson's Battery. and the or
der issued by the young commander has
the ring of true soldier.
Although only Fl years and sis
months old at the time he issued Gals
order, yet he was veteran and sea
Boned soldier; at the front from the
very first hour of trouble, private
soldier in the First Maryland Cavalry
then promoted through every non-com
missioned grade, to Second Lieutenant
July 10, 1862, and finally mustered In
as colonel of the Fourteenth Pennsyl-
vania Cavalry November 81, 1862, aged
20 years and four months. / have beer
told that when he reported to Harris.
burg to take command of the Four
teerth Cavalry, Governor Curtin gazed
ut the young fellow with curiosity and
establishment and, for a moment
seemed TO doubt the wisdom OF grant.
Ing so important a commission to one
SO young. Even then he did not look
his age. But the commission was Is
sued and the governor soon learned
that he had made no mistake, the regi-
ment being one of the best and most
ably commanded Of any that left our
State.
LITER commanding for six months
the brigade in the army Of West yir-
GINA, he was, on August 3, 1864, as
signed to the command of the First
Brigade In Averill's cavalry division
Army Of the Shenandoah, and led thai
brigade In all the battles and engage.
ments between Sheridan and Early In
the whirlwind campaign that marked
months Of the last year Of the war.
During the many fights Of this period
his brigade was almost continually
under fire, and, In one of those months
from the day of the battle Of Oreouan
Creek, September 10, until Cedar Greek,
October 10, the brigade was under fire
every one Of the thirty-one days. Not
only was the boy brigade commander
continuously praised by his superiors
because Of his efficiency as an officer,
but his personal bravery and heroism
were recognized by the comforting upon
him of the highest honor granted to a
soldier Of the Union, for he was given
q Congress medal of honor for '.most
distinguished services at Winchester.
September 49, 1864, when, at a critical
Z
maker CALAMITY led cavalry charge
against the left of the enemy's line
of battle, which was protected by EARTH
works, drove the enemy out of the
works and captureS many prisoners"
But why try to enlarge further on
his merits? The fact of his command
Ing brigade in the valley campaign
under Sheridan Is the strongest proof
that he not only filed the position well.
but brilliantly.-Brevet Major General
st. Clair A. Mulholland in Phila -lphia
Ledger.
Clement l.. Vailandighnm
In the month of May, 1863. as Pri-
vate $. +. Nunnelee OF the Fifty-frst
Alabama regiment was on picket abou
five miles from Murfreesboro, Tenn, a
Federal officer, entirely unattended and