Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-05-29

MIR. PRESIDENT, WAS BILE conflict Some
IN The WAR. of the striplings
who bore muskets were surprisingly
youthful, while there We're drummer
boys of amazingly tender years. Per
haps the youngest drummer was John
ME Brooks, later John f. Brooks, Esq,
who practiced law at Ellsworth, Kan.
Johnnie went into the service as drum
mer boy at the age of nine years. He
served from July, 1863, to August,
1865. But he was not enlisted. His
father was a fifer in the musicians
corps, and the boy went along to beat
drum. One of JohDny's sad duties
was to beat the dead march in Indian
apolis when the body of President
Lincoln was borne through the streets
there to lie in state for brief time
during the journey from Washington
to Springfield. Thirty years after
the war this drummer boys congress
| man introduced resolution to have
the secretary of war muster in and
discharge John +. Brooks, so that he
| might get the regular pay for his two
years of service.
Only a few months ago an applica-
| ton was received by the New Jersey
adjutant general for a civil war vet
| Grams medal, as provided by the state
| legislature, for Daniel Williams, who
| was believed to have been the young
est drummer boy regularly enlisted.
| Williams went into the volunteer serv-
| ice when he was eleven years, FIVE
months and sixteen days old. That
| was in 1862. He served with both
| New Jersey and Pennsylvania volun-
teers. Mr.. Williams now resides in
| Washington.
| One of the most remarkable records
/ for drummer boy is that made by
John L. Glen, now colonel in the
regular army. Glen was the famous
drummer boy of Shiloh" After Gen
eral Grant became president in 1869 a
youth scarcely eighteen years of age
gained admittance to the White House.
MIR. President" he said, Il came to
request you to admit me to the Mill
tary academy at West Point
"Why don't you take the regular ex-
animation asked the president.
II have done So, but / failed to
pass" admitted the boy.
THAT is very unfortunate" said the
president, .but you should have studied
harder
mfr. President" said the applicant
while the other boys who took the
examination with me were in school
was in the war;"
"Whatr' exclaimed the president
what WARP"
"The civil war. 1 served four years.
The soldier president looked the
youth in the eve. John Glenn produced
his papers. showing that he told the
truth. President Grant commissioned
him as second lieutenant in the regular
army.
Another drummer boy whose record
shines brightly was J.. C. Julius Lang
bein, who in later life became vel
] known city judge in New York. Wher
mere boy he enlisted as drummer
, in the Ninth New York volunteers
known as the Hawkins zouaves, regi
ment which did some of the ierces
, and most picturesque fighting of thu
war. He was the youngest drummel
, boy from New York state and was sale
to be the third youngest in all th,
Union armies. Langbein served chief,
in the Virginia campaigns. Like tn,
: big soldiers in his regiment, he wa
dressed in the zouaye uniform, will
baggy knee trousers and short, flarini
J. jacket, his head covered with tas
seled cap. So slight and childish Lang
!, bein looked that he seemed out of plac,
: among the strong, rough men aroun,
> him, but every man in the regimen
: loved the little drummer boy. One BIZ
soldier who had sweetheart up HON
e named Jennie declared that the bo
looked like ''the girl he left benin,
him." so the drummer was known b.
his grownup comrades as Jennie
i Lahgbein.
: Adjutaift Bartholomew of HJennie's
y regiment took a particular interest i
: the boy. He had promised Langbeln'
mother that he would look after til
little fellow as well as he could. At til
+ battle of Camden or Sawyer's Lan'
). near the southern end of the Dfsms
swamp canal, the Hawkins zouave
made desperate charge. A fragmer
n of exploding shell plowed fright,
e furroM in the neck of Adjutant Ba
2 tholomew, who, crazed by the shoe
e and pain, staggered outside the Ee,
Q, eral formation and wandered aiiniessl