The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1908-07-23
Heap Little Man.

copyright, 1905. by T. c. Mcclure.l
Joe was a street gamln who Joined
Us at the close of the clvil war and
marched with us to the Indian country.
lie was ragged and dirty and wicked
tougher than any hummer the war pro-
duced. We all tried to make him bet.
ter, but failed. He was taken in hand
by General Custer. but with no better
luck.
Joe was allowed to hang out with us
and make the long journey to Fort
Leavenworth in our company. Some
of the officers tried to bounce him, but
we Of the rank and file helped him TO
GET through. He wasn't old enough to
enlist there was no show for him as n
bugler and when we finally started
across the plains he was ordered to re.
main behind. We babe him goodby,
but three days aftcrward he overlook
us, having a mule of his own. He was
also armed with n serviceable revolver.
The officers shut their eyes to his pres.
ence for three or four days, and then
he was ordered back with some news
paper men and others. He then did a
thing to show that he was utterly with
out fear. Instead of going back in com
pany he went ahead all alone. For two
days he kept ahead of the command
and then rode back to report force Of
Indians gathered 10 dispute our prog
ress. He brought in an Indian arrow in
his saddle aud another in his mules
rump as proofs that he had been to the
front His information was acted on,
and IL was through it that we gave the
Sioux a good tanning.
Joe's display of pluck made him
solid, so to say. He was permitted to
hang about camp, and the company
tailor fixed him up uniform. There
Rfter be was one of us in a way, and
he paid for his rations ten times over
By serving the officers When kindly
spoken to there was nothing he
wouldn't do TO oblige. When ordered
10 do anything he was as stubborn as
a mule. More than a dozen times he
went on scouts all alone, and twice he
brought in the ponies and weapons OF
Indians he killed. 1t was for this that
the Kaw Indian scouts we had with us
named him Heap Little Man. There
wasn't trooper in the brigade that
wouldn't have contributed money to
send the boy back east into good hands,
but he wouldn't hear Of 1t. He could
neither read nor write, but he knew the
value of silver and paper money and
said that was enough for him.
The boy had good voice for singing
and had remembered the airs and words
of score OF songs, but when out of
camp and on the march he never sang
but one song, and that only the chorus
of John Browns Body" He'd sing
that over and over until some of the
officers came along and babe him hush.
The rest of US might turn out for boots
and saddles at midnight, cursing the |
weather and the order, but Joe would |
turn out singing that chorus. We'd go |
into fight cheering, but he never
cheered. Instead you'd hear his shrill |
voice piping
GLORY, glory, halleluiahi "a
hi Glory. glory. halleluiah
Glory. glory, halleluiah
AS we go marching on"
We tried to keep him out Of the |
fights, but it was no use. He would |
disobey orders or break away from |
his guards, and when he mixed in he
went straight to the front, He had
score to be proud Of but no one ever |
heard him brag. He fought because |
fighting was part of his programme. |
When complimented on his bravery he |
gave no thanks in reply.
When we started on that winter |
Wichita campaign Joe was with us.
We started out In snowstorm, with /
the band playing '"The Girl Left Be
hind Me" and Heap Little Man sing I
ing the old chorus. Military history |
will tell you that the camps Of the I
Indians along the Wichita were located
before midnight and that Clusters /
command had to wait hours for break
fast. The snow was two feet deep
and the night freezingly cold. but
every trooper had to dismount and
stand by his horse. No moving-no
talking. Joe stood next to me, and /
do not think he shivered once. Over
and over again in whisper he sang
his chorus and now and then let up to
say that he hoped there were at least
5000 Indians in the camp and that we
should have good fight Of 1t. don't
think there was man or officer there
that night that took things as coolly
as that kid. He was the first one
mounted as the whispered order came
along and the band had scarcely
struck up Garry Owen" as we
charged than he followed it with his
slogan. We made complete surprise,
but the Indians rallied after a bit and
put up a stiff defense. When it was
over and we were ordered into line
for roll call Joe was missed. His name
was not on the roll. but we looked
around in vain. Then he and others
were sought for, The fight had ragged
up and down the stream for two miles,
but we found Joe within half mile of
where the headquarters flag had been
set up and where the fight had been
the hottest He was lying in the snow
with his dead mule not far away.
Around him were the dead bodies of
three buck Indians and squaw. The
latter had q rife in her hands and