Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-05-25
The YOUNGEST
SOLDIER.
He Was a Genuine Child Of
the Regiment.

RN the early morning Of December
p, 1863. there arrived in camp
just before reveille a youngster
who was promptly christened
Edward Mcclellan Roberts, the Ed
ward being for one Captain Edward
Blackburn of the Twenty-first Mis-
souri, and the Mcclellan for General
George B. Mcclellan. Thus it was
that the Little Mac Junior" became
genuine child of the regiment.
Quick to recognize true soldier in
the newcomer a committee of COM
radeS called at his tent and demanded
that he surrender to their wishes.
They rolled him up in a blanket and
took him to headquarters. There he
was regularly enrolled A soldier at
len Questionable Edward McClel-
ian Roberts. Three years later, as
sergeant Of his regiment, he was hon
orably discharged at Fort Morgan,
Ala ALBANIA
The regimental Chaplain was one
Comrade Jenkins. Chaplain Jenkins
was a fighter. but not profane. De-
spite all this. Little Mac Junior" was
an adept pupil of his elder comrades.
and he learned the art of swearing to
| / degree equaIed by few of his eld-
/ ars. Even his instructors took off
! their hats when their pupil got busy.
| While at mess he'd fire a wad of OathS
at some delinquent servant and would
| be abruptly commanded to stop i by
! his aStOniShed mother. When asked
who had taught him to say such
bad words he would blandly reply,
"Oh. Chap'n Jenkins did" If the tiny
soldier was dislOyal to his chaplain he
! was not so to the rank and file He
feels sure that the good chaplain
would today forgive his early accusa-
! tons.
For several months prior to the close
OF the war the Twenty-frst Missouri
regiment was quartered at Fort Nor
gan. Alabama. on Mobile bay. 1t was
at this post that the three-year-old SER
geant received his discharge
BY the time the regiment had moved
to Fort Morgan the lad had become of
interest, indeed. to his older comrades,
he then being between two and three
and rather precocious. perhaps. be-
cause of his association with his cid
ers. He here found a warm. close
chum in Gunner Ephraim Jones.
On one occasion the gunner thought
to have bit of fun at the expense Of
the juvenile cOmrade, hoping to give
him more big noise" than he would
relish in close proximity with the
coast gun. Accordingly Jones asked
the young patriot if he would like to
fire the sunset gun for him.
Sure" replied the lad in gleeful
anticipation: When may l fire it
now?"
NO, not now; it isn't sunset yet
This big gun. you know, is the one
that makes the sun go down. Come
around in an hour and we'll give the
old sun Il glorious sendoff."
"All right" Ed replied; you can
count OH me-"
In an hour Little Mac Junior ap-
peared.
Gunner Jones placed the lanyard in
the small hands of the lad. held him
aloft Of the coast defender and COM
handed. Fire.
Bang" went the big gun. which
had little extra food" for the event.
The baby gunner dropped the lanyard
to applaud the music made by the war
dog.
Didn't it scare your asked the reg
ular.
No; it's better'n drum. If you are
'fraid of 'er, just send for me any
, time. I'll do it for YOU
Eph took occasion to be "'fraid''
quite often thereafter. and Little
Mac Junior enjoyed the privilege OF
| helping him OUT
. For several years Sergeant Edward
Mcclellan Roberts has been a resident
} of New York city. devoting his time
to writing and literature. On a re-
cent evening he was invited by L. T.
FetZer to visit the Fourteenth regi
ment camp, United Spanish War Vet
Grams. at its armory in Brooklyn. A
spread followed an installation Of Of
tcers. and after responding to urgent
calls for speech Sergeant Roberts
was voted an honorary member of the
ramp. then in command Of William ]
Prendergast. and was decorated with
a button of the order.
Often has the claim made for him
I that he is the youngest soldier Of the
war Of 1858 and the youngest mem
Der of the Grand Army Of the Repub
: liz been disputed. but simple recita
of the foregoing facts has promptly
= and easily settled each dispute.-Nev
York Herald
d Victor Hugo.
Victor Hugo was the wealthiest o.
a the nineteenth century authors ant
8 also the hardest. At one time be mad,