The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-05-16
Youngest Enlisted Soldier of
War of the States Answers
Call.
ONLY TEN YEARS OF AGE
WHEN HE ENTERED RANKS
Came to Salt Lake City With
Colonel Stages Command
in 1865.

After struggling heroically with immI-
merit death for nearly a month, Thomas
Loughney, q widely known salt Lake
man and prominent IN G. a. * circles
died Yesterday morning at st. Marks hos
pital
Suffering from cancer of the stomach,
Mr. Loughney was taken 10 The hospNa!
for treatment about six weeks age put
IL was soon apparent that an operation
offered the only possible chance of saving
his life. AL the time OF this operauon
the patient was weak that II was De-
lieved he could live only a few hours, but
he rallied and made q fight for his lie
that although IA losing one. aroused the
admiration of physicians and nurses lie
passed away peacefully. going into The
eternal silence as becomes brave man
Youngest Enlisted Soldier.
Thomas Louehney. who died at the age
OF IS years, possessed the proud and un-
, disputed distinction OF being the. youngest
enlisted soldier in the war OF the states.
joining the ranks IN 1858; i,. when t 0nIy Thy ~
years old and serving actively until the
close OF the conflict
Mr.. Loughney was a native OF Canada
He was born at Hamilton, Ont April
l. 1858 but when little more than babe
was left an orphan and spent the early
years OF his boyhood with a farmer near
Wayne. Mich. In 1852. when but years
enlist in the Union army and was signed.
but was rejected by the state mastering
officer when the men took the oath and
were mustered in.
After the third rejection young Lough-
ney shipped before the mast On the
schooner Humboldt, but had enough OF
City, Mich, on his first trip. At Bay
City he made his fourth and successfui
attempt TO join the army. The recruit.
ing officer accepted him and he was sent
IN nd Rapi6S where he SSGu muster
through the aid of the soldiers who
dressed him in uniform and placed MIN
in the middle of the line of ranks where |
he escaped the eyes of the mastering Of
ficer and so took the oath OF allegiance, |
From Grand Rapids the brigade was sent
10 the front.
"ouster's Bubble Boy
Young Loughney at once began service
gan cavalry, Major Changers battalion,
Clusters brigade. and was known as
Clusters bugle boy"
Loughney's first experience under fire
was at Haserstown, Md. The brigade ar
rived at Frederick City while the bnttlc
Of Gettysburg was being fought and was
the rear of General Lees army in the re
treat. following the Confederate leader
until orders were received TO so into
winter quarters at Culpeper.
The young hugler participated in the |
famous Fitzpatrick raid at Richmond. dur
ing which Colonel Dalgreen of the Fifth |
michigan regiment WAS kllleu, l-buSHUeS
standing within twenty feet of the officer
and seeing him fall.
In the spring of 1864 this youngest !
soldier was taken prisoner at the close OF
made his great move against Lee being |
one Of party of thirty Union soldiers
troops, In speaking of this incident OF
his capture. Mr.. Loughney has often re-
counted TO his friends how one Of the
Confederate officers remarked to his COM
mar piop. ooiS here h0yS here's a ha bN |
In the Yankee command, Let's kill him."
and then turning TO the child, querled;
why aren't you home with your
Goes to Libby Prison.
The little soldier was taken TO Libby
prison, but in few days was. with 9TH
ers. transferred to Andersonville. where !
he bravely endured the .hardships that
After five months imprisonment arrange
ments were made for exchange of
captlves and young Loughney with others
of bis command WAS released on parole. |
After his release he came TO Coldwater,
Mich. and remained there recovering
from an attack of scurvy which had come
~ proved fatal From Coldwater he went
TO the parole camp at Camp Chase, O., |
leaving there In time TO join his command
at Washington and participate in the
grand review.
With two and half years to serve
at the close OF the war, Loughney, in
COmpdny WIFI OtIeTS OF custer DTlEdQc,
which was consolidated as the First
Michigan cavalry, was sent to Leaven- |
worth, Kas., and from there started
across the plains under the command OF
Colonel Stagg. Through Colorado and
Wyoming the command fought the In
dlaus and guarded the United States
mail. and in the latter part Of 1865
marched TO Salt Lake City where March
10, 1866, the entire command was dis
charged and where Mr.. Loughney re-
sided until the day of his death.
Widely Known and Popular
Thomas Loughney was one OF the best
known and most popular citizens of the
city and state, and through his occupa-
ton as travelling salesman. which ne fol-
lowed for more than thirty years made
thousands OF friends throughout the
whole intermountain country His was
wholesome, genial, kindly nature He
had pleasant and kind word for every
one. and was ever ready to extend a
helping hand.
During tho past few years Mr. Lough-
ncy resided with his family at No 2
Morris court. He leaves widow and
four children: Clarence OF Payette. Ida.
Mrs. Leone Mortensen Of Brigham City
Utah: Hazel. n young woman, and Flor
ence. aged years
In addition to being prominent in c.
A. r. circles, Mr.. Loughney also was a
Macon. Funeral services viii be held
from the Masonic temple at o'clock
Wednesday afternoon. under the direction
OF the Masonic fraternity. with the G. A.
X. assisting.