The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-05-31
When Blue and Gray Fought Without Hate.
little Johnny Clem's Memorial Day Thought
Honday, May 81, 1915.

WASHINGTON. d. c., May 81.
This very day, exactly 81
years ago. on bloody southern
battlefield"
That is what Col. John Lincoln
Clem-"the littlest hero of the
civil war'-and the only veteran
of that tremendous conflict still
In active service with the United
States army-is thinking of
above all else on this memorial
day. 1915.
Because Col. Glenn is the last
living link connecting the pres
ent United States army with the
heroic armies whose fallen brave
We honor today; because this is
the last Memorial day which will.
find this civil war veteran on
the active army list; because Col.
Glen. as superintendent of ma
tional cemeteries, plays a lead
ing role on the ground where
Decoration day is celebrated with
greatest reverence and beauty, it
has seemed that HIS thoughts on
the day constitute it's most fit
ting sermon.
what memory will be upper
most in your mind, Colonel?" he
was asked.
And this famous soldier
who, at the age of II, was the
twice-wounded veteran of one of
the greatest campaighs of history
replied not with tale of san
culinary adventure, but
MY memory pictures to-
day what my kid eyes saw 81
years ago today" he smiled
gently, "a soldier In blue
and a soldier In gray shak-
ing hands like two loving
comrades between the trench
es, swapping tobacco and
coffee. On the morrow they
were to stab each other bru-
tally with bayOnets i'm
fierce hand-tO-hand fight
for those very trenches.
Yet what l like to think
Of first ON Memorial day is
not the bloody fight, but that
tender scene preceding 1t,
which showed me that, after
all, man to man, we soldiers
Of the north and of the
south were FRIENDS AND
BROTHERS always. We of
tile north hated that which
they fought for, but we did
not hate them personally, nor
they us.
Johnny Glenn was only 10 years
old when he ran away from his
home in Newark, Ohio, and at
tached himself to the Twenty-sec-
ond Michigan regiment. The Off
GERS tried to chase him away, but
the soldiers made him their pet
and mascot, and finally, in May,
1852, the colonel enlisted him.
At Chickamauga he was hero
of brilliant scene performed
right under the eyes of his union
comrades, who were falling back
rapidly. Johnny's poor little legs
were very weary, and as he Jagged
behind, confederate colonel gal
Hoped up to him. Surrender, you
damned little Yankee devil!" be
cried.
JOhnny's nerves never :
quivered. A seconds hesita-
ton in welding his heavy
musket-he had abandoned
the drum--would have meant
death. But desperately he
pulled up the barrel and
fired!
The colonel tOppled head
long from his horse, and
from the guns of his men
storm of bullets rained over
Johnny Glenn. JOhnny's conn.,
rades ON the hill saw their
heroic little soldier boy fall
face downward. For hours
thereafter the battle ragged
on. At dark the union forces
rested. And suddenly into
their bivOuac crept Johnny
Glenn, unhurt, and showing
with tremendous pride his
cap pierced by three bullet
holes. Shamming death had
saved him!
1t was for this deed that Gen.
Thomas made the hero drummer
boy a sergeant. And his impu-
dent remark was: General, is
that all you're going to make
me?" In his later career. the p