The Washington times., 1915-08-09
LAST OF CIVIL WAR -.
VETERANS TO RETIRE
Col. John 1. Clem to Quit Army
Friday as Brigadier General
/ After Al Years.

':Johnny Glenn, the drummer boy Of
Chickamaugua," 10 to be retired on
Friday with the rank Of Brigadier-
General.
Officially he Is Col John L. Clem. U.
s. A.. and among the reasons why tales
are being told Of Johnny Glenn wher-
ever there still lives a veteran with q
pipe to light and an eye Of memory to
cast backward are these:
Col. Glen is the only civil war veteran
He was made a sergeant just after
: the battle OF Chickamauga and was the
youngest non-commissioned officer who
, ever served in the United States army.
eral Grant, who, when he became Presi-
dent, gave him u commission without
making him take the course at West
There are stories galore about Johnny
Clem," stories Of how. as q sort OF
Of one fight ana had his drum ripped
fram his hands by piece Of she'll Of
right and left at Chickamauga and
won the appreciation Of General Thomas
and General Rosecrans; but q typical
story !s that WHICH explains how he got
Chickamauga.''
NOC AOSt III Ddttlcs
After he had been in the thick OF the
battle at Chickamauga, the brigade
to which the Twenty-second Michigan
dn which he served) was attached. had
been ordered to hold its position. After
q game but losing fight the brigade
was ordered to fall back, and Johnny
Glenn got lost.
He fell in with a command that was
ali A-A HnAa IA
started running, AND wound up in a
clump Of bushes. where he was discov-
cred by Confederate colonel.
The boy cut a strange figure amid
the bloody scenes Of that day. He
was scarcely twelve years old. he
had his drum. and also the sawed-ofr
musket that the soldiers had given him.
ance that. despite the narrowing expert
ences he had been through the Con-
federate laughed.
The boy did not see the joke. He
at the colonel, and. under cover OF
darkness. made his way back to his
regiment.
From that day his fame spread. and
Drummer Boy Of Chlckamauga." Then
the story Of how he entered the serv-
~ was told all along the Union lines.
Want To Go To Front.
Glenn was q ten-year-old Ohio boy
whom President lincoln issued the irst
call 70 volunteers. In the Third Ohio
Infantry, recruited near his home, was
Captain McDougall. friend OF the boy.
Young Clem was an orphan, and there
was no one to keep him from seeking
out McDougall and asking to be al
lowed to go to the 'front.'
Captain McDougall told the boy to go
BACK home. That did not discourage
Clem. About Jupne the Third Ohio
started for the mobilization camp at
Covington, Ky: When they arrived they
:aw climbing from a baggage car a very
orty, very sleepy. and very tired boy.
A. CSvinSton was the Twenty-second
Michigan Infantry.
him. he decided to offer his services to
the Aiohagan boys. But this time he
did not stop to get advice. He walked
directly into the colonel's tent. Again
he was laughed at. but his persistence
snd the fact that he already was away
from home. led the commanding officers
70 adopt him as a sort Of reg!mental
mascot and drummer boy.
The soldiers rigged out uniform. and
sawed off the barrel from the musket
which no used later with deadly effect.
Fought In Many Battles.
6eaides Chickamauga and Shiloh. the
boy took part In the battles OF Perry
vile, Murfreesboro. Kenesaw mountain,
Peach Tree Creek. and Atlanta. He es-
. oaped without injury until Atlanta. and
there he was wounded twice
General Thomas and General Logan
both became warm friends Of the youth
full sergeant. When General Grant was
elected President he sent for Glenn and
told MIN ne wanted him to enter West
Point: He took the examinations, but
his education had not been sufficient to
permit him to pass.
Then President Grant waived the West
Point fornnaI>es and made him a sec
was made first lieutenant, in 1852 he be-
came captain, a major in 1895. A lieu
tenant ian colonel In 1901. and colonel in
During his forty-seven vears osr sx-
perience he has acquired some positive
opinions about the need for a large
army.
Army Should Be Doubled.
THE Unite( stltcs army should be
doubled he said today; I'm In for q
bigger army. but not for a big armv.
we could go too far toward miiitarism.
Then I'm IN favor Of building up the
militia. We ought to pa va lot OF at
tention to that, and We ought to nav
the men who enlist in the militia some
thing for their service"
At present Colonel Glenn is In the Of
War Department. While he will 20 On
the list automatically as a brtgadier
general. there Is talk Of introdu cling in
Congress bill to make him a major
general
The Il" initial in his name, he would
have you know. Is for Lincoln
u met Lincoln once. In 1854" he said,
and ! thought him such wonderful
man that I took his name"
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