Omaha daily bee., 1915-11-28
YOUNGEST VETERAN
TELLS HIS STORY
Brother of Omaha Man Furnishes
Proof He Enlisted When
Twelve Years Old.
CHALLENGES OTHER CLAIMANTS

Once more the youngest veteran of
the Civil War has been found.
George w. Johnston, president of
the Midwest Electric company Of
Omaha, claims he has found him for
sure, He says there can be no mis-
take about it now and that he chal-
lenges anyone on earth to produce
substantial evidence OF a younger
veteran.
The soldier is Johnston's brother.
His name is William F. Johnston.
He is at present Sergeant of Company
D., Michigan Soldiers home at Grand
Rapids.
Recently George w. Johnston Of Omaha
sent his soldier brother newspaper
clipping concerning one W. IL. Van
Ormsn who claimed TO be the youngest
soldier i'm the civil war The old sergeant
at Grand Rapids Strengthened up like a
whip of whalebone and declared Van
Orman long way behind him in honors.
He then wrote a letter telling of his
own case and challenging anyone to
come forward with evidence of having
btth younger III service OF the union
IN the great strife.
Enlisted at Age of Twelve.
Johnston was twelve years, three
months and twenty-three days old when
he Joined the colors
He was born June IS, 1850. in Detroit.
lie enlisted October IL, 1862.
Why say pal, ] was an old hand
at the business when Comrade Van
Orman was a raw recruit" Sergeant
Johnston wrote his Omaha brother.
He has recently applied for his sixty
six-year increase. and in so doing had to
furnish documentary evidence Of his age.
place of birth, parentage, and as he
puts 1t, what his parents had for break
fast three months before he was born
So there is no disputing his statement
OF his age
1t was not Johnston's fault that he did
not enlist younger. Three times he ran
away from school and battered barefoot
into the recruiting station flushed and
with craving TO get into the big
battles.
HiIIden Under Car Seat.
Each time he was rejected on account
of his youth. Finally he appeared again
just as a troop train was leaving The
soldiers liked him and wanted him even
though the recruiting officers rejected
him. So the soldiers gave him more
whisky than his young legs would carry
and stuffed him under a seat in the
smoking car. Once they got him out
20 the front with them there was no
trouble in getting him enlisted for his
parents were far away from there.
Here in part Is his own account of the
high lights in his war experiences:
II was taken prisoner at Culpeper
Court house, Virginia, October IL, 1863
and was a prisoner of war for thirteen
months and nine days. Was confined
In the following prisons, in that time
Lemberton building, Libby prison, Belle
Isle, all in Richmond Va i also was ir
the second detachment of prisoners sent
to the Hell Hole" Andersonville, In
March, 1854, and confined in that stock
ade until August, when we were sent tc
Savannah, and paroled about November
IS, 1864.
Not One Square Meal.
And say, not one square meal in al
that time, not one square meal, barely
enough to keep me alive, and me q
growing kid!
However Uncle Sam has certainly
tried to make up to US i'm our old age
what we gave him i'm our youth. OF
course. the wrong start in life that oui
army experiences gave some of us young
sters, who had the seeds of high living
from our forefathers, we never coulC
get over"