El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-26

Continued from
appoint you a second lieutenant in
I the regular army. and send you to
Fortress Monroe to catch up with
your studies"
Thus it was that Johnny got his
commission. and only two years ago
he was retired with the rank OF
brigadier general
Little Bobby Henderson, was a
drummer boy with the Union forces
engaged in trying to lay q bridge of
boats across the Rappahannock- Con-
federate sharpshooters on the opposite
bank, hidden in stores and dwellings,
kept u a deadly fire, and IL seemed
, impossible to dislodge them. All the
Federal Batteries opened on the town
simultaneously, and pitiless storm
of shot and shell ragged through the
streets, crashing through walls. plow-
ing Up thoroughfares, and not even
sparing churches
But the sharpshoofers lived through
the storm like salamanderse and
after il was over they were still at
their posts. shooting down with un-
failing craftsmanship the engineers
and bridEe-bui The only hope
OF Federal success seemed to lie in
sudden dash across the river. to
drive the Tiflemen out OF their holes.
Volunteers. anxious TO undertake the
periloUs duty manned a number Of
boats. and Hendershot- tried 10 jump
into one Of them. only TO be ordered
out
Bobby Captures SharpshoOterS.
Obtaining permission TO help push
one Of the boats off, he chung TO the
stern, instead of letting 20, and was
carried across. As he was Chamber
ing up the opposite bank piece Of
shell struck his gun and smashed it:
finding musket- he picked II UP and
vent scouting on his own account.
Opening the back door Of a house, he
discovered therein sharpshooter.
called upon him to surrender, made
him prisoner and took him back to
the other side OF the river.
Cen Burnside heard the story. and.
few days later. at parade. called
Bobby 10 him. and. in the presence
of the entire army, said, Boy, glory
in your spunk,-
New YOrk's Youngest Drummer.
The youngest drummer enlisted
from New York WIS !. c. julius Lang
bein. So slight Of build and so girl
ISL looking was he that the soldiers
called him Jennie" But he was
a little man all right. and even. a
bit Of a hero. He was with the IA
nous Hawkins Zouaves in the disas-
trous charge at Antietsm. when that
organization lost So per cent in killed
ana wounded \ big soldier put him
on the back Of a horse, which was
presently shot under him, and later on
dear life while the bullets flew thick
around him.
At the siege OF Norfolk the tassel
was shot off his fez by a Confederate
sharpshooter. But he seemed to bear
a charmed life, and, surviving the
war, studied law ard became judge.
Two New York boys. Fred Ritschy
and Phil Carroll went to the front to-
gether. as drummers. with the Union
Coast Guards afterwards known as
the Ninety ninth New York Nolun-
teer infantry. Both were under ] .
years Of age when they enlisted They
served three years. came home to-
Sether. and married sisters
Befriended By Southern Woman.
On one occasion they were put 10
bed in the guest chamber OF a South
ern mansion by a motherly mstron
whose own boy was beating n drum
in Lees army. She tucked them in.
kissed them good night, and dropped
q tear O. two on their upturned faces. I
saying that they and her own dear
child ought TO be al home instead of
in the field. Next morning. after they
had had breakfast. she gave them all
the vans they could carry back to
camp.
Little Gilbert Van Zandt, right {
away after the war broke out, vol /
10 drum at a soldiers meet /
ing in Port William. O., where he
lived and went to school. The meet
ing was held in the old brick school 4
house In August, 1852. being then