Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1918-05-28

&S>.zo 1t may truthfully be said that the
was won by an army of school
boys. The younger generation probably is not
of the fact that nearly million of those
who carried muskets on behalf of the Federal cause
less than sixteen years of age when they
listed. Statistics show that there exactly
844,S91 boys under that age in the Federal army.
There were 1,151 43S under eighteen years of age,
and Of the total enlistments of 278309 there were
2,15979s under twenty-one years of age.
Not only were the great majority of privates less
than tweny-one years of age, but the records show
that companies, regiments and brigades were COM
manded literally by schoolboys. At the close of
the war, it is said it the exception to find
brigade or division commander who was more than
thirty years old. =
Brig. Gen. John L. Glen is generally credited
with being the youngest soldier on record He was
born in Newark, o., August ID, 1851. He was not
quite ten years old when he entered the volunteer
service as a drummer at the beginning of the war;
Two years later, when he still not quite twelve
years old, he was regularly enlisted and took his
place in the ranks He was made sergeant for
bravery displayed in the battle of Chickamauga
and served until the close of the war He returned
to school when the war ended and graduated from
the Newark high school. In 1871 he appoint
ed a second lieutenant in the regular army and re-
manned in the regular service until 1915, when he
retired with the rank of brgadier general.
Among the heroes who were awarded the con-
gresional medal of honor for vaIOr shown upon the
field of battle there were many who were mere
children. A veteran officer of the Federal army
writing in the Philadelphia Public Ledger recalled
some interesting history connected with some of
these youthful heroes The writer gave the follow
ing account of some of these unusual cases:
Robinson b. Murphy was born May II, 1S49
He enlisted musician at the beginning of the
and the official statement of the action for
which he gained his congress medal reads:
"'At Atlanta, Ga, July %, 1864, being orderly to
the brigade commander, he voluntarily led two
regiments as re-enfOrcementS into line of BATTLE
where he had his horse shot from under him.
HE enlisted August 6, 1862, at the age of twelve
years, two months and twenty-fOur days, in the
One Hundred Twenty-seventh Illinois Volunteer
infantry, and made orderly to the colonel of
the regiment In January, 1864 he was made Or
derby to Gen. ]. A. j. Lightburn, and participated
in several hard-fought battles. In the army he
known as Bob. When he performed the wonder
full feat that gained him the medal he only
fifteen years old. The circumstances under which
young Murphy led two regiments into battle were
follows:
1.-The division in which General Lightburn COM
handed was that day on the extreme right of the
army, which being fanked by the enemy
Young Murphy sent to the right by his general
to find out the situation, and finding that the enc
my had fanked the right wing and driving
Them he rode on his pony down the line and met
General Logan who commanded that day. and
begged him with tears in his eyes for reinforce
ments, telling him they were cutting right all
to pieces. The general replied: have ordered
re-enforcements from the left, and here they come
now, and if you know where Chey needed, Bob
show them in And that is how he came to lead
the two regiments that day. General Lghtburn
wrote regarding Bob that he was not only brave
and faithful, but displayed remarkable judgment
for of his age, as / soon found out. / could
depend on him under any circumstances that might
arise
"And here is another very little chap who gained
his medal Orion p. Howe, born December %, 1S48
He enlisted early in the war and was wounded at
ord is a brilliant one, and General Sherman tells
the story in letter of August 8, 1863:
Headquarters Fifteenth Army Corps, Camp
Black River, August 8, 1868.
Hon. E. Stanton Secretary of War
"'Sir: take the liberty of asking, through you
that something be done for a lad named Orion P
Howe of Waukegan, ILL.,. who belongs to the Fifty
fifth Illinois, but at present is home wounded.
think he is too young for West Point but would be
the very thing for a midshipman. When the
sault at Vicksburg at its height, the 10Th of
May and l was in front near the road which
formed my line of attack, this young lad came up
to me- wounded and bleeding, with good, healthy
boys cry: General Sherman, send some cartridges
to Colonel Malmburg; the men are nearly all out"
whats the matter, my boy?" 'They shot in
the leg sir but l go to the hospital. Send the