The Clio messenger., 1918-05-24

cartridges right away" Even where he stood the
shot fell thick, and told him to go to the at
once. would attend to the cartridges; and off he
limped Just before he disappeared on the hill, he
turned and called loud he could "Caliber
54." have not seen the lad since and his colonel
(Malmburg) on inquiry gives me the address above,
and says he is bright intelligent boy, with fair
preliminary education. What arrested my atten-
ton then was-and what renewed my memory of
the fact now is-that young. carrying
musketball through his leg, should have found his
way to that fatal spot, and delivered his
message not forgetting the very important part of
the caliber Of his musket, "a, which you know Is
unusual one I'll warrant that the boy has in
him the elements of man, and commend him to
the government one worth the fostering care of
of the national institutions. l am, with re-
spect,
"'Your obedient servant,
"'W. T. SHERMAN,
"'Major General Commanding
"When the poet George H. Boxer, learned of the
episode of young Howe. he put the story in verse.
John Cook, too gained medal of honor when a
mere child. He was born in Ohio, August 10, 1S47,
and enlisted in Battery Il, Fourth United States
artillery, at the breaking out Of the war. He was
serving as bugler at Antetam, and certainly did
enough to merit his medal. The boy distinguished
himself at Antetam and in every fight in which
the command was engaged. At Antetam the bat
terry was knocked to pieces, losing about 80 per
cent of the men, killed or wounded. Captain Camp
bell fell, severely wounded, and young Cook as
sisted him to the rear, quickly returning to the
firing line where, seeing nearly all the men down
and not enough left to man the guns the little fell
low unstrapped pouch of ammunition from the
body of dead gunner who lying near one of
the caissons ran forward with 1t and acted gun
ner until the end Of the fight.
81. G. julius Langben was a very small boy
indeed, when at the battle Of Camden, North Caro-
lima, April 49, 1862 he won his congress medal
no Stota hat sxyha a <lr
boy, he voluntarily and under a heavy fire went
to the aid of a wounded officer, procured medical
aid for him and aided in carrying him to place
of safety. After the battle he was granted short
leave Of absence to visit his parents, and what a
thrill Of happiness the boy must have felt when
he handed his mother commendatory letter from
his company commander.
"And here Is another boy who wears the con-
gress medal Of honor. nobly won George D. Sid
man. a schoolboy from Michigan, mere child In
years, when he made his great record and won the
medal for distinguished bravery In battle at
Gaines Mills June q, 1892 This battle the Sec
ond of the Seven Days Battles before Richmond
was one Of the most disastrous battles of the Civil
war; wherein Fitz John Porter's Fifth army CORPS
was ptted against the three army corps Of Gen.
erals Longstreet, Hill and 'Stonewall Jackson
BRIG Gen. Daniel Butterfeld's brigade, COM
posed of the Twelfth, Seventeenth and Forty-fourth
New York. the Eighty-third Pennsylvania and Six
teenth Michigan Volunteer infantry regiments, that
day occupied the left line of battle in the form
of a curve, with the Sixteenth and Eghty-third on
the extreme left and resting the border of
Chickahominy swamp. Here the brigade was called
upon to resist several desperate charges of the
enemy during the day, which. in every instance.
suited In defeat Of the attacking forces
1T was in this 'forlorn hope rally that Sidman,
then youth of seventeen, serving In the ranks Of
Company G. Sixteenth Michigan, as private, but
borne on the rolls of his company drummer
boy, distinguished himself by waving his gun and
calling upon his comrades to rally the colors
he had done. thus setting example that was