The state herald., 1918-05-24

cartridges right away" Even where he stood the
shot fell thick, and told him to go to the ut
once. would attend to the cartridges; and OF he
lmped Just before he disappeared the hill. he
turned and called loud he could: "Caliber
.N." have not the lad since. ana his colonel
(Aalmburg) on inquiry gives me the address above
and says he Is bright, intelligent boy with fair
preliminary education. What arrested my atten
ton then wns-nnd what renewed my memory Of
tho fnct now is-that one SO young. carrying
musketball through his leg. should have found his
way to me that fatal spot. and delivered his
message. not forgetting the very important part Of
the cnliber Of his musket "a, which you know Is
an unusual one. I'll warrant that the boy has In
him the elements Of a man, and commend him to
the government worth the fostcrn; care Of
one of the national institutions. am. with re-
spcct
"'Your obedient servant.
"w. T. SHERMAN,
"Major General Commanding
aWhen the poet, George H. Boxer. learned Of the
episode Of young Howe. he put the story In
John Cook TOO. gained medal OF honor when
= mere child lie was born In Ohio, August TO- 1Si7
and enlisted In Battery B, Fourth United States
artillery. at the breaking out Of the war. He wns
serving bugler at Antietnm. and certainly did
enough to merit his medal The boy distinguished
himself ut Antletnm and In every fight in which
the command was engaged AT Antietnm the bat
terry was knocked to pieces. losing about 80 per
cent OF the men, killed or wounded. Captain C0mp-
bell fell, severely wounded. and young Cook MS
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 fe
low unstrapped pouch OF ammunition from the
body OF a dead gunner who wns lying near OF
the cnissOns, forward with II and acted as gun
ner until the end OF the fight.
~. c. Julius Langbein was Il very small boy.
indeed when nt the battle OF Camden. North Caro-
linn Aprti he liz al
The Official record stntcs that when drummer
boy, he voluntarily md under heavy fire went
TO the aid Of n wounded officer. procured medical
aid for him md aidcd In carrying him to n place
Of safety.' After the battle he wns granted short
leave Of absence to visit his parents and what n
thrill Of happiness the boy must have felt when
he handed his mother n commendntory letter from
his company commander
"And here In another boy who wears the con-
gress medal Of honor. n0bly won George d. Sid
man, O schooiboy from Michigan. n mere child In
years, when he made his great record and won the
medal for distinguished bravery In batte 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 Fitx John Porters Fifth army corps
was pittcd against the three army corps OF Gen.
erals Longstrcct, Ill, md 'stoncwnil' Jackson.
"I,rig. Gen. Daniel Buttcrfcld's brigade. com
posed OF the Twelfth Seventeenth and Forty yfourth
New York. the Eighty.thirj PennsyivnpIn and Six
tccnth Michigan Volunteer infantry regiments. TINT
dny occupied the left line Of battle In the form
Of n curve. with the Sixteenth and Eighty.thrd on
the extreme left and resting on tho border OF
ChIcknhonIny swamp. Here tho brlgnde was called
upon TO resist scycrn desperate charges OF the
enemy during the dny. which. In every nstnncc re.
suited In dcfcnt of the attacking forces.
ut wns In this 'forlorn hope rnlly TINT sdmnn,
then youth Of seventeen. serving IN the ranks or
Company &, Sixteenth Michigan. M n prlynie, but
borne the rolls OF his company ns n drummer
boy distinguished himself by wnylng his gun nnd
calling upon his comrades 10 rniiy on the colors ~
he hnd done. thus setting IN example TINT wns