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^'t=6i^ 
 
 WESTERN ENGRAVINO CO.CmCAGO_ 
 
 1 DRUMMER Br.y npTHE RAPPAHANNOCK 
 
J> ' ROBERT HENRY HENDERSHOT; 
 
 OR, THE BRAVE 
 
 Irtimmtr %oy^ of tl^t ^u^fnlimmch 
 
 By WILLIAM SUMNER DODGE, 
 
 ADTHOR OF " CHRONICLES OF THE ARMY OF THB OCMBEULAND ;" "A WAIF OF THE WAR,' 
 ETC., ETC. 
 
 •' Ne'er waved beneatli the golden ran, 
 
 A lovelier banner for the brave, •- 
 
 Than that our bleeding fathers won. 
 
 And proudly to their children gave; 
 Nor earth a fairer gem can bring, 
 
 Or Freedom claim a brighter scroll. 
 Than that to which our free hearts cling — 
 The flag which lights the freeman's soul." 
 
 Anonymous. 
 
 CHICAGO: '^^ of - ohiofi^*^ 
 
 CHURCH AND GOODMAN, PUBLISHERS. 
 18G7. 
 
Entered according to Act of Congess, in the year 1866, 
 
 Bt R. H. HENDERSHOT, 
 
 In the Clerk's OflBce of the District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. 
 
 Cbcroh, Oooduam and Donnbllbt, Printers. 
 
V5 
 
 vo 
 
 ^ 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The object of writing this narrative is two-fold: First, to pre- 
 serve, in the annals of our country, the record of a brave boy's 
 deeds — a record so illustrious for one so young, that his name 
 has long since been trumpeted to an enduring fame ; and, 
 secondly, to afford those desirous of procuring such a record, an 
 opportunity. And here I may say, that I have aimed to present 
 facts as they are, clothed simply in language that may make 
 those facts interesting to the reader. I have not sought to 
 embellish, or overdraw. And while guarding against mere 
 superficial statements, unsupported by accurate information, I 
 have also endeavored to deal with my subject fairly and impar- 
 tially ; presenting, it is true, in bold relief, the nobler elements 
 in his nature, and yet not concealing those habits and actions, 
 which, by contrast, make the picture more perfect. 
 
 Adrift it is cast — a waif upon the great sea of literature — 
 with the earnest hope that ere it sinks to the depths of the for- 
 gotten and the unknown, it shall serve its purpose, by implant- 
 ing in the breasts of our present youth, the seed of a still purer 
 and nobler patriotism, which shall inure into a staple growth, at 
 once the honor and the shield of our common liberties. 
 
 WM. SUMNEE DODGE. 
 
 Washington, D.C, December 1, 1866. 
 
LETTERS. 
 
 "Washington, August 31, 1864. 
 His Excellency Abbaha.m Lincoln, President & the United States: 
 
 Will you permit me to recommend Robert Henry Hendei-sliot, the Drum- 
 mer Boy of the Rappahannock, to a cadetship at the West Point Military 
 School? He earnestly desires to acquire a military education, and his 
 youthful promise as a brave defender of his country, would seem to make 
 his application one deserving especial consideration. 
 
 The selection of this lad for such a favor by the Chief Executive may well 
 inspire the youth of the country with a spirit of emulation in the military 
 service, and meet with commendation from all patriotic people. 
 With sentiments of great respect, 
 
 I am, your obedient servant, 
 
 F. E. SPINNER, 
 TrecMwrer of the United States. 
 
 His Excellency Abraham Lincoln: 
 
 It affords mo the greatest pleasure to testify to the great gallantry and 
 loyalty of young Hendershot. He served under me for some tim«; and at 
 the battle of Fredericksburg displayed most distinguished courage. 
 
 A. E. BURNSIDE, Major General. 
 
LETTEES. V. 
 
 Army of the United States, 
 
 City Point, Va., January 14, 18G5. 
 
 I would most respectfully recommend this boy for a cadetship at the "West 
 Point Military Academy, during the ensuing year. 
 
 U. S. GRANT, Lieutenani General. 
 
 I cheerfully concur in the above recommendation. 
 
 aEORGE G. MEADE, Major General. 
 
 Robert Henry Hcndershot entered the service as a Drummer Boy of the 
 Ninth Michigan Infantry, in 1861. He was always brave, gallant and wor- 
 thy. He is of the proper metal to make a good soldier. 
 
 J. G. PARKEIIURST, 
 Late Colonel Ninth MirMgan Infantry. 
 
 I know the Drummer Boy, and cheerfully concur in the good opinion ex- 
 pressed in his favor. 
 
 J. R. SMITH, 
 lAeiut. Colonel U. S. A., Q. M. Dept. Ohio. 
 
 The bearer, the Drummer Boy of the Rappahannock, is deserving of the 
 gratitude of the American people. 
 
 H. G. EASTMAN. 
 
 I fully concur in tlio above. 
 
 P. H. SMITH, 
 Vice President Cldcago and Koi-th-iucstcm R. R. 
 
VI. LETTERS. 
 
 Tbeasurt op the United States, 
 
 "Washington, January 1, 1865. 
 Robert Heriry Henderahot is now a messenger in my office. For the six 
 months or more he has been in my office lie has conducted himself with the 
 utmost propriety. Aside from the reports of his good conduct in the mili- 
 tary service of which I have heard, I have seen evidence of his great per- 
 sonal bravery. I think him mado for military service. 
 
 F. E. SPINNER. 
 
 As a citizen of Michigan, I am proud of this boy. 
 
 R. N. RICE, 
 Gene)-al Supt. Michigan Central Railroad. 
 
 I know something of this boy, and believe he is very brave, manly and 
 worthy. 
 
 A. LINCOLN. 
 
 I concur in the above. 
 
 B, 0. C. ORD, Major General. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 Patriotism, or love of country, is one of the 
 cardinal virtues of every true heart. It has been 
 recognized as the crowning glory of generous 
 manhood and womanhood in all ages and in all 
 countries. Through all history, from the dawn 
 of civilized and even barbaric life to this present 
 day, mankind have declared it, written it, acted 
 it, vindicated it at all times, under all circum- 
 stances, through good report and evil report, at 
 the council fires of the untutored savage, in the 
 patriarchal circles of Eastern lands, in the 
 household, in the forum, the legislative halls of 
 States and Nations, and amid the carnage and 
 wreck of battles. It shines forth from the lore 
 of the ancient and mediasval commonwealths, — 
 
8 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 from Greece, and Italy, and Geneva ; from the 
 utterances of Demosthenes and Cicero, Bodinas 
 and Macliiavel ; of Calvin and Luther ; of Sidney 
 and Rousseau ; of Voltaire, D'Alembert and Did- 
 erot ; of Blackstone and Locke. 
 
 This spirit of patriotism, thus inculcated and 
 nurtured, imbued the souls of those noble men, 
 who, crossing " the desperate winter sea," estab- 
 lished our colonial life, carried their descendants 
 triumphantly through the sea of revolutionary 
 strife, and enabled them to found a grand Re- 
 public of States, based upon that lofty principle, 
 derived directly from Nature and Nature's God 
 — ^that creed so broad and so grand — that every 
 man is the equal, before the law, of every other 
 man ; that every man has an inalienable right 
 to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness ; 
 that the conscience should be unfettered ; that 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 the people are tlie source of power, and the 
 good of the people the sole object of govern- 
 ment itself. 
 
 It was this patriotism, this love of country 
 and free institutions, which prompted James Otis, 
 Patrick Henry, and John Adams, to utter words 
 for freedom that quivered with the electricity 
 of lightning, and burned deathless into a mil- 
 lion of hearts, flashed defiantly against despot- 
 ism from a million of eyes, and formed an army 
 of bayonets, which, to use the expressive elo- 
 quence of Adams, should resist all attempts of 
 George III. " to forge chains long enough and 
 strong enough to reach around these States." 
 And this patriotism, this love of our country 
 and free institutions, has never waned, never 
 ebbed and left barren the hearts of our people, 
 since those eventful days of revolution, blood 
 
10 
 
 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 and triumph. It lias formed an elemental, com- 
 ponent part, in all our constitutional policy, 
 in all our party organizations, in all our succes- 
 sive treaties, voyages and discoveries, in all our 
 campaigns and victories over foreign nations. It 
 is taught by the mother to the infant on her 
 knee ; it is nourished in the mother's milk ; it 
 is instilled into the youthful heart in the tales 
 of our revolutionary sires — the stories of the 
 great and good Washington, of WaiTen, and Put- 
 nam, and Greene, and Wayne ; of DeKalb, and 
 Kosciusko, and Lafayette — citizens of foreign 
 land^ but heroes in the cause of liberty. It 
 displays itself in our school-books, and in our 
 local and national histories. It is evinced in 
 the pride with which we hail the " starry em- 
 blem of our nationality," as glitteringly and glo- 
 riously it is borne aloft by militia soldiery on 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 11 
 
 training days and upon all public occasions. It 
 bubbles spontaneously from the heart as we 
 listen to the soul-stirring melody and sentiment 
 of our national songs. It glows radiant, jocund 
 and defiant, as we spread open the map of 
 America, and comprehend her vast expanse of 
 territory, her millions of people, her resources 
 of wealth and power, her commerce, inland and 
 on the seas, penetrating everywhere under the 
 sun ; her great names and her great days ; her 
 loving heart and her hospitable welcome, extend- 
 ing the promise of domicile and plenty to the 
 oppressed of the world. 
 
 These things, these realities, and these remem- 
 brances, have all combined to preserve and 
 strengthen patriotism in the American heart, and 
 thereby the sustenance and perpetuity of the 
 national life. 
 
12 THE DEUMMEK BOY OF 
 
 Is it strange, that under sucli a growth of 
 ideas and sentiment, the mass of the American 
 people, especially those descended from the Puri- 
 tanic stock of Pilgrim Rock, should rally with 
 a vigor unparalleled in the history of the world, 
 to save the Republic founded by their fathers, 
 and under which they had lived so long, enjoy- 
 ing so much of life and freedom, of happiness and 
 protection, when a portion of our people, de- 
 scendants, too, from the colonial founders at 
 Jamestown, influenced and maddened by mean, 
 ambitious men, sought to subvert that grand 
 Empire of States, bound together and for all 
 time by the Federal Constitution, which all the 
 people had declared was, and ever should be, 
 their supreme law ? 
 
 The convictions and earnest aspirations of all 
 lovers of our common country, were for the 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 13 
 
 maintenance of the Federal Government; and 
 "Let us figlit for the Union!" was the rally- 
 ing cry of the gathering hosts. The Churches 
 of all denominations thundered on behalf of the 
 cause of the Union. The Colleges of our coun- 
 try joined the Churches in their appeal for 
 National Unity. And the Literature of the land, 
 in its thousand forms, spoke trumpet-tongued for 
 the continued integrity of the " government be- 
 queathed to us by our beloved sires." 
 
 Thus, as in the olden time, was the great North- 
 ern heart nerved to battle. The South, intent on 
 the ruin of the national government, the structure 
 moulded by the wisdom of the greatest patriots 
 of earth, and baptized and sanctified hy a peril- 
 ous and bloody war — a structure grander far than 
 Ephesian temple — refusing all concessions, all 
 compromises, all conventions of the people, and 
 
14 THE DRTJMMEE BOY OF 
 
 every amicable settlement of their supposed diffi- 
 culties, declared for no peaceful arbitration, but 
 threw down at the feet of the Northern people 
 the unsheathed sword — symbol of war. 
 
 With a sorrowing heart, but a firm, undying 
 purpose, the North accepted the challenge, and 
 the tocsin of war sounded through the length 
 and breadth of the land. Everywhere were seen 
 the camp-fires of our citizen soldiery. In city, 
 and town, and ^'illage, were constantly heard 
 the drum and fife summoning patriots to action. 
 Thousands and tens of thousands of fathers, 
 mothers, sisters and sweethearts, were bidding an 
 affectionate, and alas ! far too often, an eternal 
 farewell to fathers, husbands, brothers and lovers, 
 hastening to the fields of carnage and glory. The 
 best manhood and the noblest youth of our 
 country rushed to the rescue. The war con- 
 
THE EAPPAHAISTTTOCK. 15 
 
 stantly assumed greater proportions, its terrors 
 and its dangers increased, and for four long 
 years the cause of the Union oscillated, pen- 
 dulum like, victory now perching on Union 
 and anon on rebel banner, until at last, God 
 smiling upon us, the Right was maintained, the 
 Republic vindicated, and Liberty secured in 
 reality as well as in name. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 V 
 
 Among those who became distiuguislied in the 
 history of the Great Rebellion was a lad of 
 twelve summers, who, inspired with noble im- 
 pulses to serve his country in its hour of peril, 
 early in the war won the admiration of the 
 soldiers and the people by his disj)lay of indo- 
 mitable courage and high chivalric spirit. 
 
 Robert Henry Hendershot, the brave Drum- 
 mer Boy of the Rappahannock, was born in 
 Cambridge, Michigan, on the 11th day of De- 
 cember, 1850, and is the son of worthy parents. 
 His father died when he was quite an infant. 
 In 1860, his mother moved to Jackson City, Michi- 
 gan, where, she being very poor, he did what he 
 
THE RAPPAHAI^NOCK^ 17 
 
 could to earn his own clothes, peddling fruit 
 and pop-corn on the Jackson and Adrian pas- 
 senger trains, and blacking boots for any person 
 who would give him a dime. The money he 
 thus earned, beyond what was necessary to pur- 
 chase raiment for himself, he gave to his mother 
 for safe-keeping. Occasionally he would extend his 
 sphere of traffic to Detroit. Thus he became 
 well known to the employees of the railroad, 
 and was quite popular with them. Although 
 of a disposition naturally good, kind-hearted, and 
 fond of his mother, he nevertheless, owing to 
 his mingling at such an early age among men 
 of rambling, reckless disposition, acquired to 
 some extent their habits and inclinations, which 
 he frequently gratified by running away from 
 home, generally by getting into the good graces 
 of persons connected with circus companies; and 
 
18 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 once lie accompanied, for some time, Dan. Rice's 
 famous show, wlierein lie became quite an expert 
 in feats of tumbling; in fact lie was up to 
 everytliing wliicli presented novelty and excite- 
 ment. 
 
 In the spring and summer of 1861, his mother, 
 realizing the lack of an education in herself, 
 and knowing the importance of it in children 
 growing up to take their places in the world, 
 persuaded Henry to attend one of the public 
 schools in the city, urging him to be diligent in 
 his studies and strive to fit himself for a clerk- 
 ship in a store ; telling him if he would learn 
 and be an honest, steady boy, he might some- 
 time become a merchant and have a store of 
 his own, gain wealth and live in easy circum- 
 stances, like many around him. 
 
 This kind counsel and appeal of the mother 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 19 
 
 deej^ly impressed the boy, and lie attended school 
 regularly, and really did Lis utmost to acquire 
 the education which unquestionably he so much 
 needed. All at once the cry of war resound- 
 ed through the land, striking momentary ter- 
 ror into the hearts of our people. Business 
 was suspended. Stores and workshops were 
 closed, the hum of the factory was stilled, the 
 plow was left in the partly-turned furrow; — all 
 was intense excitement, for the telegraph pro- 
 claimed everywhere that our Southern country- 
 men, maddened into desperation by mean, am- 
 bitious men, wild in the belief that their rights, 
 under the Federal Government, were assailed 
 and threatened with destruction, had, on the 12th 
 day of April defied the national authoiities, by 
 an assault upon Fort Sumter; which, after a 
 terrible resistance of thirty odd hours, had been 
 
20 THE DEUJSOfEE BOY OF 
 
 forced to yield, and tlie " Stars and Stripes," 
 that emblem of pride wliicli never before in 
 the history of the nation had been hmnbled by 
 a foe, was lowered, and that another flag, the 
 symbol of secession, with a palmetto and a ser- 
 pent, flaunted in its place. 
 
 It is not to be wondered at that an event 
 which overthrew the equanimity of the most 
 sober citizens, should equally affect the excitable 
 mind of a youth who had ever been ready for 
 any wild and romantic undertaking. In Jack- 
 son City, as everywhere else in the loyal north, 
 troops were being recruited under the call of the 
 President for seventy-five thousand volunteers, 
 and daily the piping of the fife and the beating 
 of the drum were heard throughout the town. 
 Companies of men were hastily formed and 
 marched away to the paints d?appui — Washington 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 21 
 
 in the East and Cairo in tlie AVest. And tlie 
 juveniles in the town, imbued also with martial 
 ardor, organized a soldier company, paraded the 
 streets with their wooden guns, displaying all 
 the pride, pomp and circumstance of glorious 
 war! Henry, although entirely ignorant of the 
 nature of war, its causes, consequences or the 
 object to be attained, nevertheless, felt the 
 witching spell with which the very mention of 
 war affects the ambitious mind, and possessing 
 some heroic ingredients in his composition, heartily 
 wished success to the soldiers, and longed him- 
 self to serve as a volunteer. But all his efforts 
 in this direction met with a cold repulse, the 
 plea in bar of his suit being his extreme youth. 
 Henceforth school had no pleasures for him, 
 and it was impossible to keep him in it. Never 
 was there a greater truant. The dream of war, 
 
22 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 the ambitiou for a soldier's glory, had filled the 
 measure of his soul, to the exclusion of every- 
 thing else ; nor could the lore of the school, 
 the talk of friends, the entreaties, the remon- 
 strances, or the whippings by the mother, in the 
 least affect his resolution to himself become a 
 soldier boy. 
 
 The national call for troops being speedily 
 filled, the excitement somewhat subsided, and 
 business again revived with an impetus perfectly 
 astonishing. War had its demands, and every 
 shuttle, forge and hammer leaped and rang as 
 if themselves feeling the inspiration. The Gov- 
 ernment and the people were determined to 
 crush the rebellion, and deemed the force already 
 called out a sufficient one to consummate the 
 work. How little they knew of the nature of 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 23 
 
 treason ! How poorly tliey read the horoscope 
 of the future ! 
 
 Altliougli the people, deluded in the strength 
 of the " mighty republic," at this juncture in 
 public affairs, and hugging to their bosoms the 
 delusion that the struggle impending was simply 
 the rebellion of a few fanatics and their dupes, 
 and could be crushed as easily as was the 
 Whisky Kevolt, or Shay's Rebellion, had re- 
 sumed their wonted avocations with that calm 
 contentment incident to strong faith, — still the 
 martial spirit evoked by the events of April had 
 taken deep root in the hearts of the youth, and 
 in Jackson, as in hundreds of other places, they 
 resolved themselves into, as they then thought, 
 permanent companies, seeming to comprehend, in 
 some measure, the magnitude the conflict would 
 assume, while declaring that " they would yet 
 
24 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 be big enougli to carry real guns, and shoot 
 them, too, before the war ended." How true 
 this utterance proved to be, the country knows, 
 alas ! too well. 
 
 Henry joined the little company of soldier 
 boys formed in his town, and soon became their 
 drummer. He got an old drum, and practiced 
 upon it so continually that the neighbors be- 
 came disgusted, and took it away from him 
 several times ; but the captain of the company as 
 often had it returned ; finally, he, too, tired of 
 the noise, and told the ambitious drummer that 
 he must give it up, but that he might become 
 a fifer for the company, if he could procure the 
 instrument. His ambition again aroused, he told 
 his captain he could get one. But how ? that 
 was the question. He had no money himself at 
 this time, nor would his mother give him any. 
 
THE EAPPAHAKNOCK. 
 
 25 
 
 for she was oj^posed to the whole scheme of his 
 becoming a soldier. At last he hit upon a 
 happy expedient, and proceeded to execute it. A 
 Mr. Kingsley owned a music store in the town, 
 and had a variety of wind and string instruments 
 for sale. Upon him the would-be fifer resolved 
 to play his stratagem. So he presented- the mat- 
 ter to him, urging the necessity of his having a 
 fife to play upon that night at the meeting of 
 the company, and that he had no money with 
 which to pay for it. Mr. Kingsley thereupon 
 kindly loaned him the fife, he agreeing to return 
 it at once. Here was a triumph; and, no doubt, 
 Henry honestly intended to return it as he had 
 promised; but becoming enamored with it, and 
 proud now in the title of fifer, he clung to it, 
 evading Mr. Kingsley constantly, hoping every 
 day, for weeks, that by some hook or crook he 
 
 3 
 
26 
 
 THE DEUMMEE BOY OP 
 
 miglit get three dollars and discharge the obli- 
 gation which he now felt that he had incurred. 
 Besides, his sense of guiltiness kept increasing, 
 and his studious avoidance of his patron only- 
 served to bring about exactly the reverse of what 
 he wished — the concealment from his mother of 
 the fact that he held wrongful possession of the 
 fife. For Mr. Kingsley, after several weeks, find- 
 ing that the boy avoided him, so that he could 
 get no explanation of his conduct, or the motive 
 that inspired him so to act, and knowing his 
 mother, naturally related the circumstance to her. 
 She, of course, expressed great surprise at the 
 conduct of her son, told him that she knew 
 nothing of the matter, and furthermore, that he 
 had not been home for fully two weeks, and 
 that she wished some one would bring him to 
 her. Mr. Kingsley kindly informed her of his 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 27 
 
 whereabouts, and slie immediately started down 
 town to find him. She met him on the street 
 and called him, but he ran away as fast as 
 possible. The reason of his running from home 
 was that his mother, having exhausted her pa- 
 tience, and finding that neither her entreaties 
 nor threats could induce him to attend school, 
 had on several occasions made hearty applica- 
 tions of birch by way of enforcing her counsels. 
 However much we may deprecate the result, 
 it is a fact that these punishments only added 
 fuel to the flame of his excitable and now per- 
 verse disposition. She then proceeded to an old 
 barn, the rendezvous of the company, and 
 arranged a plan with them for his capture, and 
 returned home. Henry soon after visited the 
 barn, when his comrades told him his mother 
 had been for him, and that he ought to be 
 
28 
 
 THE DEIJMMEE BOY OF 
 
 ashamed to treat lier so, and that they would 
 turn him out of the company if he did not go 
 home. He stoutly refused to go, when some of 
 them said they would take him to his mother 
 by force. Then ensued angry words, soon result- 
 ing in a quarrel, in which our hero was sadly 
 worsted. But they did not succeed in placing 
 him in the custody of his mother. Foiled again 
 in her attempt to catch him, the mother applied 
 to a policeman for aid, and he succeeded in his 
 effort, although it cost him a hard race, but 
 being the fleeter of foot he came out victor. 
 When he had thus been safely delivered into 
 the hands of the mother, she requested that the 
 policeman should hold him until she could pro- 
 cure a rope and tie him. This was soon accom- 
 plished. She then displayed a rawhide, which 
 she had bought purposely for the occasion, and 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 29 
 
 said to him, " What do you think of yourself, 
 now?" He replied very sulkily, "Nothing," 
 whereupon she proceeded to flog him most vig- 
 orously, he meantime screaming with all his 
 might ; but neither cries nor shrieks were of any 
 avail in his case, and the louder he cried, the 
 harder and faster came the blows. Nearly, if 
 not quite, an hour she inflicted this castigation, 
 and only ceased from sheer exhaustion. She then 
 commanded him to fall upon his knees and ask 
 her forgiveness. When he hesitated to do this 
 extreme act of penitence, she threatened to keep 
 him tied up until he did, and the thought of this 
 kind of imprisonment forced him to yield, and 
 he asked pardon as required. But this even did 
 not procure his release ; for his mother, feeling 
 that the fear of continued punishment, and not 
 a contrite heart, had influenced him to ask for- 
 
30 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 giveness, kept Mm confined with the cord for 
 a week afterwards, during which time she treat- 
 ed him in the most approved prison style, his 
 sustenance being solely a bread and water diet. 
 Now there can be no doubt that this punish- 
 ment was severe ; but the errors of the youth 
 were very grievous, and undoubtedly merited a 
 heavy penalty. But it would be a great wrong 
 to attribute these proceedings to any passion in 
 the . heart of the mother. Clearly she saw the 
 natural perversity of her son's disposition, and 
 had become satisfied that kind words were of 
 no avail, and that neither promises of reward, 
 nor threats of punishment, could make him bet- 
 ter; so, as most mothers would have done, per- 
 haps, in like circumstances, out of the fullness 
 of her love, desiring not triumph nor revenge, 
 but his own good, had felt compelled by her 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 81 
 
 sense of duty to resort to tliese extreme measures. 
 And again, that famous Italian proverb, " Tlie 
 Devil tempts every man^ hut the Idler tempts the 
 Devil^'' was a favorite truth with the fond moth- 
 er, for which reason she sought to force him to 
 school, thereby allowing him no leisure for bad 
 company or the formation of bad habits. Thus, 
 while some might denounce the measures she 
 tried in this behalf, no one should condemn the 
 motive which impelled her to them. 
 
 Nor was this punishment without good results, 
 for, after loosing him, his mother clad him neat- 
 ly and packed him off to school again, which 
 he continued to attend steadily for more than 
 a month, making rapid progress in his studies. 
 He was kindly encouraged by his teacher, who 
 used gentle means only, to instill into his mind 
 a love for books. 
 
32 
 
 THE BEUMIIER BOY OF 
 
 But, alas ! in the midst of tliis career of refor- 
 mation and learning, came tlie sad news of our 
 defeat at Bull Run, on that fatal 21st of July 
 — ^that first great battle in which we had hoped 
 to have gained all, but under the ruling of the 
 God of Battles had seemed to have lost all ; — 
 that great battle, following which a nation's mis- 
 erere was tolled from innumerable church-towers 
 over the nation's dead, and the clouds of gloom 
 and despair settled all over the land. But this 
 shock in battle, though ever so great, could not 
 crush the hopes of the American people, or in- 
 cline them to considerations of peace, compromise, 
 or an acknowledgment of the independence of the 
 so-called Southern Confederacy. It only served to 
 arouse the North to a pitch of excitement, in 
 comparison with which the former call for men 
 was like the current of a tiny brook beside the 
 
THE EAPPAHAKNOCK. 33 
 
 tidal waves of tlie miglity ocean. "Where troops 
 had gone forth before in regiments, they now 
 went in divisions. 
 
 In this renewed demonstration of popular en- 
 thusiasm, all the passions and ardor of Henry's 
 youthful heart, — which had not been annihilated, 
 but only slumbered, — burst forth with redoubled 
 violence and energy of purpose, and again all his 
 old habits of running away from school, and 
 absenting himself from home, returned upon him, 
 and naturally and inevitably he ran into further 
 trouble. For his mother again resorted to the 
 rod as the panacea for his ills; but the boy's 
 temper was more aggravated by another event 
 that occurred just at this time, and which is 
 worth narrating. His mother had been whipping 
 him, when a brother-in-law stepped in, and she 
 asked his advice as to what she should do with 
 
34 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 hiin. He replied, " I will give him something by 
 which to remember me." The boy then said, 
 " You are a fool," and immediately this intermed- 
 dler in other people's affairs gave him another 
 whipping, and a severer one by far than he had 
 ever before received. The whipping ended, being 
 maddened to desperation, Henry ran out of the 
 house and down town, resolved on never going 
 home again. Whither he should escape, or how, 
 he neither knew nor cared. Friendless, as he 
 thought, and penniless, he slept in a barn that 
 night, and the next morning jumped upon a pass- 
 ing train bound for Detroit. But here he met 
 with an unexpected difficulty ; for the conductor, 
 apprehensive that he was running away, and he 
 not having money to pay his way, refused to 
 take him to Detroit, directing him to return to 
 Jackson, where he lived, and telling him that 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 35 
 
 lie could not disobey orders by passing Wm over 
 the road free. His appeals made no impression 
 upon the conductor, so lie got off at Battle 
 Creek. He remained here several days. Borrow- 
 ing a fish-pole and line, he angled with con- 
 siderable success, selling fish enough to pay his 
 fare back to Jackson, and buy all the bread 
 and cheese necessary to satisfy his wants. As 
 for lodgings, he exercised real economy by sleep- 
 ing, as usual in such emergencies, in a barn. 
 
 But this absence from home, in a place where 
 all the people were strangers, and in which he 
 must work so diligently to procure even this 
 precarious subsistence, led him into^ a train of 
 reflections wherein, after first venting the emo- 
 tions of passion stirred within him at the thought 
 of the cruelty inflicted upon him by his mean 
 and despicable brother-in-law, as he was pleased 
 
36 
 
 THE DRUMMER BOY OP 
 
 to call him, lie began to come a little to him 
 self. His grief now took another turn, gradually 
 dissolving in a flood of tears, until he became at 
 last sufficiently cool to reason with his passions, 
 and seriously to reflect what steps were to be 
 taken in his sad condition. After revolving 
 many schemes of action, all of which seemed 
 formidable to him, he decided to return home, 
 to tell his mother all that he had done, ask 
 her forgiveness, resume school, and in all things 
 deport himself as he ought. It is difficult for 
 any one who has not felt it, to contemplate the 
 calm contentment and rapturous glow of Henry's 
 feelings, as he thus realized that he had gained 
 a noble victory over his passions. Pride now 
 came to his relief, and happiness, perfect almost, 
 possessed him, the only drawback being a feel- 
 ing of resentment towards his brother-in-law, for 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 37 
 
 his unwarrantable interference on tlie occasion to 
 which we have adverted. And, indeed, no one 
 can condemn this dislike, when he reflects what 
 human nature is, and how prone some persons 
 are, because they are of some kin to others, to 
 think that this relationship or affinity gives them 
 absolute right to interfere in all family matters, 
 whether these matters relate to themselves or 
 entirely to others. 
 
 Henry was gladly welcomed home by his moth- 
 er, who made no threats of punishment as he 
 had expected she would, and upon hearing his 
 story, and promises of future good behavior, only 
 remarked that unless he did behave and go to 
 school, she would not let him have any more 
 good clothes. 
 
 He was now, at least for a time, at peace. 
 Contentment was his lot, and when he laid him- 
 
38 THE DEUMMER BOY OF THE RAPPAHAlOrOOK. 
 
 self down to rest that niglit, he might have 
 said with Cato, in the tragedy — 
 
 ' ' let guilt or fear 
 
 Disturb man's rest : Cato knows neither of them ; 
 Indifferent in his choice to sleep or die." 
 
 How long this serenity continued, and how 
 well he kept his promises, will be known as we 
 proceed with the story 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 #-' 
 
 It was the tappy autumnal time. The fields 
 were still green, and the forests were dressed in 
 their many-colored garments — the oak in its deep 
 substantial red, the maple in its brighter hue, the 
 chestnut in its variegated green and yellow. The 
 sunshine fell upon them, and all nature smiled 
 with joy. It was just ere winter came to chill 
 and drive away the rich coloring and the gor- 
 geous tints of nature, and subdue the poetic 
 frenzy and bright-winged romance of the imagi- 
 nation and the heart. The spirit of patriotism, 
 which had lain dormant, not dead, in the bosom 
 of our hero, now once more began to strive 
 within him and with increased power. He was 
 
40 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 resolved this time to consummate his high hopes, 
 and become no mere player in the drama of 
 war, but a soldier in earnest, i-eady to dare and 
 to do in the cause of country and of right. 
 
 Again some soldiers were being recruited for 
 the army, and as usual they were drilled near 
 the town. Robert asked permission of the Cap- 
 tain to drill with them. The request was grant- 
 ed, and so, procuring one of the wooden guns 
 belonging to the mimic company of boys, he 
 daily performed the task of learning the manual 
 of arms, the facings, marchings, filings and align- 
 ments peculiar to the school of the soldier and 
 the company. 
 
 Robert was now proud and triumphant. A 
 new life rose up before him. The future was 
 all glorious. He felt that now he was somebody, 
 and with a firm tread he sought to impress 
 
THE EAPPAHAlSnsrOCK. 41 
 
 every one else with that fact. No Brigadier 
 General, with his gilded buttons and silver star, 
 could have felt the dignity of his position more 
 than he, the boy with the wooden gun, the am- 
 bitious youth of twelve summers. 
 
 And again he behaved naughtily by quitting 
 school altogether, forgetting home and mother, 
 causing her to grieve deeply over his wildness 
 and waywardness ; she pleading with him to come 
 home, and once more be her darling boy; he 
 refusing, and endeavoring to rouse her imagina- 
 tion up to the high coloring of his own. But 
 she, poor woman, ^ could see no glories in war 
 in which her boy could achieve a name, and 
 only pictured him a mangled corpse on the first 
 battle plain. 
 
 Still he remained with the company, eating 
 and sleeping in camp, and to all intents and 
 
42 THE DRTJMMER BOY OF 
 
 purposes a soldier. This company, when filled, 
 was to be attached to the Ninth Michigan In- 
 fantry. Its Captain, C. V. Deland, was really 
 a good, kind-hearted man, and proved a worthy 
 officer. One day Robert, whose soul was bent 
 on being a " boy in blue," said to him, 
 
 " Captain, won!t you enlist me for a soldier ?" 
 He replied, smiling, " No, my boy, I cannot. 
 You are too small ; the Government will not 
 accept you ; but you may remain here with us 
 and drill until we go away. Then you must go 
 home, for your mother don't wish you to go, 
 and you are too young to go without her con- 
 sent." 
 
 A week or more had passed after this con- 
 versation, when one morning a telegram came, 
 directing the company to proceed to Fort Wayne, 
 Indiana, there to rendezvous for a time. Robert's 
 
THE EAPPAHAimOCK. 
 
 48 
 
 mind was greatly pertui'bed. He did not like 
 tlie idea of j'unning away from home, but lie 
 knew full well his mother would not consent. 
 He had begged the Captain to let him go, and 
 had been refused. The thought of now foregoing 
 the realization of all his bright dreams, of thus 
 seeing his castles in the air disappear like dew 
 in the morning sun, was perfectly crushing to 
 his spirit, and for a little while he was convulsed 
 with grief. Then a resolution possessed him ; it 
 brightened his heart; it grew stronger with his 
 every thought; it intensified into faith; it in- 
 hered within, and emboldened him to attempt 
 an adventure whereby to gain his darling pur- 
 pose. 
 
 And so when the train departed, he secreted 
 himself among the soldiers in one of the cars, 
 for he was become a favorite among them, and 
 
44 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 remained hidden away until they reached the 
 point of destination. So far, so safe, thought 
 the boy. But a new danger stared him in the 
 face. The Captain meeting him, insisted that 
 he must go back home. He pleaded to remain, 
 and as an excuse said he had ng money. The 
 Captain generously offered to pay his fare back. 
 This was a response which he did not expect 
 or wish to receive. Then he changed his tac- 
 tics, saying he wished to be a soldier, and if 
 the Captain would let him remain, he would 
 wait upon him, and do everything he wished 
 for him. Finally, the Captain thinking that in 
 all probability the Company would return through 
 Jackson when ordered to the South, consented, 
 resolved that then he should leave him at all 
 events. But he was destined to find his little 
 warrior a persistent fellow, and as hard to get 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 45 
 
 rid of, thougli by no means so terrible, as was 
 the " Old Man of tbe Sea," in the story of Sin- 
 bad the Sailor. 
 
 Tlie Company, together with others of the re- 
 giment, remained encamped at Fort Wayne about 
 a month, and meantime Robert did his duties 
 well, aiding the Captain in every way he could, 
 while he in return treated him with great kind- 
 ness, allowing him to sleep in his tent, and eat 
 at his mess. While here, occurred another op- 
 portunity for the boy to practice the drummer's 
 art, and he improved it by daily going out with 
 the " drum corps," and soon was able to 
 play a tune. The old drum-major encouraged 
 him by declaring he would yet be a proficient, 
 a credit to the profession, and urged him to 
 persevere. Thus flattered, he resolved on becom- 
 ing a di'ummer. He was very happy, and he 
 
46 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 seemed forgetful that ever there might arise a 
 cloud to darken the sunshine of his joy. 
 
 It was drawing near the New Year, when the 
 summons came to move southward to the " Seat 
 of War," With a half melancholy face Robert 
 aided the Captain in packing his carpet-sack, 
 saw with regret the camp broken up, and still- 
 ness and desolation creep in where but an hour 
 before all had been life and pleasure. At last, 
 just as the cars were starting, he ventured again 
 to plead his cause, and asked his friend if he 
 could not go with him down south to help fight 
 the rebels. He replied, feeling deeply in sym- 
 pathy with him, that he might go if his mother 
 was willing. Now his countenance brightened, 
 his wonted cheerfulness returned, and he seemed 
 conscious of coming triumph. 
 
 As the train neared the depot at Jackson, a 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 47 
 
 multitude of people were seen, who had gathered 
 to bid friends a final adieu, and among them 
 Robert quickly discovered his mother, who had 
 come to see if she could once more regain her 
 child. The Captain had said that if his mother 
 consented, he could get upon the next train, 
 which would also be loaded with soldiers bound 
 for the same place, so he would have no diffi- 
 culty in joining him. Fearing to ask his moth- 
 er's consent in the presence of the Captain, feel- 
 ing assured that she would stoutly refuse the 
 request, and failing to procure his influence as 
 an advocate in his cause, he again resorted to a 
 questionable strategy. He embraced her affection- 
 ately, and quietly accompanied her home, resolved 
 that if she did refuse to give her permission, he 
 would run away when the next train came 
 along. He soon broached the subject which lay 
 
48 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 next his heart, but all his pleadings, all his ap- 
 peals, all his pictures of the renowned glories 
 of war, made no impression upon her. Her 
 only reply was that he was too young and she 
 could not let him go. Then he calmed down, as 
 if he considered his mother's plea-in-bar a law 
 which he must obey. He lay around the house 
 composedly ; he whistled recklessly and sang 
 scraps of songs with a perfect air of indiffer- 
 ence, creating the impression in his mother that 
 he cared but very little whether he went or 
 stayed after all. And thus he threw the good 
 woman off her guard. And when he heard the 
 whistle of the coming train, he innocently re- 
 marked that he would just go to the depot to 
 see some of the boys of his acquaintance. And 
 she, poor soul, knowing nothing of the charac- 
 ter of the train, was deceived, to her own most 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 49 
 
 bitter disappointment; for soon after she saw 
 the cars slowly approaching from the depot, and 
 observed that they, too, were filled with sol- 
 diers. Apprehension seized her, and she ran 
 towards the track and then beheld, in great 
 sorrow, her boy standing on the rearmost car, 
 waving his handkerchief with the rest, and bid- 
 ding everybody in general farewell. As the 
 train passed the spot where his mother stood, 
 in tears, he exclaimed, " Don't cry, mother ! I'll 
 write you when I get to Louisville." Seeing 
 now that all was over, that he was resolved to 
 go, she simply said, " Good-bye, Robert ; Pray 
 oftmi.^'' And so swiftly sped on the cars, while 
 she retraced her steps homeward to hide the 
 grief that pressed her soul to earth. Nor was 
 the heart of the boy hardened, although many 
 of my readers may seem ready to execrate him 
 
50 
 
 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 for SO shamefully treating his mother. I can 
 assure all such that it was no real wickedness 
 of heart, but an earnest, persistent, uncontrollable 
 longing to mingle with the soldiers in the tented 
 field, and himself to be a soldier. He felt in his 
 S23irit that high sense of patriotism which Horace 
 expresses in this way — rather poor paraphrase, 
 perhaps, of the original — 
 
 "Who would not die in his dear country's cause I 
 Since, if base fear his dastard step withdraws, 
 From death he cannot fly : one common grave 
 Receives, at last, the coward and the brave." 
 
 And so he kept on the train withr the strange 
 regiment, and arrived at Louisville the next morn- 
 ing. The soldiers treated him kindly, and gav.e 
 him generously of their fare. At that time few 
 men could be found who would discourage any one, 
 no matter how young, from enlisting in the army. 
 
THE RAPPAHA'NNOCK. 51 
 
 Arriving at Louisville, the regiment lie came 
 witli was marched tbrougli the city and encamped 
 on its southerly border. Hardly were they upon 
 the ground, when our youthful adventurer des- 
 cried in the distance another encampment of 
 tents, and he made all haste to ascertain if the 
 Ninth Michigan was there. Fortunately, or un- 
 fortunately (every one must judge for himself 
 which), he found that command, and at once. 
 Seeing the regimental colors flying midway of a 
 long line of tents, he knew that must be Compa- 
 ny C — his favorite company — the one commanded 
 by Captain DeLand. The first man he chanced 
 to meet was the Captain himself, and he ap- 
 peared greatly surprised at again seeing what he 
 was pleased to style " a perfect little pest." His 
 surprise over, the Captain asked Robert how he 
 came there. He told him a well-made-up story. 
 
52 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 partly true and partly false. Tlie • Captain 
 seemed satisfied and took him into his tent. 
 After a time, feeling anxious for the fears of 
 the mother, knowing as he did that her trouble 
 with him was great, he asked him again, and 
 cross-questioned him very much as a lawyer 
 would a witness. The boy, through fear of being 
 sent home, had based his former story on a 
 false foundation ; and now, in the rigid examina- 
 tion he underwent, he diverged widely from his 
 former statements ; — ^in short, he was caught in 
 what plain-spoken people call a lie. The result 
 was a conference between the Captain and his 
 subaltern, Lieutenant Purdy, and a resolution on 
 their part to return him to his mother. 
 
 But as Fielding, whom I regard as the truest 
 depicter of poor human nature, says : "A single 
 bad act no more constitutes a villain in life, 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 53 
 
 than a single bad part on the stage. The 
 worst of men generally have the words rogue 
 and villain most in their mouths, as the lowest 
 of all wretches are very apt to cry out, Low 
 in the pit." Therefore while we may, and must, 
 condemn the untruths he told, we should mol- 
 lify that condemnation by the fact that the un- 
 truths were not the emanations of a heart base 
 in itself, but the weak fortifications which Satan 
 always proffers to those who distrust the naked 
 truth, when they wish to carry out some pas- 
 sionate ambition of the heart, and are afraid it 
 will be laughed at or crushed out by those upon 
 whom they most depend for its realization. 
 
 The very next morning he was put on the 
 train and arrangements were made with the 
 conductor to send him home. The Captain, just 
 before the departure of the train, said to him, 
 
54 THE DEUMIVEEE BOY OF 
 
 " Will you go home now, and be a good 
 boy ?" 
 
 The youth, bursting with rage and mortifica- 
 tion, concentrated it all in the laconic expletive, 
 "JVo, I iDonHr 
 
 The Captain replied, " Then I shall tie you, 
 for you've got to go liomej'' and procuring a stout 
 cord he did so; and after giving him some mo- 
 ney to buy his . meals with, and putting him in 
 the special custody of the brakesman, he bade 
 him good-bye, with another imperative injunction 
 not to come back and trouble him any more. 
 
 At Indianapolis the baggage-master, out of com- 
 passion, untied him and he ran away. When 
 the next train left for the south, he asked the 
 engineer if he would let him ride, telling him 
 that his regiment was at Louisville and that he 
 was a drummer-boy. The engineer said, 
 
THE RAPPAHAISTNOCK. 55 
 
 " Yes, and welcome, if you have no money." 
 Our hero replied, and truly, " I have some 
 money, just enough to buy my meals." 
 
 The eno-ineer then told him that he liked all 
 the boys in blue, and they should never be 
 compelled to walk if he could give them a 
 ride ; that he did not go to Louisville, but he 
 would put him in charge of the engineer who 
 would take his place, so that he would reach 
 there safe and sound ; and completed his generosi- 
 ty by giving him five dollars to help him 
 along. Again he went whirling over the rail, trav- 
 eling with winged speed through forests, across 
 prairies, over bridges, under arches, through city 
 and town, with hope, that darling solace ! full 
 high advanced, all thoughts bent on the bright 
 side of the future, with never a care for its 
 thick-coming sorrow and gloom. 
 
56 THE DRUMMER BOY 
 
 Had a veritable ghost like that even of Ban- 
 quo, or such an one as the old popular supersti- 
 tion declares to inhabit the Potter's-field, frig-ht- 
 ening all good people out of their senses at the 
 simple idea of those once consigned to dust 
 reappearing and pirouetting in the grim ghastli- 
 ness of death : — had such a shade appeared from 
 the disemboweled earth to the said Captain De 
 Land, his mortification, indignation, and fright 
 even, could not have been greater than when, 
 the very next evening, Robert Hendershot stood 
 before him. All entreaties and threats were un- 
 availing. It was evident he would not go, and 
 could not be sent^ home. So the Captain tried 
 to drive him home by telling him what dread- 
 ful things he would do when they should get 
 into a fight; but failing in this to cower his 
 pluck, he resorted to whipping, hoping that 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 57 
 
 abuse would force him away. This only made 
 the boy very mad, and he declared he would 
 not go home, but would join some other com- 
 pany. The Captain, full of vexation, replied " he 
 did not care where he went, if he only kept 
 out of his company." I hardly think the Cap- 
 tain meant this, for he really liked the boy, 
 and would gladly have had him stay but for 
 the fear that if anything happened to the youth 
 his mother would have considered him to blame. 
 Robert, however, took the Captain at his word, 
 and going to the Captain of Company B, he 
 soon won his good graces and became a servant 
 for him. He now thought he was all right for 
 a soldier, and went with the regiment the next 
 day to West Point, a small but desolate place 
 near the mouth of Salt River, which stream 
 flows into the Ohio some thirty miles south- 
 
58 THE DEUJIMER BOY OF 
 
 west of Louisville. For some two montlis he 
 served in tliis way, at -first enjoying it greatly, 
 hut gradually disliking tlie whole business. 
 
 It was winter, and the weather was peculiar 
 to the climate of Kentucky at such a season ; 
 the sun was scarcely visible for weeks ; the 
 clouds hung in dark, heavy masses around the 
 horizon, or extended to the zenith with leaden 
 hue, pregnant with rain which drenched the earth 
 for days at a time ; the mud was deep and 
 treacherous, the dread 'of man and of beast ; and 
 camp, too, was a perfect monotony, there being 
 no enemy save a few guerillas within a hun- 
 dred miles or more. 
 
 No wonder that in such a climate and amid 
 such dreary surroundings our hero should get 
 homesick and begin heartily to wish himself at 
 home. But this wish could not be granted then, 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 59 
 
 the Captain said, for on the very day Le made 
 the request, the regiment was ordered to Mul- 
 drough's Hill. What his ambition had prompt- 
 ed him to, necessity now seemed to demand ; 
 and while thus feeling homesick and discouraged, 
 ready for any fate, the Captain offered to mus- 
 ter him in as a drummer-boy, and with a glad 
 heart he accepted the proposition. Accordingly 
 he became at last a soldier in reality as well as 
 in name. His purpose was now accomplished. 
 The sunbeams of cheerfulness again shone in his 
 heart, and he soon began to display all those 
 qualities of hardihood and recklessness so natu- 
 ral to the soldier. 
 
CHAPTEK IV. 
 
 Muldeotjgh's Hill is one of the jagged and bro- 
 ken spurs of the Cumberland Mountains, and 
 traverses the Louisville and Nashville railroad 
 due east and west, about thirty -five miles south 
 of the former city. It was near here, while, on 
 the 17th of September, 1861, the rebel General 
 Buckner, with a force of* 20,000 men, threaten- 
 ed the seizure of that city, and with it the 
 State of Kentucky, that the chivalrous Rousseau, 
 with his little band of 2,000 men, waded the 
 turbid waters of the Rolling Fork, and placing 
 them upon Muldrough's heights, defied the rebel 
 horde. It constitutes a natural defence to all 
 the country north of it. It was to aid in 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 61 
 
 strengthening this naturally strong position that 
 the Ninth Michigan was ordered here, and they 
 at once commenced the construction of earth- 
 works. 
 
 While here Robert was armed and equipped 
 with a Colt's revolver and a drum, and so 
 good a master did he have, and so ambitious 
 was he to excel, that he speedily became an 
 excellent drummer. And while here, too, he 
 commenced practising with the pistol, in case 
 he should have occasion to shoot a rebel. He 
 had possessed his pistol for some time, but had 
 never been permitted to fire it. One afternoon, 
 being sent to a neighboring town on an errand, 
 he carried his pistol with him, and said to him- 
 self, " Now I will shoot it all I please, and the 
 guards can't stop me either." When well on the 
 way he discharged one barrel, then reloaded it, 
 
62 THE DEmiMER BOY OF 
 
 and soon after, seeing a good fat hog, he was 
 tempted to shoot it. "When one ponders upon 
 the commission of a wrong act, if he harbor 
 the e^dl intent in his heart for a moment, hu- 
 man nature is so weak that she generally sur- 
 renders her fortress of honor and truth, and 
 what was a mere thought becomes an accom- 
 plished fact, and then, when too late, the wrong- 
 doer repents his folly. And so it was in this 
 case. For after Robert had shot the hog five 
 successive times before killing it, he became 
 frightened at what he had done, and ran to 
 town with all his might. On the way he met 
 a man and a boy, who inquired of him whether 
 he had seen a hog, saying they had lost one. 
 His guilty conscience accused him, but he stifled 
 it and boldly answered, " I have seen no hog 
 at all on the road." He returned to camp by 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. G3 
 
 the same road, and upon passing the spot 
 where the hog lay, there were two citizens, the 
 boy and a soldier looking at it. He was again 
 asked if he knew anything about the matter, 
 and he again stoutly denied any knowledge of 
 it. The idea was very prevalent among our sol- 
 diery that all was fair in war, and that being 
 in a Southern State they were of course in the 
 country of the public enemy, and therefore that 
 pillage, plunder, theft and the destruction of 
 property in general, were the essential concomi- 
 tants of that condition. To guard against the 
 commission of these grave offenses, wherein the 
 soldier constituted himself the judge with plen- 
 ary powers of execution, orders were issued by 
 military commanders prohibiting these acts of 
 lawless violence, and declaring that the severest 
 punishment would be inflicted upon those guilty 
 
64 THE DEITMMEE BOY OF 
 
 of perpetrating tliem. Once safe in his own camp, 
 the adventurer was so elated that he could not keep 
 the secret to himself, but told some of the members 
 of his company, and that night he, with others, 
 stole through the guard line, found the hog, 
 cut it up, and packed it back to camp. The 
 boys thought they would like fresh pork for a 
 change. Robert got one leg for his share, and 
 gave part of it to his Captain. He naturally 
 asked him where he got it, and remarked that 
 the man who killed it was not a very good 
 butcher. Robert simply replied that he had 
 bought it down town. The next day a man 
 came into camp and complained to Colonel 
 Duffield that his men had killed one of his 
 hogs, and taken and cooked it. The Colonel 
 replied, that he had heard nothing of the affair, 
 but would investigate it. He then asked the 
 
THE EAPPAHANKOCK. 65 
 
 man if he knew who had done it. He said 
 he thought it was a small boy. The Colonel 
 remarked that he would try to find out who 
 were implicated, and make them pay for it. 
 He directed the " officers' call " to be beaten, 
 and on presenting themselves, they were asked 
 if they knew anything about the matter. The 
 Captain of Company B said : 
 
 " My Drummer-boy brought me a piece of 
 pork for my breakfast this morning, but I do 
 not know where he got it ; he said he bought 
 it." 
 
 Robert was then called up to the Colonel's 
 tent, and the following colloquy ensued : 
 
 Colonel. Robert, do you know anything about 
 this man's hog ? 
 
 Bjobert. No, sir. 
 
 Colonel, Where did you get the pork you 
 
 5 
 
THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 gave your Captain ? 
 
 Bobert. I bought it. 
 
 Colonel. Who from? 
 
 JRobert. From a man down in town. Here 
 liis face turned very red, and lie could scarcely 
 speak. 
 - Colonel. Have you a pistol? 
 
 Hohert. I have, sir. 
 
 Colonel. Let me see it. After examining it, 
 he said, " When did you fire it last ?" 
 
 Robert. Yesterday. 
 
 Colonel. How many times % 
 
 Robert. Five. 
 
 Colonel. This man says, when you came to 
 camp you passed him on the road, and you 
 had no load — nothing in your hands ; besides, 
 there were five pistol shots in the hog. 
 
 Robert's guilt now flew in his face, coloring 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 67 
 
 it deeper tlian before ; lie saw that he was cor- 
 nered, and resolved to tell the truth, so far as 
 he was concerned ; but in no manner to betray 
 his companions in the adventure. He therefore 
 told the truth, only assuming that he had 
 brought the hog to camp himself; and thus 
 the affair was settled ; he, for his punishment, 
 being sent to the guard-house for one week. 
 
 The Colonel soon after found out that other 
 members of Robert's company had helped him 
 to cut up and bring the pork into camp : and 
 although he condemned the act in all its details, 
 nevertheless being a man of generous impulses, he 
 could not but approve and applaud the firmness 
 and integrity of the boy's friendship in assum- 
 ing that he alone had committed all the wrong, 
 thereby screening from punishment those who 
 were also implicated, but who would not have 
 
68 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 been had lie not divulged the fact of the kill- 
 ing. Some very moral and religious people may 
 question whether there be any principle of honor 
 presented in this transaction. I have no dispute 
 to make upon that point, and will simply re- 
 mark that there are those who think one part 
 of it highly commendable, and that the world 
 would be better off were such conduct more 
 frequently practised. 
 
 The next day the Colonel released the drum- 
 mer-boy from imprisonment, restricting his liberty 
 for the week to the camp lines, and advising 
 him to do wrong no more. 
 
 A few days after this occurrence, the regiment 
 was ordered to the foot of Muld rough's Hill, 
 and encamped there for several days. One of 
 the most noticeable features in the life of a new 
 soldier is his exceeding wariness and watchful- 
 
THE EAPFAHAZlSrNOCK. 69 
 
 ness, especially if he is in tlie field and liable 
 to be confronted by an enemy. Until lie has 
 become a veteran, inured to the hardships, ex- 
 posures and dangers of the soldier, he never 
 ventures forth without a musket, bayonet and 
 pistol, fearful of meeting a foe. 
 
 Kentucky during the war was more or less 
 hostile ground. A large majority of the people 
 were true to the Union cause, but there existed 
 within its borders a powerful minority, whose 
 every sympathy was with the rebellion, and who 
 constantly encouraged rebel invasions and raids. 
 And therefore, while our armies were far ad- 
 vanced southward, and the rebel hosts far down 
 in Middle Tennessee, or Alabama and Georgia, 
 still there was no security for persons or prop- 
 erty, for the cavalry of the rebels Morgan and 
 Forrest, and scores of guerilla bands under desper- 
 
10 
 
 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 ado lead, daslied through the country, hither 
 and thither, with the seeming rapidity of a comet, 
 carrying consternation, ruin and death all along 
 their course. 
 
 The new regiments which generally performed 
 guard duty along our railroad communications, 
 and at exposed points, were necessarily on the 
 alert to prevent surprise and the destruction of 
 the charge in their keeping. Outpost duty was 
 therefore strictly executed, and so susceptible of 
 fear is the imagination in time of real or sup- 
 posed danger, that many false alarms result and 
 many ludicrous scenes occur. Not unfrequently 
 some poor animal paid the penalty of its life 
 for presuming to venture too near the over-zeal- 
 ous pickets in search of a stray bit of herbage. 
 Such an event happened at this time with the 
 Ninth Michigan. One very dark night, about 
 
THE KAPPAHANKOCK. 
 
 71 
 
 the hour of twelve, one of the guards heard 
 something approaching him, and with gruff voice 
 shouted "Halt!" then repeated the well-known 
 formula " Who comes there f " A second and third 
 time this query was propounded, but no answer 
 came. Hearing the noise continue, apparently a 
 stealthy creeping through the bushes near him, 
 fear, too, partly seizing him, so that now one 
 foot-tread magnified into the tramp of a thou- 
 sand, he fired his gun and at once raised an 
 alarm. The entire camp was awakened, great 
 excitement prevailed, men were ordered out, their 
 guns loaded, the picket line reinforced, and the 
 regiment held for action ; and so the long hours 
 of that eventful night passed away in earnest 
 watching and fearful suspense. But no enemy 
 appeared, no attack was made, in fact, no fur- 
 ther noise was heard ; this awful stillness made 
 
72 
 
 THE DRUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 the suspense more terrible. Daylight came at 
 last, and the object of the alarm was discovered. 
 A few rods in front of the trusty guard was 
 found an unfortunate pig, which, having got en- 
 tangled in some briars, had naturally tried to 
 get out, but not without making some noise. 
 This had attracted the sensitive ear of the guard, 
 resulting in the instantaneous death of the pig, 
 without even a parting squeal to inform his 
 enemy of tlie nature of his victim. 
 
 And how did our hero behave; he who had 
 been so persistent in his efforts to become a sol- 
 dier and shoot the traitors to his country? The 
 record exhibits no special bravery ; but on the 
 other hand he very much resembled the courage 
 of Jos. Sedley — a character so inimitably de- 
 scribed by Thackeray in his "Vanity Fair." 
 In the confusion incident to the alarm, our brave 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 73 
 
 warrior boy frantically rushed through the camp, 
 having first beaten the long roll, and seeing 
 Lieutenant Purdy — one of those officers who had 
 taken such an active part in sending him home 
 on a former occasion — he despairingly asked 
 him " What shall I do ?" meanwhile hanging on 
 his coat-tail and following him around as if he 
 were his only friend on earth. The Lieutenant, 
 ashamed of the ridiculous sight, peremptorily 
 ordered him away, telling him that if he hung 
 on him he would get shot. This remark had 
 its weight, Robert evidently seeing the thing in 
 a new light, and remembering there was a barn 
 a little distance in rear of the camp, he ran 
 and hid away in that till morning. Perchance 
 at this time he thought with Hudibras — 
 
74 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 " Ah me I what perils do environ 
 The man that meddles with cold iron 1 
 For tho' Dame Fortune seemed to smile, 
 And leer upon him for a while, 
 She'll after show him, in the nick 
 Of all his glories, a dog-trick." 
 
 He afterwards very sagely remarked in speaking 
 of this affair, " I did not get killed that night, 
 sure." But we must remember that this was the 
 boy's first experience in an alarm of battle; 
 and we cannot wonder that a lad of twelve 
 years should get frightened, particularly when 
 we recall the fact that hundreds and thousands 
 of full-grown men have run on similar occasions. 
 A week after this affair the regiment was or- 
 dered to Nashville, Tennessee, going by rail to 
 Louisville, thence by steamer to Smithland, a 
 small town at the mouth of the Cumberland 
 river, thence across the country to their destina- 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. T5 
 
 tion on foot. Arriving here, Robert met with 
 another adventure. Anxious to see the city, he 
 received permission from his Colonel to do so. 
 Having satisfied his desire in this respect, he 
 began to inquire the whereabouts of his regiment, 
 but all his inquiries were unavailing. A very- 
 rigid system of Provosts was maintained at that 
 time in the city, and as night approached they 
 made their usual rounds, halting every soldier 
 they met, and woe to him if he had not the 
 requisite pass properly signed by his command- 
 ing officer and approved at Post Head Quarters. 
 Robert, little knowing the existence of this 
 strict rule, soon fell in with a squad of these 
 patrols, and having no pass at all, save the ver- 
 bal one received fiom his commander, and which 
 the soldiers failed to see, was marched, in spite 
 of all his protestations, to the guard-house, where 
 
76 THE DEUMMEE BOY. 
 
 he had the privilege of lying on the naked 
 floor for the night. The next morning he was 
 returned to his regiment, and again made a 
 short residence in the guard-house for being gone 
 all night. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 The regiment now proceeded to Murfreesboro, 
 Tennessee, a place now famous in history and 
 in song for the many hard-fought battles in and 
 around it. It is a beautiful town of about four 
 thousand inhabitants, situated on high rolling 
 ground, bordering the north fork of Stone river, 
 and thirty miles south of Nashville, on the 
 Nashville and Chattanooga railway. It has many 
 handsome houses, several churches, and a court- 
 house very pretty in its architectural design, 
 and which stands in the centre of a large pub- 
 lic square, all around which are the business 
 places of the town. The surrounding country 
 stretches away in a plain-like surface, especially 
 
78 THE DEUMMEK BOY OF 
 
 on the south and west, presenting a great va- 
 riety of landscape. Here and there appear great 
 tracts, cultivated with cotton or with grain, while 
 ever and anon are seen the spacious mansions 
 of the planters, environed with thrifty hedges 
 and groves teeming with the tropical verdure. 
 
 The Ninth Michigan, together with some other 
 commands, including a battery, occupied the town 
 for some months, guarding a considerable amount 
 of stores which were placed there, making it an 
 intermediate base in the operations of Buell's 
 army. Company B — Robert's company — was con- 
 stituted the provost guard for the town, its 
 quarters being in the Court-house. 
 
 In the early summer, sickness prevailed to con- 
 siderable extent, and among the victims to ty- 
 phoid was Robert tlie Drummer-boy. With him, 
 as with thousands of others thus prostrated in a 
 
THE EAPPAHAITIfOCK. V9 
 
 strange land upon a bed of suffering and pain, 
 memory recalled a home which then seemed more 
 precious than ever. It rose before him — humble 
 and homely — but a home nevertheless, blessed 
 with a mother's love, a love which he felt, in 
 its yearning sympathy, reached him, though 
 never so far away, assuaging every sorrow, dis- 
 pelling every grief, cheering his heart with new- 
 found delight, purifying his soul with sacred 
 influences, which lifted him above the meaner 
 ambitions of life, and made him feel that his 
 own home, so abounding with a mother's love, 
 was the Heaven of his hopes and joys — a Hea- 
 ven, perchance, lost forever. 
 
 But he was not deserted in his hour of trou- 
 ble. His comrades attended him and he had 
 attentive medical care: and among the good com- 
 pany who visited him at this time was a kind- 
 
80 THE DEmOfEE BOY OF 
 
 hearted old lady wlio lived near by, named 
 Reaves. She was assiduous in her attentions, 
 and as he grew better, she brought him vege- 
 tables to eat and buttermilk to drink. He felt 
 very thankful to her, and soon as he was able 
 to go about, visited much at her house. 'Now 
 it happened that the good Mrs. Reaves had two 
 daughters, youthful and florid beauties, and it 
 will be no great stretch of the imagination if 
 it should occur to the reader that sensations, 
 sweet and delicious, perturbed the hearts of all 
 three, and that compassion soon grew into es- 
 teem, and at length ripened into a warmer 
 regard. This state of things might have been 
 hastened from the fact that our hero was again 
 taken sick with the measles, and at the request 
 of his benefactress permitted to remain with Mrs. 
 Reaves, where he was ministered to not only 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 81 
 
 by the lady herself but by the two blooming 
 damsels. But he was probably very far from a 
 sanguine assurance that his inclinations would 
 ever attain that acme of wedded bliss which 
 such a passion, properly encouraged, under favor- 
 able circumstances generally attains. He was 
 too young for such an exploit ; however, Cupid 
 is not at all particular in whose hearts he 
 lodges his arrows of love, and alliances occur 
 in which the ages of the parties seem to be 
 considered the least important requisite. 
 
 At any rate, nothing ever came of this plea- 
 santry. Perhaps it was because a cruel and in- 
 exorable fate, in the shape of a swift-coming 
 military disaster, prevented it. Ah, fate! how 
 omnipotent thy power ! Indeed — 
 
 ' ' We are the victims of its iron rule, 
 The warm and beating human heart its tool ; 
 And man, a mortal, godlike, but its fool." 
 
82 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 Among other incidents that occurred in the 
 career of our hero while at this place is this 
 one : One day while at the depot waiting the 
 Southern train, he met a comrade, and the two 
 resolved to go to Nashville, although without 
 leave or license. When near La Vergne the 
 train ran off the track, piling up into an inex- 
 tricable wreck. The result was the two runa- 
 ways had to walk back a distance of fifteen 
 miles. Of course he had been missed, and upon 
 giving an account of himself he was consigned 
 to the guard-house for three days to expiate the 
 offense. This guard-house was a two-story con- 
 cern, in which all sorts of offenders were placed. 
 At this time there were seventeen poor slaves 
 in confinement up stairs, awaiting reclamation 
 by their masters, it being the policy of our 
 government then to make the army, to a certain 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 83 
 
 extent, tlie custodian of that species of property. 
 These poor slaves, having an aspiration for free- 
 dom in their hearts, had fled from their masters 
 and come within the Federal lines at Murfrees- 
 boro, expecting to find that sacred boon beneath 
 the stars and stripes. How great their disap- 
 pointment, when under the command of a Federal 
 officer they were locked up for a speedy return 
 to bondage ! That night as the drummer-boy 
 lay on the floor in a room below them, and 
 heard their moans and the tales of their sor- 
 row, his heart felt for them, and he resolved 
 if possible to set them free. So, making an 
 excuse to the solitary guard that the graybacks 
 in his room were too numerous for his comfji'^, 
 he asked permission to sleep up stairs in ihe 
 hall. This was granted, and in the course of 
 the night he managed to force the door, and 
 
84 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 silently, one by one, tlie slaves stole across the 
 guard's beat and escaped. This task accom- 
 plished, he returned to his old sleeping place, 
 and in the morning when it was found the 
 slaves had flown he knew nothing about it. 
 Here was evinced more sympathy for the unfor- 
 tunate blacks than had often been manifested 
 as yet by our army ; and the act of freeing 
 them was certainly a most daring achievement 
 in one so young. Evidently he had not the 
 fear of a violation of the Fugitive Slave Law, 
 the compromises of the Constitution, or the mili- 
 tary orders in respect to the institution of sla- 
 veiy, the least in his mind. He could see no 
 justice in confining any human being simply 
 because he desired his freedom; and, acting upon 
 this impulse, the foundation of Natural and Di- 
 vine, if not of Human Law, he performed 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 the deed. And who, to-day, will condemn it ? 
 
 On the 29th of June, 1862, an expedition 
 was made to Chattanooga, Tennessee, under the 
 command of Gen. James S. Negley. A portion 
 of his forces moved easterly from Rogersville, 
 Alabama, while the remainder advanced from 
 Murfreesboro, the two forces concentrating at 
 Sweden's Cove, in the Cumberland Mountains. 
 The Ninth Michigan constituted a part of the 
 Murfreesboro force, and as a matter of course 
 the Drummer-boy accompanied it. Chattanooga 
 was a distance of fully one hundred and thirty 
 miles, and the march was rapidly made. A 
 slight skirmish ensued at Sweden's Cove, but no 
 great resistance was offered. 
 
 By the 4th of June the entire command was 
 in front of Chattanooga. The troops were drawn 
 up in line of battle on the north bank of the 
 
86 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 Tennessee, and the artillery commenced playing 
 upon tlie town, and to-day many houses are 
 evidence of the cannonade. All along the south 
 bank of the river were rifle-pits and redoubts, 
 mounted with heavy guns, capable of maintain- 
 ing a vigorous assault. The demonstration, how- 
 ever, was confined almost entirely to our side, 
 and, after a few hours of indiscriminate firing, 
 confined principally to the ai*tillery, our forces 
 withdrew, concluding that Chattanooga was too 
 strongly fortified, and might be too well filled 
 •with rebels, silent and concealed, to justify any 
 attempt to take possession of the place. And 
 thus the expedition ended. The troops marched 
 back to Murfreesboro and other posts, and set- 
 tled down into the usual routine of camp life. 
 In this affair our Drummer-boy performed no 
 feat of arms, but made a very successful forage 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 8T 
 
 raid. The wagon- train Laving gotten well behind 
 the troops, and the men having exhausted their 
 haversacks, the drum corps received permission 
 of the Major to scour the country for a short 
 distance and supply themselves with something 
 to eat. They soon came to a negro-hut, and 
 asked the blacks where there was a rich rebel 
 lived. They said their master was a rich rebel, 
 and that he lived just down the road and over 
 the hill. They soon found the house, and as it 
 was then early in the war, when the poor igno- 
 rant Southern people had been taught that the 
 Northern soldiers were monsters and wore horns 
 on their heads like an ox or cow, the inmates 
 became very much frightened, and the old man, 
 the mothers and the daughters, all fell upon 
 their knees, begging the drummer band not to 
 touch them, saying, " Indeed we are Union peo- 
 
88 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 pie." The boys replied that they would not harm 
 a hair of their heads, but that they were hungry 
 and wished something to eat. They then pro- 
 tested that they had nothing for themselves, 
 that the guerillas had only the day before taken 
 everything from them — flour, meal and all. As 
 the negroes had said these people were rebels, 
 they did not believe their story, although told 
 ever so affectingly, so they proceeded to search 
 the house to satisfy themselves of the truth of 
 what had been said. The discoveries did not 
 verify the statements made; for in the cupboard 
 were found rolls of corn-cake, plates of biscuits, 
 pies, jars of preserves, and many other niceties 
 not likely to have been left by rebel raiders. 
 They therefore helped themselves to the goodies 
 most plenteously. They then descended into the 
 cellar. Here our Drummer-boy found a barrel 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 89 
 
 of whisky — pure Robinsou county — and soon 
 every canteen was filled. Other soldiers now 
 coming up, they were supplied, and having stowed 
 away all that was possible, not only in their 
 stomachs, I am sorry to say, but in their can- 
 teens, cups and other utensils, they knocked in 
 the head of the barrel and spilled the remain- 
 der on the ground. They then proceeded to 
 another house, where they found several pans of 
 milk, which they drank, and then killed a pig, 
 one of the number shouldering and carrying it. 
 Coming to a shady hollow, through which mean- 
 dered a rivulet, they kindled a fire and pre- 
 pared their evening repast, cutting the pig into 
 small pieces and roasting them on a stick. 
 Here, too, the regiment had encamped for the 
 night. Another time he stopped at a house and 
 asked the lady if she had any chickens to sell. 
 
90 THE DKUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 She said, " Yes, if you will pay me in silver." 
 
 He replied, " I have no silver, but will pay 
 you in greenbacks." 
 
 She retorted, curling her lip and looking very 
 contemptuously at one which he held in his 
 hand, " Humph ! they are not worth the paper 
 they are printed on." 
 
 He then concluded she was a rebel " dyed in 
 the wool," and so helped himself to the chick- 
 ens — a donation by the lady because of her 
 prejudices against Uncle Samuel's money 
 
 On the 11th of July* 1862, the news came 
 to Murfreesboro that the famous raider, John 
 Morgan, had dashed into Lebanon, Tenn., with 
 his cavalry, and was carrying on with a high 
 hand ; that the force stationed there had been 
 taken prisoners ;. that two citizens had been 
 killed ; and that the depot of commissary and 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 91 
 
 quarter-master's stores had been destroyed. A 
 regiment of cavalry chanced to be in Murfrees- 
 boro at that time, and it was ordered to go 
 to the rehef of the town, distant some fifteen 
 miles. Our Drummer, not yet distinguished by 
 his display of heroic valor, but longing to wipe 
 out the stigma which he felt attached to him 
 at Muldrough's Hill, hearing that the cavalry 
 regiment was going to Lebanon to fight John 
 Morgan, and being acquainted with some of the 
 men, gained the consent of his Captain to ac- 
 company them. Mounting one of their horses, 
 armed with his own pistol and a sabre, he was 
 ready for the fray. Away dashed the squadrons, 
 and in an hour and a half Lebanon was reached. 
 The company with which the Drummer served 
 was deployed into a skirmish line, and soon met 
 the rebels. A volley of balls came whirring 
 
92 THE DRUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 througli the air as they entered into the streets 
 of the town, one of them wounding the Lieu- 
 tenant, by whose side Robert rode, in the leg. 
 This frightened our hero a little, and he gal- 
 loped around a corner close at hand to get out 
 of danger, and ran itito a whole parcel of rebels, 
 several of whom fired at him. Now, seeing 
 rebels all round him, he seemed to get suddenly 
 courageous, and, straightening up in his saddle, 
 discharged the six loads of his revolver at the 
 " Johnnies," who stood and looked on in amaze- 
 ment at the temerity of so small a boy. Then 
 he wheeled his horse around the corner again, 
 dashed on to his company, which was now skir- 
 mishing in another direction, and remained with 
 it until Morgan's men cleared the town, and, 
 amid a great cloud of dust, hurried away to- 
 ward McMinnville. This exploit won the little 
 
THE EAPPAHAUNOOK. 93 
 
 Drummer a name. The daring deed gained cir- 
 culation through the public press, and ere he 
 knew it the name of " Robert Hendershot, the 
 Drummer-boy" was familiar to thousands all over 
 the land. He returned to Murfreesboro that 
 night, little dreaming that on the morrow he 
 would add another laurel to his wreath of fame. 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 Sunday, tBe IStli of July, 1862, witnessed a val- 
 iant but unequal contest between the rebel and 
 federal soldiery in and around Murfreesboro. 
 The troops assigned to the defense of this place 
 consisted of six companies of the Ninth Mfchi- 
 gan volunteers, Lieut. Col. Parkhurst ; a squad- 
 ron of the Fourth Kentucky Cavalry ; the Third 
 , Minnesota Volunteers, Col. Lester ; ana Hewitt's 
 First Kentucky Battery — a total force of about 
 eight hundred men, all under the command of 
 Col. Lester, as post commandant. Exercising a 
 questionable generalship, Col. Lester had sepa- 
 rated this small force into two detachments, 
 scattering it at a distance of from a half to 
 
THE EAPPAHAITITOOK. 
 
 95 
 
 three quarters of a mile east of the town, and 
 fully a mile apart, and was' illy prepared to 
 receive the blow. Gen. T. L. Crittenden, just 
 assigned to the command of the post by order 
 of Gen. Buell, and Colonel Duffield, who had 
 been absent on leave, arrived on the evening 
 of the 12th, and having inspected the location 
 of these troops, discussed the impropriety of a 
 divided command, and decided upon concentra- 
 tion, but concluded to defer it until the morrow. 
 A fatal delay ! it was then too late. 
 
 The sun had not yet risen, and the men were 
 still slumbering, when the clatter of horses' 
 hoofs, and the shai-p, quick rattle of numberless 
 guns, told too fearfully that the enebiy was 
 upon them — that they were indeed surprised. 
 They rushed from their tents and made the best 
 resistance possible, but, all unformed, their ran- 
 
96 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 dom shots were without effect. Crittenden was 
 captured in his bed ; Duffield, springing into 
 the centre of the combat, received two wounds 
 which disabled him for further duty ; and Park- 
 hurst, after several attempts, formed a hollow 
 square to resist the heavy cavalry charge, which 
 was again sweeping heavily down upon him. 
 In this compact form they repulsed the rebel 
 onslaughts for full twenty minutes, hurling volleys 
 of bullets into their advancing line, compelling 
 them to retire. But they returned with increased 
 force, and the Mnth Michigan was dislodged 
 from its position, scattered, and thenceforward 
 fought in squads and on their own hook. Capt. 
 DeLand alone, maintaining his company forma- 
 tion, deploying them into a skirmish line, and 
 fighting behind trees, stumps and bushes, did 
 effectual service. The Third Minnesota, in its 
 
THE ilAPPAHANNOCK. 97 
 
 isolated condition, fared no better, and by eleven 
 o'clock in the forenoon the whole command was 
 forced to surrender. Company B, Lieut. Rice 
 commanding, Captain Rounds being absent, occu- 
 p^dng the Court-house, did their duty bravely. 
 "When the Texas Rangers and the Georgia Cav- 
 alry awoke the still morning with their terrific 
 yells, as they rushed into the public S([uare, 
 Robert Hendershot, the Drummer-boy, unable 
 to sleep, had already risen, and chanced to be 
 looking out of a window. Seeing a long line 
 of horsemen on the gallop, and hearing their 
 yells, he knew it must be the enemy. All ex- 
 cited, he rushed for his drum, and beat upon 
 it the long roll with such tremendous energy 
 that in an instant every occupant of the Court- 
 house was as wide awake and as excited as 
 himself As soon as the rebels entered the 
 
98 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 square they poured a volley of bullets whicli tore 
 througli tlie windows (to use tlie language of the 
 Drummer-boy), "like sand through a sieve." 
 The action now commenced in earnest, with the 
 advantage decidedly in favor of the occupants 
 of the Court-house, for it served them as a bar- 
 ricade, and, with unerring aim, they laid low 
 many a misguided Southron who that day en- 
 tered the fray. Finally, the rebels got posses- 
 sion of the lower story of the building, and 
 after a bloody hand-to-hand conflict on the stair- 
 way, failing to subdue the heroic band, set the 
 house on fire, determined that it should either 
 surrender or burn up. As human nature can 
 more easily endure captivity than burning, and 
 finding no escape from the one or the other, 
 the men surrendered. 
 
 None in this heroic band acted a, more dis- 
 
THE EAPPAHAJSTNOCK. 
 
 99 
 
 tinguished part than the Drummer-boy. A :er 
 beating the long roll he seized a musket .;ad 
 cartridge-box which lay upon the floor, anc ).o- 
 tecting himself behind the wall near a wi;id:w, 
 deliberately picked out and shot at man ai'er 
 man. Among others was a rebel Colonel, v> lO 
 stood on the side-walk in front of a lorse 
 within easy hailing distance. The Drumme' h d- 
 looed to him and said, " Go into the .'loi^e 
 there, you rebel, or I'll shoot you," to vhich 
 command the Colonel roughly replied, w oh a 
 profane imprecation, " I'll go into the house 
 when I get ready." The Drummer made tue 
 same demand again and received the same i-p^y. 
 The gun was then discharged, and the relel 
 Colonel, reeling for a moment, sank to the 
 ground a corpse. Some citizens, who knew tie 
 Drummer-boy, saw him commit this deed, and 
 
100 
 
 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 it did not help to assure liiui any better' treat- 
 ment, now tliat lie was captured. The rebels 
 gathered around the men as they marched out 
 of the Court-house, and robbed them of every- 
 thing valuable they had. One rifled the Drum- 
 mer's pocket of the little money he possessed. 
 The Federal sick and wounded having been 
 paroled, the balance of the command was marched 
 to McMinnville, a distance of fifty-eight miles 
 south and east of Murfreesboro. This long and 
 tedious journey they were compelled to make 
 in fifteen hours, and a portion of it under a 
 hot July sun. Our hero having for several days 
 had a severe attack of camp diarrhoea, was in 
 no condition to make this forced march. Soon 
 after starting, the rebel Gen. Forrest passing 
 him, he asked if he could ride. The General 
 replied in a very severe tone, "No." This made 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 101 
 
 hiin mad. He fell out of the ranks and de- 
 clared lie was sick, that he might shoot him, 
 but he would not walk another rod. Forrest 
 then told one of his men to take him back to 
 the wagon train and let him ride. The man 
 did so, and gave him a six-mule team to drive. 
 The wagon was full of rel)els who had fallen 
 sick during the campaign. But a great mistake 
 was made in trusting this charge to the Drum- 
 mer-boy; for as the train moved at a very 
 rapid rate he took special delight in running 
 over all the rough places in the road, and after 
 a time, coming to a deep creek over which 
 was a bridge without a railing, he purposely 
 ran the wagon off, capsizing the sick rebels 
 into the stream, compelling them to swim out, 
 and greatly endangering the lives of some few 
 who could not swim. He then pretended the 
 
102 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 mules had become unruly and tliat lie could 
 not help the accident, and furthermore that he 
 had injured one of his limbs so he could not 
 walk, and altogether seemed to feel very badly 
 over the occurrence. The sick rebels having all 
 been rescued, were put into another wagon — 
 the former one having; been well broken to 
 pieces — but they would not consent that the 
 Drummer-boy should drive any longer, and so 
 he was put upon a very quaint-looking, antedi- 
 luvian steed which must have borne a very 
 striking family resemblance to Orpheus C. Kerr's 
 famous Pegasus. While he was thus journeying 
 on, the rebels talked with him and frightened 
 him by saying they should send him to a 
 Southern prison and keep him during the war, 
 because he ran the wagon off the bridge, and 
 killed one of their colonels in the street at 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 103 
 
 Murfreesboro. He stoutly persisted that the for- 
 mer was an accident, and that he did not 
 do the latter at all. They however declared 
 they saw him do it, and told him if he would 
 tell them all about it, own it, be frank and 
 honest, they would let him go. So, taking the 
 rebels at their word, he minutely related the 
 whole affair. His story concluded, they gave 
 him his liberty by placing him inside an armed 
 guard who kept close watch over him until 
 they camped for supper just at night. A part 
 of the wagons were unloaded, and among the 
 rubbish that strewed the ground — captured pro- 
 perty — he saw his old drum, the one with 
 which he had sounded the long roll that very 
 morning. He asked one of the guards if he 
 might lie down by the pile they had unloaded 
 and sleep a little while. The request was 
 
104 
 
 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 granted, and witli joy in his heart he lay close 
 beside his dear lost treasure and soon fell 
 asleep. Upon awaking he found it was raining, 
 and that all his comrades had been moved over 
 into an adjoining field. He saw also that he 
 was alone, while a solitary guard, whose beat 
 was full five rods long, kept watch and ward 
 over him and the property. Soon the rain 
 descended in torrents, and the night clouded 
 into Cimmerian gloom. 
 
 The mind of our hero was greatly disturbed 
 by the threats made against him during the 
 day, the putting a guard around him, and the 
 fact that now he was kept separated from his 
 companions in arms. Strange alarms seized him, 
 and he fancied himself rotting in a Southern 
 prison, hanging on a gibbet, or standing against 
 a tree, the target for a shot. Not relishing any 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 105 
 
 sucli possible fates as these, lie determined to 
 escape. So when, by the splash, splash of the 
 sentry's feet he knew he was at the further 
 end of his beat, he noiselessly lifted his drum, 
 then rolled it before him and cautiously crept, 
 foot by foot, to a fence which, in the day- 
 time, he had observed ran along in the rear 
 of the wagons, and beyond which were many 
 bushes and some trees. He soon reached the 
 fence. He first attempted to crawl through it, 
 but could not ; he then climbed it, but it 
 creaked and made a noise. He thought now 
 he was surely ruined, and expected that instant 
 to hear the gruff " halt " of the sentry, and 
 perchance, feel the contents of his gun. He sat 
 for a moment or two, motionless as a statue ; 
 but hearing no commotion, lowered his drum to 
 the ground and descended himself He then 
 
106 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 crept in the same way upon liis hands and 
 knees through the mud and wet grass, over the 
 rocks and through the bushes for more than 
 half a mile. Then he walked on utterly igno- 
 rant whither. At last, in the darkness, he 
 blundered into a spring, upsetting several pans 
 of milk which the good people in the house 
 close by had placed in and around it to keep 
 cool. The terrible racket they made, at first 
 startled him. Hearing no alarm he grew bolder, 
 and groping about, found other pans, and drank 
 sweet milk to the verge of his capacity. Pos- 
 sessed with that spirit of spite which seems to 
 animate all soldiers, he emptied the rest and 
 proceeded on his way. At length, feeling very 
 tired and sore, he concealed himself in some 
 bushes and slept until morning. He then found 
 out by some negroes that he was near the 
 
THE EAPPAHAISTNOCK. 107 
 
 Murfreesboro road, and that he had come in 
 the right direction during the night. So, having 
 gained the road, and not caring to go alone, 
 he lay down behind the fence and waited the 
 return of his comrades when they should have 
 been paroled. They came at last, and he rushed 
 from his hiding place to join them. They all 
 thought he was a rebel, and indeed he was a 
 pitiable sight. His clothes were no longer blue, 
 but reddish brown in color, owing to his great 
 familiarity with the mud through which he had 
 crawled and so frequently lain down. In due 
 time they reached Murfreesboro, and at once 
 inquiries were made by the citizens about the 
 Drummer-boy. Several saw him and looked 
 daggers at him, evincing clearly a determination 
 to kill him should they ever have a chance. 
 Robert felt that it was too warm a country 
 
108 
 
 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 for liirn, and hastened on to Nasliville in advance 
 of tlie regiment, and there awaited its coming. 
 It was ordered by Gen. Buell to " Camp 
 Chase," Columbus, Ohio, to await exchange. On 
 arriving at Cincinnati these paroled men were 
 treated as if they were rebels. Another regi- 
 ment guarded them through the city, keeping 
 every man in the ranks ; and little Robert having 
 once left the ranks, one of the guards exclaimed, 
 "Come back, or I'll shoot you!" and he, greatly 
 enraged at this treatment, retorted, " Shoot a 
 small boy like me if you want to." The guard 
 did not shoot, but he pricked him with the 
 point of his bayonet and made him return to 
 the ranks. Now, the reason why these men 
 were thus strictly guarded was, not because of 
 any Spite against them, but because being par- 
 oled prisoners of war they might attempt to go 
 
THE EAPPAHAlOrOCK. 109 
 
 to tlieir homes without proper authority, and 
 some of them might embrace the opportunity to 
 desert. 
 
 A week of semi-prison life in " Camp Chase " 
 made our young hero homesick, and he applied for 
 a discharge from the service, which was readily 
 granted, and he was speedily returned to his 
 mother. It never cost him anything to travel, 
 for he was always passed by the conductor or 
 engineer. On this homeward trip he rode with 
 the engineer, and had the misfortune, while on 
 the way to Cleveland, of meeting with one of 
 those accidents which so frequently occur in our 
 country, in which engine, baggage and passen- 
 gers are piled together in one common ruin, 
 and by which scores of people, good and bad, 
 are hurried out of the world without a moment 
 of warning. In this affair some of the passengers 
 
110 THE DEUMMER BOY. 
 
 were killed, and many others wounded and 
 bruised. The engineer escaped unhurt, the fire- 
 man with a broken leg, and our Drummer with 
 a badly injured head and shoulders. While on 
 the road from Cleveland to Jackson some ladies 
 took a great fancy to him, talked with him a 
 great deal, and said they had heard of the brave 
 deeds of the little Drummer-boy of the Ninth 
 Michigan, and even went so far as to show their 
 appreciation of him by oft-repeated kisses. He, 
 though daring as a youthful Chevalier Bayard in 
 the field of Mars, was excessively modest in the 
 presence of so many ladies, and the attentions 
 he received nearly overwhelmed him. Although 
 by no means dis23leased with these little kind- 
 nesses, he was, nevertheless, truly grateful when 
 they* had surfeited their admiration and left him 
 alone in his glory. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Robert's motter received Inim most affectionately, 
 and imprinted kiss after kiss upon his lips, for 
 with all his faults — faults which the war had 
 generated — she dearly loved him. Besides, Le 
 was to her as one newly risen from the dead, 
 for she had heard once that he had been killed, 
 and again that he had died from fever, and a 
 third time that he had been taken a prisoner 
 and died in the hands of the rebels. And the 
 poor w^oman actually showed her son letters 
 from different parties setting forth these facts, 
 one further stating that he had been captured 
 by the rebels and shot for killing one of their 
 colonels at Murfreesboro. 
 
112 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 It was midsummer when he returned — in the 
 last days of July — long days, blazing sunshine, 
 fervid heat. A feeling of intense laziness stole 
 over him, and he dreaded moving or doing.. It 
 had been hot weather enough in Tennessee, but 
 it seemed hotter just then in Michigan. A 
 perfect ennui possessed him, and he knew not 
 what to do with himself. His mother had ex- 
 acted a promise from him that he would go 
 into the army no more, and she told him if 
 he did she would follow him. What should he 
 do ? His life for the past year, nearly, had 
 been full of adventure. He had seen a great 
 deal of country and many new people. He was 
 now impatient to be going ; his soul thirsted 
 for new excitements ; his mind longed to em- 
 brace more of the world, to experience still 
 further conflicts with its masses, its rough cor- 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 113 
 
 ners, that thereby the boy might develop into 
 the man, strong, experienced, symmetrical, with 
 a full knowledge of the right and the wrong — 
 firm in purpose to do the one and shun the 
 other. 
 
 It were wrong to retard such a development ; 
 and it was very clear that such a will as his 
 could brook no restraint if it once wished to 
 be free. 
 
 In a day or two he visited the Union school 
 to see his little playmates, and the teacher in- 
 troduced him to all the scholars as the " Drum- 
 mer-boy of the Ninth Michigan." At recess he 
 shook hands with all the children and then 
 bade them good-bye, saying he was going to 
 the war again. Whence came this resolution? 
 What hidden spring had been so suddenly 
 touched ? What unseen hand had now swept 
 
114 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 across his fancy, impelling his ambitious nature 
 so soon to leave mother, and friends, and again 
 go among strangers ? 
 
 He returned home from the school and entered 
 into a long and pleasant conversation with his 
 mother, telling her the many things that had 
 happened to him since he went away, filling 
 her bosom with a joyous pride, when suddenly 
 the shrill whistle of the western train greeted 
 his ear, and he abruptly ended the conversation 
 by saying, "Mother, I'll just run over to the 
 depot and see the cars come in!" The train 
 arrived, and he again left home for Detroit 
 without bidding his mother farewell. Again was 
 her heart wrung with grief when she learned 
 that her son had thus left her. He wandered 
 around the city, until finally coming to the foot 
 of JefPerson Avenue, he noticed a recruiting office 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 115 
 
 in the charge of a Captain Hogan, and after a 
 little conversation with him, enlisted as a Drum- 
 mer-boy in the Eighth Michigan Infantry. This 
 regiment was already in the service, and was 
 attached to the Army of the Potomac. And thus 
 had he broken the pledge made his mother, 
 that he would not go into the army any more. 
 Not willfully and maliciously did he grieve his 
 mother: it was an innate something, a panting 
 for army life, its excitements and glories, that 
 impelled him to it. And afterwards, when taken 
 to task about it, he laughingly replied, " that 
 promises to stay at home were not good in 
 time of war." Within a week after his enlist- 
 ment he heard that his mother was coming for 
 him, and determined not to be captured, he 
 adopted the course of many of our weak-kneed 
 countrymen, who were fearful of the draft, and 
 
116 THE DETBIMEE BOY OF 
 
 fled to Canada, where he remained a full week. 
 On his return to Detroit, he was arrested by 
 the guard as a deserter, and placed in confine- 
 ment. Captain Hogan, hearing of his arrest, 
 called to see him, listened to his story, and 
 then took him to Colonel Smith, the Post Com- 
 mandant, who, upon learning the reason for his 
 running away, released him. He was then fur- 
 nished with a drum, and he, with another boy and 
 a fifer, played daily at the office, " drumming 
 up recruits." Captain Hogan treated our hero 
 very kindly, giving him many little comforts 
 and licenses, and he in turn formed a strong 
 attachment for that officer. 
 
 About the 1st of September, Captain Hogan 
 was ordered to the Potomac with some men. 
 Robert desired to accompany him, but was 
 persuaded to remain as drummer at the office 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 117 
 
 until his return, which he said would be in 
 from two to three weeks. 
 
 Meantime another officer, a Second Lieutenant, 
 was put in charge of the station. Robert did 
 not like him, and the dislike soon became 
 mutual. This man was the very opposite of 
 Captain Hogan, and was a worthless fellow, who, 
 "clothed in a little brief authority," grossly 
 abused his men, and spent the greater portion 
 of his time in carousing and drinking. Every 
 one who had the misfortune to be under him 
 hated him, and Robert plainly told him once, 
 that "he was not fit to command a Corporal's 
 guard of dogs." He scolded the little drummer 
 corps because they did not play every minute 
 in the day, and threatened to put them in the 
 guard-house if they did not salute him every 
 time he passed them. Robert, smarting under 
 
118 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 this servitude, was determined to " pay him off," 
 as lie expressed it, at the first opportunity. So, 
 one day noticing that officer in a crowd of 
 people, and seeing that he was sober (which 
 was a rare thing), he stepped into the circle, 
 and upon being ordered away very insolently 
 by the man of such exalted rank and conse- 
 quence, full of madness and venom, he retorted: 
 
 " You think you are a great raan^ but you 
 are only a Second lAeutenant. You have abused 
 and insulted me just as long as you can ; and 
 if you don't stop it I will run away." 
 
 This enraged the man terribly, and seizing 
 the boy who had thus so publicly denounced 
 and defied him, he dragged him into his office 
 and demanded him to take back what he had 
 said. Robert, full of pluck, and feeling that he 
 had simply spoken the truth, replied, "No, sir, 
 
THE EAPPAHA]STSrOCK. 
 
 119 
 
 never, never ^ so long as I live." He tlien threat- 
 ened to put him in the guard-house, and went 
 out for that purpose, but soon returned, saying 
 he had changed his mind, and that if he did 
 not take back his saucy, impudent words, he 
 would give him a good whipping. Robert 
 laughed to scorn this threat, and said, " You 
 may whip me to death, if you dare to, Mr. 
 Lieutenant, but I'll never take it back; besides, 
 you dare not whip me, and you carilt do it 
 either." Then the man slapped him very hard 
 in the face and made him cry with pain. Some 
 person coming in at this juncture, the affair 
 ended. The poor boy went out and told the 
 soldiers what had happened, and they all heartily 
 cursed the brute, and advised him to run away. 
 That night he stole down to the wharf and 
 found a steamboat which was to leave for Sagi- 
 
120 
 
 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 naw in an hour. He got permission to go, and 
 soon after liii'ed out to the saloon-keeper as bar- 
 tender. Arrived in Saginaw, he saw one of his 
 older brothers and told him what he was doing. 
 He promptly wrote his mother and she replied, 
 directing him to be sent home. The letter came 
 too late, however, for the truant was back again 
 in Detroit, where he had fallen into other hands. 
 By some means it had been ascertained that 
 Robert was on this boat, and the instant it 
 touched the landing he was again arrested for 
 a deserter and put in prison. Colonel Smith 
 was a second time his friend, and upon learning 
 that he had run away because of the recruiting 
 officer's abuse, he was set free and returned to 
 his former duty as Drummer. Nor was this all. 
 The Lieutenant was placed under arrest for 
 abusing his men, tried, and dismissed the service. 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 121 
 
 And thus what was his loss became the country's 
 gain. 
 
 In another week Captain Hogan returned, and 
 all passed pleasantly. About the 1st of October 
 Chaplain Taylor, of the Eighth Michigan, came 
 to take charge of a number of men, recruited 
 for that and other regiments in the Potomac 
 army, and Robert wished to go with him. He 
 asked Captain Hogan's consent. He replied : 
 "No, I wish you to stay here to drum." 
 
 Robert did not relish this, and said : "I don't 
 want to stay here any more. I am tired of it. 
 I enlisted for the Eighth Michigan, and I want 
 to go where it is : and I ivill go, too." 
 
 The Captain merely responded, "I will see 
 about that," and went to get a guard to put 
 over him for safe keeping. 
 
 The boy, divining his purpose, ran to Colonel 
 
122 
 
 THE DEUMMEE BOY OP 
 
 Smith and asked him if he could not go to 
 the front with Chaplain Taylor, and he assented. 
 Overjoyed at his success, he hastened to the 
 camp and told the soldiers that he was going 
 with them. But his enthusiasm was dampened 
 when Captain Hogan appeared with a guard 
 and said, mildly, but firmly, " Come, my boy, 
 I will see if you loill go when I say noT 
 Eobert persisted that Colonel Smith said he 
 could go. Th^ Captain hardly believed it, and 
 ordered the guard to take him. After quite a 
 struggle they secured and carried him (as he 
 would not walk) to the guard-house. The next 
 morning he was released and directed to ren- 
 dezvous in the camp with the other men. 
 
 Another week elapsed, and then came the 
 order to go. Robert was pleased, for he longed 
 again to see the army, and just before leaving 
 
THE EAPPAHAlOrOCK, 
 
 123 
 
 the city lie wrote his motlier that he had en- 
 listed and in an hour would be on his way. 
 Fortunately, Robert was acquainted with the 
 chaplain, and was glad to be placed in his charge. 
 He was an excellent man, and very attentive to 
 the wants of his men. His little protege says 
 of him, ''He is as good a man as I ever came 
 across." 
 
 Soon the cars whirled away, and his home, 
 his friends, his own noble State, were all left 
 far behind him, and perhaps forever. 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 In due season Wasliington city, with its mag- 
 nificent marble capitol, glowing with the purity 
 of alabaster in the morning sunlight, came to 
 view. Robert thought that nothing in the wide 
 world could equal in grandeur this beautiful 
 structure. As he stood upon the platform of 
 the car, his soul drinking in the gorgeousness 
 of the scene, he fell to the ground badly injured 
 and narrowly escaj^ing death. He had fallen in 
 a fit, from which he did not recover under an 
 hour. Then he seemed all right. Mr. Taylor, 
 the kind chaplain, attended him closely, and 
 when he was recovered asked him if he did 
 not wish to return to Detroit. With a brave 
 
THE EAPPAHAJSTNOCK. 
 
 125 
 
 heart lie said, "No, sir, I have started for the 
 regiment and I wish to join it." 
 
 The men were placed in comfortable barracks, 
 and awaited an order for transportation. Some 
 three weeks thus passed away, they getting very 
 impatient at the delay; but the War Depart- 
 ment and its sub-officials were in no hurry then 
 more than now, and it is questionable if any 
 event, however important or startling, short of 
 the presence of an armed enemy, could disturb 
 the red-taped punctilio of that august power. 
 
 Our hero, however, was delighted. He saw 
 much to please him, and spent days in rambling 
 thi'ough the Capitol, around the docks of the 
 navy yard, and through the extensive grounds 
 around the President's house, embellished with 
 fountains, lawns, terraces, avenues, and well- 
 gravelled serpentine walks. And he frequently 
 
126 THE DEUMMEK BOY OF 
 
 entered the White House, looked into the famous 
 East Room, and watched with a feeling of awe 
 the hosts of people who daily ascended the stair- 
 case to seek interviews with that great and 
 good man, Mr. Lincoln. Here, too, our hero 
 made the acquaintance of "Little Tad," as he 
 is familiarly called, and used to amuse him 
 greatly by drumming for him. And even Mr. 
 Lincoln noticed him several times and smiled 
 upon him and remarked he was very small for 
 a Drummer-boy. 
 
 At last it was decided that the men whom 
 Mr. Taylor had brought to Washington, should 
 remain, and go in company with a large mass 
 of other recruits to be shipped in a few days. 
 So, keeping Robert still in his charge, he de- 
 parted for the regiment. It was a beautiful, 
 yet clear, cold day, near the middle of Novem- 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 127 
 
 ber, when, stepping on a steamer already crowded 
 with soldiers, at the foot of Seventh Street, 
 Robert found himself gliding down the Potomac. 
 His youthful heart was iii'ed with enthusiasm. 
 In the little geography which he had studied 
 while at school, much was said about this river 
 and the hallowed associations connected with it. 
 Opposite Washington was Alexandria, henceforth 
 memorable for the dastardly assasination of the 
 youthful and chivalrous Colonel Ellsworth. Ra- 
 pidly they passed the navy yard, and the 
 anchorage ground of the British fleet, when the 
 British troops disembarked and destroyed our 
 former Capitol building, losing to history and 
 the world most precious records. Farther down 
 the river was the ancient manorial estate of 
 Mount Yernon, where the "Father of our Coun- 
 try," the immortal Washington, lived, died, and 
 
128 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 was buried. And they recollected, too, that it was 
 here Lafayette, who had served our country so 
 well, near half a century after Independence 
 Day, descended into the tomb of his illustrious 
 chieftain and for an hour remained alone, thinking 
 of the glorious past and weeping over its sad- 
 dening memories. Can a thought of Washington 
 do otherwise than inspire us with a nobler, 
 purer and holier love for America, her unity, 
 prosperity and peace ! 
 
 Upon reaching Acquia Creek, the point of 
 disembarkation, the steamer grounded in trying 
 to land. Small boats were used, and after a 
 time its great load of living, human freight 
 was safely put ashore. Many, alas! then trod 
 Virginian soil for the last time, and never again 
 would joyfully hasten homewards, away towards 
 the sun-setting. 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 129 
 
 The Anny of the Potomac lay up the Kap- 
 pahannock, and opposite Fredericksburg. Thither- 
 ward the chaplain and his little ])Totege started 
 on foot. At length growing weary, and seeing 
 a horse which had been abandoned, but which 
 was now busily engaged in eking out a very 
 doubtful subsistence, the chaplain proposed to 
 catch him, and then each one take his turn in 
 riding the noble brute. Robert at once ran to 
 carry out the suggestion, and after quite a chase, 
 being more fleet of foot than his companions, 
 caught him. And thus they journeyed on, until 
 coming to a very pleasant spot, they stopped 
 to rest, and accidentally falling asleep, awakened 
 to find their four-footed companion a deserter. 
 So, footsore and lame, they moved slowly on, 
 trusting to reach some camp where they could 
 both rest and satisfy the wants of the inner 
 
 9 
 
130 THE DEUMMER BOY OF ' 
 
 man. Meeting a dilapidated piece of mechanism, 
 termed by the negroes " a M^hite trash," they 
 asked the distance to Fredericksburg. He replied 
 that it was "a right smart piece," but how 
 far he did not know. With this satisfactory 
 information they pushed ahead and finally came 
 to a camp, and it was hailed with as much 
 delight as are the oases of the desert by the 
 halfdying traveler who for days, has wandered 
 over its treacherous sands. Here they were wel- 
 comed to a comrade's fare. They ate heartily 
 of hard-tack and fried pork, slept sweetly and 
 refreshingly on a blanket spread upon the ground, 
 and in the solace they then received the past 
 was all forgotten and the future all unthought of 
 The camp of the Eighth Michigan Infantry 
 was gained at last, and then followed a respite 
 for a season. Robert was sent by the Colonel 
 
THE EAPPAHAIOfOOK. 131 
 
 to the Drum-major of the regiment, and was 
 assigned by liim as Drummer for Company B, 
 commanded by Captain Lewis. Our hero soon 
 became generally acquainted with everybody in 
 his regiment, and in a few days knew every 
 General in the Mnth Army Corps. 
 
 There was another little Drummer-boy, a year 
 his senior, to whom he became greatly attached. 
 They would go out into the woods, and for 
 hours play together. They loved one another 
 greatly, and gladdened each other in the com- 
 munion of their thoughts, as the sunshine lends 
 bnghtness to the clouds. But alas! like all of 
 earth's loves and friendships, this one, too, was 
 doomed to be blasted. A bullet from one of 
 the enemy's sharpshooters accomplished- its fatal 
 mission, and all that was spiritual and noble of 
 his "dear, good, God-fearing companion," as he 
 
132 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 calls him, passed from eartli to the realms of 
 never-ending bliss. For a while a shadow rested 
 on the heart of Robert; but the excitements of 
 camp — constant skirmishing, arrival of new troops, 
 terrible cannonades — finally swept it away; and 
 a ray of hope stole down into the depths of 
 his soul, all faint and quivering, but, nevertheless, 
 a hope that he might not be killed, but live 
 once more to see home and mother. 
 
 Soon after his arrival, he was taken sick and 
 lay in the hospital a week, during which time 
 he took the usual allotment of quinine and opium. 
 And once after this he was sick. One day he 
 went down to a spring to get some water for 
 cooking purposes, when he was seized with a fit, 
 and fell into the mud and water around it. 
 The boys in his Company, after waiting for some 
 time for the water, went to the spring, found 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 133 
 
 bim still insensible, and took him to tlie hospital, 
 where lie lay for seven days before lie thoroughly 
 recovered from the prostration. For a time 
 all was well. But a day was near at hand, 
 between the rising and setting of whose sun 
 would be witnessed a more desperate battle than 
 had yet occurred in the Potomac Army. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 On the 5tli of November, 1862, General A. E. 
 Burnside superseded General McClellan in the 
 command of tlie Army of the Potomac. The 
 famous Peninsular campaign of the latter had 
 proved a failure, and the Government and the 
 people were clamorous for a change. McClellan, 
 under positive orders from the President, had 
 again moved his army towards the enemy, and 
 had established his headquarters at Warrenton 
 when relieved from command. Ten days after, 
 Burnside broke camp, and, by a rapid march, 
 pushed forward to Fredericksburg with the in- 
 tention of capturing that place before Lee could 
 join it with his main army, thereby cutting off 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 135 
 
 liis retreat to Riclimond, and forcing liim, if 
 possible, to a decisive battle on the field. 
 
 But the authorities at Washington were to 
 send forward a series of pontoon trains so the 
 army could cross the Rappahannock. These, 
 however, were delayed, and consequently Burnside 
 lay idly on the banks of the river until near 
 the middle of December. Meantime Lee accom- 
 plished all that Burnside had aimed to prevent, 
 and now, although the odds of battle were 
 desperate, still the Federal General resolved to 
 attack the enemy, and confound him by the 
 boldness of a direct assault. 
 
 Fredericksburg is situated on the Rappahan- 
 nock, and on quite level ground. The country 
 back of the town rises in a succession of ter- 
 raced heights, upon which the rebel army lay — 
 a heavy force — in strongly intrenched lines, and 
 
136 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 to assail wliicli the Federal troops must be 
 exposed to a murderous fire of cannon and 
 musketry while climbing the long open slopes. 
 For two days previous to the battle, all was 
 bustle and excitement on the banks of the 
 Rappahannock. Great masses of troops were 
 moving to and fro, the pontoons were dragged 
 to the river's edge, and the sullen booming of 
 long rows of cannon presaged a conflict, terrible 
 and grand. Thursday witnessed one of the most 
 fearful bombardments that occurred during the 
 war. A large number of rebel sharpshooters 
 lined the Fredericksburg bank, and by their 
 deadly fire had successfully resisted Burnside's 
 efforts to lay his pontoons, over which the army 
 must cross to attack Lee's position. To dislodge 
 these was the first task. One hundred and 
 seventy-nine cannon opened instantaneously on the 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 137 
 
 fated town, and continuously tlirougli all the 
 day and the following night they vomited forth 
 shot and shell, carrying consternation to thou- 
 sands of hearts, killing and wounding numberless 
 others. It was early morn when this bombard- 
 ment began. The city was shrouded in a dense 
 fog, being imperceptible save here and there 
 where a church spire towered loftily through it. 
 Soon the earth shook with heavy rumblings — 
 the reverberations of the "deep-mouthed dogs of 
 war" — and great clouds of smoke, sulphurous 
 and choking, rolled heavenward, commingled with 
 bursts of sheeted flame which ascended through 
 the sea of mist, proclaiming too surely the 
 destruction dealt below. Near noon the fog lifted 
 and drifted away, disclosing the city half in 
 flames. And Headley says, " When the blood- 
 red sun went down in the hazy sky, it shed a 
 
138 THE DRTJMMEE BOY OF 
 
 lurid light on field and river, and frowning 
 heights, and miles of quiet tents." And another 
 writer says, " As the air darkened, the red 
 flashes of the guns gave a new effect to the 
 scene — the roar of each report being preceded 
 by a fierce dart of flame, while the explosion 
 of each shell was announced by a gush of fire 
 in the clouds. Towering between us and the 
 western sky, which was still showing its faded 
 scarlet lining, was the huge, sombre pillar of 
 grimy smoke that marked the burning of Fred- 
 ericksburg. Ascending to a vast height, it bore 
 away northward, shaped like a plume bowed in 
 the wind." 
 
 But all this cannonade failed to accomplish 
 the desired end. The guns could not be sufii- 
 ciently depressed to drive out the sharpshooters, 
 and now they must be dislodged by some other 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 139 
 
 means. Robert, " our Drummer-boy," bad mani- 
 fested a great interest in tbis undertaking, and 
 bad bung around tbe pontoons all day, greatly 
 excited, and longing to participate in tbe fray. 
 Long before morning of tbat day tbe rebels 
 bad startled our camps by firing a sbell wbicb 
 burst witbin a few feet of tbe Drummer's tent. 
 Robert sprang from bis bed and beat tbe "long 
 roll," witb a vim wbicb brougbt tbe regiment 
 to arms instantly. But finding tbat it was only 
 a rebel gun over tbe river, tbe men went to 
 quarters and slept undisturbed until six o'clock 
 tbe next morning. Tben tbey were ordered 
 down to a position near tbe pontoons, wbere 
 tbey were to perform guard duty for tbe day. 
 Tbis was too tame business for our young bero, 
 so strapping on bis drum and pistols, be bastened 
 down to tbe contested point of passage, wbere 
 
140 THE DRUMJEEE BOY OP 
 
 the Seventli MicMgan and the Nineteentli and 
 Twentietli Massacliusetts regiments lay, arms 
 stacked, awaiting orders from the commanding 
 General. 
 
 Burnside having resorted to every device pos- 
 sible to disperse the rebel annoyance secr'etly 
 posted in the houses, and behind rifle-pits, and 
 hea]3S of rubbish, at last called for volunteers to 
 man the pontoons and effect a lodgement by 
 rowing across the river. His great heart bled 
 at the thought of the sacrifice thus to be made, 
 but fate was imperative that something must be 
 done. The Seventh Michigan, with a shout, 
 clear and resonant with a courage which foretold 
 success, responded to the General's appeal. In 
 ten boats, each holding twenty-five to thirty-two 
 men, they pulled straight on through the volleys 
 of leaden hail which the rebels poured upon 
 
THE EAPPAHAXNOCK. 141 
 
 tliem, and reached the opposite shore. The two 
 Massachusetts regiments, inspired with equal 
 heroism, followed, and the three together in a 
 grand charge routed the rebels from their hiding 
 places, killing and wounding many, and putting 
 the rest to flight. Three bridges were now 
 quickly laid, and soon shook under the tread 
 of the Union host. 
 
 And where was our Drummer-boy during all 
 this fiery ordeal? When the call was made for 
 volunteers, and the Seventh so gallantly responded, 
 he was the first to shout, "I will," and the 
 foremost one in the boats. The Captain in 
 charge of the Company in this boat, seeing the 
 boy with his drum slung to his back, ordered 
 -him out, telling him he was too small for such 
 business, and that he would surely be killed. 
 The reply of the brave lad was noble — Spartan 
 
142 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 in expression, and a truthful echo of tlie heart- 
 throbs of the chivalrous crew that surrounded 
 him. Standing up in the further end of the 
 boat, swelling to his fullest height, he exclaimed, 
 "I do not care if I am killed ; I am willing 
 to die for my country." The soldiers with him 
 could not bear the idea of one so young as he 
 falling a needless victim in this dangerous enter- 
 prise, and the Captain's orders were imperative, 
 so deepl}'" chagrined he hastened ashore. But a 
 new idea flashed through his mind. With his 
 face brightening uj), he asked the Captain if 
 he might help push the boat off. And he, not 
 thinking of the ruse the boy was playing, said, 
 " Yes, if it will please you." So when all was 
 ready he pushed the boat off and let it drag 
 him into the river, he clinging with his hands 
 to the edge, and in this way he crossed the 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 143 
 
 river. More than half the men in this boat 
 were killed before touching shore, and so it was 
 with those who came after. As Robert climbed 
 up the river's bank, his drum was struck by a 
 piece of broken shell and torn to pieces. This 
 enraged him, and he seized a musket belonging 
 to one of his comrades who had been shot 
 close beside him, and went into a house near 
 by, where he encountered a tall, gaunt looking 
 rebel just loading his gun. Robert brought his 
 gun to a ready, and ordered him to surrender. 
 The gray-coat threw down his gun and cried 
 out : " Don't shoot : I surrender." He then 
 marched him back to the river, and found the 
 first pontoon just completed. The Seventh 
 Michigan seeing the boy and his prize, grew 
 wild with excitement, and gave three rousing 
 cheers for the " Drummer-boy of the Rappahan- 
 
144 
 
 THE DEUMMEK BOY OF 
 
 nock." Just then and tliere was this title ac- 
 quired. It was a proud one for the little hero, 
 and it was deservedly his. Several asked him 
 if he wished help to guard his prisoner. He 
 replied, " No ; I am enough for him." All the 
 way across the bridge and up the bank to the 
 guard of the Seventh Michigan, where he left 
 the captured rebel, he was cheered vociferously 
 by the passing troops. And General Burnside, 
 flushed with pride at the daring and gallant 
 action of the boy, exclaimed, "Boy, I glory in 
 your spunk; if you keep on in this way a few 
 more years, you will be in my place." Having 
 delivered his charge, he returned again to the 
 Seventh Michigan. Every where he seemed sud- 
 denly known to all; and never was actor greeted 
 with more hearty plaudits from never so excited 
 an auditorium. 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 146 
 
 The three regiments were now prepared to 
 charge through the city, and our hero, burning 
 with the fire of a freshly kindled ambition, 
 took his place in the ranks, ready for more 
 glory or death in the doing. And when the 
 cry resounded along the line, Fm^ward^ Foewaed, 
 onward rushed the " boys in blue " with 
 irresistible force and purpose, while the rebels, 
 astonished and dumbfounded, popped up from 
 their hiding-places and sought safety away up 
 the terraced heights where Lee himself, secure 
 behind his treble line of ramparts, grimly sur- 
 veyed the scene below. Reaching the summit 
 of the first terrace, stout opposition was made, 
 and the din of warfare raged furiously — but the 
 contest was unequal and could be of no more 
 avail than the heaving of the sea-billows against 
 the rock-bound coast. Still spirit was evinced, 
 
146 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 a determined and reckless daring displayed, 
 which might well make the rebel host feel that 
 when the real battle should commence the 
 struggle would be desperate. In this spirited 
 affair our Drummer was struck near the knee 
 by a minnie ball; but it being merely a flesh- 
 wound, he stopped not. Among the foremost, 
 he once got mixed with the rebels, and they 
 gaining a temporary advantage, he found him- 
 self virtually a prisoner. His tactical shrewdness 
 again assisted him out of the difficulty. Tumb- 
 ling down on the ground, right in the midst 
 of mud and blood, he seemed to be dead, and 
 so very quiet did he keep that several rebels 
 gazed upon him and called him dead,' remarking 
 that "he was mighty young and mighty small 
 for a soldier, and that he must have ha^ a 
 right smart of pluck, and that it was a pity 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 147 
 
 lie was dead." Soon tliey were forced back by 
 a renewed assault from our troops, and the rebels 
 were astonished to see him soon after rolling 
 down the slope to the Federal line. Again the 
 hills resounded with cheers for the Drummer-boy, 
 and his escape was considered miraculous. After 
 wiping the blood away from his wound, and 
 bandaging it, he went down into the city ramb- 
 ling among the smoking ruins and going through 
 several of the houses left standing, in search of 
 relics. Among other prizes which he bore away, 
 was a large clock. This he took to his own 
 regiment. His comrades all cheered him as he 
 trudged into camp with his load, and some 
 laughed at him immoderately, others said they 
 heard he had made a hero of himself and been 
 killed as a penalty for it. He received their 
 jokes complacently, told them all about his part 
 
148 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 in the affair, and wound up by declaring that 
 " the rebel bullet was not made yet to kill him." 
 They then complimented him for his bravery, 
 and told him that he had won glory enough 
 for one day and that he had better stay with 
 them. Still excited and flushed with the proud 
 name he had that day gained, he heeded not 
 this advice, but again crossed the river, and 
 this time brought back as a trophy a very rich 
 silk Confederate flag. He now cooled down 
 somewhat, the excitement which had nerved him 
 passed away, and the reaction, so prostrating, 
 so weakening, set in, and in a few hours after 
 he was in bed with a high fever. And thus 
 ends his share in the great battle of Fred- 
 ericksburg. And it was enough for so young a 
 boy, now but thirteen. His fame was a golden 
 one, and the news of his exploits flashed all 
 
THE EAPPAHAXNOCK. 149 
 
 over the land on the lightning-wing of the 
 electric wire. The public press teemed with 
 glowing articles on the display of such heroism 
 and daring, and pointed the moral that, our 
 country teeming with boys in whose bosoms 
 were germinant the same seeds of patriotic de- 
 votion, could never be conquered by a rebel or 
 a foreign power, and gloriously re-echoed with 
 all the enthusiasm incident to a Fourth of July 
 anniversary, the sentiment, "That there is hope 
 still for America!" 
 
 The country alas! knows too well, too sadly 
 well, how vain was the valor displayed by our 
 troops on the 13th of December, when the grand 
 assault was made and proved so signally a 
 failure. Death held high carnival all that day 
 in front of the rebel position. Not a rebel 
 work was taken ; not a rebel gun was captured ; 
 
150 THE DEUMMER BOY. 
 
 but near twenty thousand of our brave men 
 strewed the terraces, the plateaus and the streets 
 of the city. For two days after this, cannon- 
 ading was kept up, and the rebels led to believe 
 that the assault would be repeated; but on 
 Monday night, the 15th instant, the entire army 
 quietly, silently withdrew, the pontoons were 
 taken up, and the campaign ended. 
 
CHAPTER X, 
 
 Three weeks after the battle of Fredericksburg 
 Robert was again discharged for disability on 
 account of sickness. Whither should he go now? 
 What should he do? The record of the past 
 was all-glorious. His dreams of the future were 
 strange and perplexing. They shifted and ran 
 into each other like the showman's dissolving 
 views ; but it was some time before he could 
 definitely decide where to go — whether it were 
 better to return to Michigan, home and mother, 
 or to the great city of New York — a place 
 which his fancy had dressed out as full of high- 
 roofed buildings, crowded and packed into im- 
 penetrable closeness, and whose people were all 
 
152 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 overflowing witli the riches and products brought 
 by the great ships from all parts of the world. 
 Finally he decided on visiting the great 
 metropolis of America — the London of the new 
 world. In company with some officers going 
 home on leaves of absence, he arrived in New 
 York. Taking an omnibus to the Astor House, 
 he registered his name as "Robert Henry Hen- 
 dershot, the Drummer-boy of the Rappahannock." 
 The landlord observing it, said to him, "Are 
 you the Hendershot, the Drummer-boy of whom 
 we have read so much in the papers lately?" 
 He replied, "Yes, sir, I suppose I am. I have 
 heard my name has been in the papers con- 
 siderably." Then a crowd of people gathered 
 around and shook his hand and praised him 
 greatly for the gallantry he had displayed, and 
 for the good name he had won in the war of 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 153 
 
 tlie rebellion; all of wliicli was very flattering 
 to the youthful hero, and may, perhaps, have 
 made him a little vain. 
 
 That night, too, a great meeting was held at 
 the Cooper Institute and he was taken there 
 by some of his admiring friends, and was pub- 
 licly introduced by the chairman of the meeting 
 to the great sea of people crowded' within its 
 halls. The vast audience gave him a hearty 
 cheer, which resounded in deafening echoes around 
 its spacious halls. Winfield Scott, too, was 
 there — that veteran and honored chieftain now 
 no more — and he was introduced to him. The 
 General shook his hand warmly, patted him 
 upon the head, told him he was a little hero, 
 and advised him to resist temptation — not to 
 swear, drink or smoke; but in all things learn 
 I to be a man. His youthful heart was touched 
 
154 THE DRUMMEK BOY OF 
 
 with the impressive manner in which the General 
 addressed him, and his words of counsel sank 
 deep into his heart. The meeting over, another 
 hand-shaking was endured, and a great many- 
 ladies kissed him. 
 
 Returning to the Astor House, he was again 
 beset by a crowd eager to see him, and it 
 was some time before he could escape. And to 
 their shame be it said, many that night tempted 
 him to both drink and smoke ; but he heeded 
 well the advice of the old General. He was 
 taken around the city, and to all the newspaper 
 offices and introduced to the editors, and again 
 the country was fired with pride for the boy 
 who was so brave 
 
 "By bloody Rappahannock's side," 
 
 Our public orators roused the war spirit in our 
 people by dilating on the splendor of his daring 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 165 
 
 deeds. The clergy commended in glowing terms 
 his behavior in the cause of country, and coun- 
 seled an equally persistent spirit in the soldier 
 of the Cross. The " Tribune Association " treated 
 him with marked kindness, and informed him 
 that they would present him with a new and 
 much nicer drum — a drum of silver, as compen- 
 sation for the wooden one he had lost at 
 Fredericksburg. 
 
 Poesy, too, contributed her share towards the 
 full meed of praise deserved by the little Drum- 
 mer-boy; and many a contribution to the public 
 journals, perfect in beauty of language and grace 
 of thought — full of passion and fervor — aided in 
 moulding and developing that lofty patriotism, 
 that sense of selfsacrifice which brought into 
 the field "six hundred thousand more," and 
 finally, under gallant and safe leadership, saved 
 
156 THE DKUMMER BOY OF 
 
 our country to the cause of freedom, of justice, 
 and of God ! Here is one of the excellent 
 pieces, written by one of our sweetest poets, 
 George W. Bungay: 
 
 THE HERO OF THE DRUM. 
 
 The drummer with his drum, 
 
 Shouting ' ' Come 1 heroes, come I ^ 
 
 Forward march, nigher, nigher 1" 
 When the veterans turned pale, 
 And the bullets fell hke hail, 
 In that hurricane of fire 
 Beat his. drum, 
 Shouting ' ' Come I 
 Come I come 1 come I" 
 And the fife. 
 In the strife. 
 Joined the drum, drum, drum — 
 And the fifer "with his fife and the drummer with his drum, 
 Were heard above the strife and the bursting of the bomb. 
 The bursting of the bomb, 
 Bomb, bomb, bomb. 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 167 
 
 Clouds of smoke hung like a pall 
 Over tent and dome and hall ; 
 Hot shot and blazing bomb 
 Cut down our volunteers, 
 Swept off our engineers ; 
 But the drummer beat his dmm, 
 And he beat 
 "No retreat 1" 
 "With his drum : 
 Through the fire, 
 Hotter, nigher, 
 Throbbed the drum, drum, drum, 
 In that hurricane of flame and the thunder of the bomb, 
 Braid the laurel wreath of fame for the hero of the drum I 
 The hero of the drum, 
 
 Drum, dnm), drum. 
 
 Where the Eappahannock runs, 
 The sulphur-throated guns, 
 
 Poured out iron hail and fire ; 
 But the heroes in the boats 
 Heeded not the sulphur throats. 
 
 For they looked up higher, higher. 
 While the drum. 
 
158 THE DEUMMEE BOY. 
 
 Never dumb, 
 
 Beat, beat, beat, 
 Till the oars 
 Touched the shores, 
 And the fleet feet, feet, 
 Of the soldiers on the shore, with the bayonet and gun, 
 Though the drum could beat no more, made the dastard rebels run. 
 The dastard rebels run, 
 Bun, run, run. 
 
CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Among other newly formed friends who took a 
 great interest in him, was the Captain of one 
 of our ocean steamers, who invited him to make 
 a trip to Liverpool, the second largest city in 
 England. He accepted the invitation, and on 
 the Saturday following bade adieu for a time 
 to the soil of his birth. His trip across the 
 Atlantic was very pleasant, with the exception 
 of a day or so when the wind, blowing quite 
 fresh, rolled the sea into great round billows, 
 creating very unpleasant sensations, in other 
 words sea-sickness. This over, he was full of 
 enthusiasm, and learned many new things. At 
 night he would stand on the quarter deck for 
 
160 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 hours and look up into the sky and admire its 
 beauties. And then as lie felt the impressive 
 grandeur of the scene, the immensity of the 
 ocean, the infinity of God, his soul flooded with 
 raptures, welling from its deepest, purest springs. 
 Over head was the moon, full-orbed, and mild, 
 wheeling her onward flight through the heavenly 
 empyrean ; and the stars — the troops of beaming, 
 twinkling stars — so bright, so pure, so profuse 
 in shedding their spiritual magnificence upon man 
 below, that while his crude thoughts became 
 purer and loftier, like the stars above him, and 
 his soul, filled with a longing, unquenchable 
 thirst, inspired by the purity of the majestic 
 heavens, and upborne by the wings of faith, 
 soared aloft and seemed to pluck from the very 
 stars — those divine intelligences — that religious 
 spirit which, pure and undefiled, untrammeled by 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 161 
 
 the dogmas of sects, alone proves the soul's 
 elysium — the soul's immortality. 
 
 Around and beneath him was the sea, the 
 deep-toned sea, rolling restlessly its great green 
 waves, murmuring like the sea-shell the song of 
 its endless toil. On its surface was reflected the 
 starry host away above in heaven's azure vault, 
 and as he gazed upon these, he thought the 
 sea and sky were one — formed in joint com- 
 munion, which no earthly power could break — 
 none but that of Him who orders all things well. 
 And there, too, was the ship, so symmetrical and 
 so grand, to whose staunchness he had intrusted 
 his life, plunging through the foam-crested waves, 
 huge volumes of smoke rolling from her pipes, 
 emblematic of the mighty power within her, 
 and eveiy yard of her snowy canvas spread, 
 as she speeded nobly to her far-off destination. 
 
162 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 Thoughts from these inspirations are positive 
 and commanding. Power and love mingle in 
 them. They open wide the heart, enlighten the 
 understanding, and woo the affections. They 
 smooth the rough corners of life, and soften its 
 asperities. They become like those 
 
 "Elegies 
 And quoted odes, and jewels five words long, 
 That on the stretched forefinger of all time 
 Sparkle forever." 
 
 And could such scenes, such thoughts as these, 
 fail to ennoble the growing mind and heart of 
 our Drummer-boy ? It was generally past mid- 
 night when he retired to his state-room and 
 sought the balm of slumber ; and he was up 
 in the morning, refreshed as a lark, in season 
 to behold the sun rise from his oriental couch, 
 imparting glorious colors to the heaving sea. 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOOK. 163 
 
 At length Cape Clear was passed, and the 
 Irish Sea was entered. Soon after, with the aid 
 of a glass, Caernarvon appeared sparkling like a 
 ruby on the rough coast of Wales. Old Snow- 
 don, too, raised aloft his hoary brow, and the 
 morning sunlight bestowed upon him a blessing. 
 And away in the night Rose Light was an- 
 nounced, glad word to those who have tired of 
 the voyage, for Liverpool lies close at hand, 
 only a few miles up the Mersey. By morning 
 the steamer lay along side of the quay ; and 
 then came farewells among the passengers, and 
 our hero came in for a goodly share (for he 
 had become a favorite among them), and the 
 separations — some to their homes, or the homes 
 of their kindred in different parts of England 
 or Scotland, and others to make a trip on the 
 continent. 
 
164 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 The Captain who liad treated liis little guest 
 with great courtesy, now took him ashore, and 
 introduced him to several very wealthy and in- 
 fluential merchants, telling them who he was 
 and what a great name he had won by his 
 y^ daring feats in the war. They in turn treated 
 him like a prince, invited him to ride with them, 
 and showed every thing of interest in that great 
 city. He visited the great St. George's Hall, a 
 truly magnificent structure, and one which, for 
 completeness in design, proportion and finish, 
 has but few, if any, equals. The citizens point 
 with pride to this noble edifice, and exultingly, 
 almost declare that it stands peerless, aye, 
 
 " ITnapproached, unapproachable." 
 
 The Exchange, too, shared his attention. This 
 is a fine quadrangular structure, inside of which 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 165 
 
 is a court. This court is surrounded by a range 
 of columns or porticos, with marble pavements. 
 In the centre stands a lofty and beautiful monu- 
 ment to the immortal Nelson, resting upon a 
 very heavy base, elaborately sculptured on. each 
 side with figures and devices of various scenes — 
 the events of his life. It was he who exclaimed 
 to his men as he was about engaging the enemy 
 in that terrible conflict : " This day Et^glaistd 
 
 EXPECTS EVEET MAN TO DO HIS DUTY." Our 
 
 hero imagined the enthusiasm which these words 
 must have had upon the English tars, and he 
 spontaneously uttered, " And so to-day America 
 
 EXPECTS EVEEY MAN TO DO HIS DUTY." A noblc 
 
 utterance, worthy so brave an American youth ! 
 
 He also visited the spacious town hall, the 
 
 post-office, sup]3orted in the centre by huge Ionic 
 
 columns, the Seaman's Home, and the Zoological 
 
166 
 
 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 Gardens. He roamed around and throiigli the 
 gigantic docks and warehouses, and saw the piles 
 of merchandise, cotton, corn, wheat, flour, wine, 
 and the products of every clime upon which the 
 sun shines. He saw the immense forest of ship- 
 ping, extending as far as the eye could reach, 
 carrying the flags of every nation — ships, steamers, 
 tugs, lighters, and wheiTies. He saw the me- 
 chanical establishments for the working of iron, 
 copper, lead and brass — the great factories for 
 the manufacture of cotton and woUen goods, 
 and he felt that surely Liverpool is the New 
 York of the Old World. 
 
 The steamer was now ready to return to New 
 York, and so he bade good-by to his many kind 
 friends, and in the evening silently glided down 
 the Mersey and gazed upon the fast-receding 
 land. Soon all disappeared — the great city with 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 167 
 
 its masts, and spires, and palaces — tlie shore 
 with its villas, villages and 
 
 "All its solemn imagery of rocks 
 And woods." 
 
 Nothing of interest transpired on the home- 
 ward voyage, and our description of the outward 
 trip will suffice for this. Early in the New 
 Year of 1863 he was moored safely in New 
 York bay. Providence had been his guide, 
 averting all troubles and dangers. O, how rap- 
 turous the emotion that filled his mind upon 
 the first sight of his native land, after a month 
 of absence ! What scenes rushed upon his mem- 
 ory! What queries pressed for answer! How 
 proud he felt when he touched the shore again! 
 
CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Upon arriving in New York our hero was heart- 
 ily welcomed by his numerous friends, and for 
 a few days enjoyed their hospitality. Then he 
 made a flying visit home, and again astonished 
 his mother by his sudden presence. She was 
 deeply affected with the simple story of his ex- 
 perience, and the manner in which he had been 
 honored by so many distinguished citizens of the 
 country; and her heart again swelled with noble 
 and womanly pride as she strove to realize that 
 all this fame was tiue. Then she thanked God 
 for the protection which he had thrown over 
 him and her, and that all her fears for her 
 son's life and good name had been happily dis- 
 pelled — by no illusive hope, but by a realization 
 
THE RAPPAHANlSrOCK. 169 
 
 which proved him honest, noble and heroic. 
 Many an anxious night had she passed, smother- 
 ing a grief which the eye of the Omniscient 
 only saw; but now her tribulations and sorrows 
 were over, and her soul, serene in faith, looked 
 upwards through the storm-cloud and saw the 
 stars in heaven's own blue, emblematic of peace, 
 and joy, and love. 
 
 His ambitious nature was now fully aroused — 
 never more to be cramped into the circumscribed 
 sphere of action afforded by a country town — 
 and so, after a few days spent among his nu- 
 merous friends, he hastened again to New York 
 to receive the drum which the "Tribune Asso- 
 ciation" had promised him. 
 
 This drum was manufactured by Wm. A. 
 Pond <fe Co., of New York, the famous makers 
 of military musical instruments, and whose drums 
 
170 
 
 THE DEmOTER BOY OF 
 
 and German silver fifes have tlirobbed and piped 
 on many a battle-field. 
 
 The shell of this beautiful drum is of German 
 silver, elegantly polished, and having all the 
 glow of pure silver; the hoops are of solid 
 rosewood; both the batter and the snare heads 
 are made of transparent calf skin, so clear one 
 can read through them ; the braces are of a new 
 and unique pattern, with a German silver crest 
 on each cone ; the snare-fastener is of German 
 silver. On the body of the drum is the beau- 
 tifully engraved presentation inscription of the 
 Tribune Association, which reads as follows: 
 
 
 
 PRESENTED 
 
 
 
 
 
 BY THE 
 
 
 
 
 "TRIBUNE ASSOCIATION 
 
 ,•• 
 
 
 
 
 TO 
 
 
 
 
 'g,ahni 
 
 P^urg '§tix'iitxs 
 
 feflt, 
 
 
 Of the 
 
 Eighth Mi 
 
 chigan Infantry, for his ga 
 
 lantry 
 
 at the 
 
 
 Attack on 
 
 Fredericksburg, nth Dec, 
 
 1862. 
 
 
THE RAPPAHAlSnsrOCK. I'Tl 
 
 Many of our generals, colonels, and subaltern 
 officers received, during tlie war, presents of 
 houses, stocks, money, swords and pistols as tes- 
 timonials of tlie appreciation of tlie donors, for 
 distinguished gallantry, good service, and gentle- 
 manly deportment as officers and men ; but it 
 was seldom that officers of the army or civilians 
 at home ever thought it worth their while to 
 thus signify their approbation of soldierly conduct 
 in the non-commissioned officers and privates of 
 their commands or favorite regiments. They 
 seem to have been regarded as machines — mere 
 automatons on the great chess-board of war — 
 and that any action on their part, however heroic, 
 noble or manly, was a mere incident to their 
 position, and that if any merit had deserved 
 commemoration, it was the guiding, directing 
 hand or will of the commander, upon whom the 
 
172 THE DETTMlVrEE BOY OF 
 
 mantle of glory or reward should descend. Many- 
 are the instances where the humble, private 
 soldier, known to none save the few comrades 
 in his own company or regiment, deserved con- 
 spicuous mention for his conduct, but who never 
 received it. This I'ecognition, therefore, by the 
 Tribune Association, of the young but faithful 
 Drummer-boy, is worthy of all praise. For the 
 honor of the country let it not be said here- 
 after that the soldier is forgotten. 
 
 Question him the story of his life; 
 
 Of many accidents by flood and field; 
 
 Of hair- breadth escapes in the imminent, deadly breach, 
 
 And love him for the dangers he has passed, 
 
 As ho would you, that you did pity them. 
 
 P. T. Barnum, so famous throughout the civi- 
 lized world as a great showman, next took our 
 hero in charge, and for eight weeks he was 
 one of the attractive features of his museum. 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 173 
 
 He had free access to all tlie halls, and whiled 
 away the time most pleasantly in examining the 
 many specimens of the natural world, as well as 
 the unnatural, and in answering the many ques- 
 tions with which he was constantly plied, prompt- 
 ed by the admiration and the eager curiosity 
 of the multitudes who gathered there. 
 
 Upon the expiration of this service. Professor 
 Harvey G. Eastman, LL.D., President of Eastman 
 JS'ational Business College, at Poughkeepsie, New 
 York, one of the most eminent educators and busi- 
 ness men in the land, and who has established one 
 of the most popular and useful institutions of 
 learning that ever supported the commercial in- 
 terests of this nation, generously offered to 
 educate, board and clothe him free of charge. 
 The proposition was gladly accepted, and so, 
 elegantly dressed in a suit of finest blue, trimmed 
 
114: THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 with red, and carrying his splendid silver drum, 
 he proceeded to Poughkeepsie, accompanied by 
 several distinguished citizens. They were met 
 at the de|)ot by about two thousand students 
 of the Eastman National Business College, besides 
 a large number of people, all of whom had as- 
 sembled to do honor to the brave little boy. 
 The magnificent cornet band of the institution 
 discoursed familiar airs, charming all with their 
 skillful performances. The school then formed 
 into a procession and marched to the college 
 buildings, where the youthful hero was introduced 
 to the students and citizens generally. The re- 
 ception was very flattering, but was accepted in 
 a becoming spirit of modest worth. 
 
 Professor Eastman kindly took him into his 
 own family, giving him the comforts and nice- 
 ities of an elegant home. And Robert, in speak- 
 
THE EAPPAHAJSTNOCK. 175 
 
 ing of his generous benefactor, always says in 
 Ms plain, frank way, " he used me like a son." 
 He remained here at intervals, pursuing his 
 studies with tolerable avidity, slowly acquiring 
 an education which shall in due time insure the 
 means of support and lay the foundation of his 
 success in future life. But so used had he become 
 to roaming around and seeing the country and 
 the people, that his first essay at learning was 
 confined to a pupilage of five months. While 
 here an incident occurred which proved that he 
 still possessed the same heroism which character- 
 ized him -on the battle-fields of the Kepublic. . 
 One of the Poughkeepsie papers thus narrated 
 the event : 
 
 " As Robert Hendersliot, well known as the Drummer-boy of the 
 Eappahannock, was entering the Vassar-street building of Eastman's 
 College in Poughkeepsie, he was set upon by three burglars who had 
 gained an entrance into one of the rooms of the building. One of 
 
U6 
 
 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 the thieves fired two shots at Hendershot in quick succession, the 
 balls striking a Testament in the breast-pocket of his coat, doing him 
 no injury whatever. Hendershot immediately drew a revolver and 
 returned the fire rapidly. During the confusion the burglars made 
 their escape. Upon examination, it was found that an attempt had 
 beeu made to carry off Hendershot's beautiful silver drum, which was 
 presented to him by the Tribune Association, and a quantity of money 
 belonging to the stationery department of the college. The affair 
 created considerable excitement, and the police are working up the 
 
 Suddenly he conceived the idea of visiting 
 Washington and paying his respects to President 
 Lincoln. Accordingly he bade good-by to all his 
 friends in Poughkeepsie, and started for the cap- 
 ital of this great Union. In due season he was 
 introduced to the President, who received him 
 with that perfect simplicity which so endeared 
 him to all those who ever had the honor of his 
 acquaintance. That noble man spent some little 
 time in pleasant conversation with him, and gave 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOOK. 
 
 m 
 
 him some good advice — words of wisdom, beau- 
 tiful as "apples of gold in pictures of silver" — 
 words which, we trust, he has treasured in the 
 heart and will use as a polar star, guiding him 
 onward to the noble and the true all through 
 life. 
 
 As the interview ended, the President invited 
 our hero of the drum to dine with him. He, 
 awed by the surroundings of the great man, and 
 abashed even by his simple presence, felt that 
 he had not nerve enough to face a table full 
 of honored ladies and gentlemen, and excused 
 himself by saying he thought he was illy clad 
 for such an occasion. The President kindly re- 
 marked, as he patted him on the head, "My 
 young boy, it is not the dress that makes the 
 man." Dinner over, he took his leave, with the 
 kindly regards of the President, who in bidding 
 
 12 
 
178 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 him adieu, said, "Robert, if I can serve you in 
 any way, come to me and I will do so." 
 
 Robert spent six months in Washington at this 
 time, serving as a messenger in Mr. Spinner's 
 office. Then the old love came back upon him. 
 The idol of glory again stood out in her mag- 
 nificent proportions, dressed in robes of crimson 
 and gold, radiant with smiles, her head crowned 
 with the wreath of laurel, which only he could 
 wear, who, by daring deeds and chivalrous bear- 
 ing, had won a name as one of his country's 
 defenders. 
 
 Now he entered the navy. He was assigned 
 for duty on the United States steamer "Fort 
 Jackson," Captain Sands commanding, and sta- 
 tioned near Fort Fisher. This officer was much 
 impressed with the carriage of the boy and took 
 kindly care of him. While lying off here an 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK.. 179 
 
 expedition was planned to destroy some salt 
 works, which lay some little distance inland, and 
 volunteers were called for to consummate the 
 enterprise. As at Fredericksburg, on a much 
 more perilous occasion, Robert was the first to 
 respond. The party pulled ashore in small boats, 
 landed without opposition, and set fire to the 
 works, the few workmen running at the approach 
 of the marines. They then returned to the boats 
 and hurriedly pushed from shore, accidentally 
 leaving Robert behind, who unwisely had strayed 
 from the party in quest of relics. His dismay 
 was great when, upon reaching shore, he saw the 
 boats a full half mile away. Full of pluck, and 
 not relishing the thought that if the rebels should 
 appear, his probable fate would be death, he swam 
 to an island, and there awaited deliverance. 
 Upon gaining the steamer the loss of Robert 
 
180 THE DEUMMEE BOY 
 
 was noticed, and the captain ordered a boat 
 back to find him. As it passed near this island, 
 his shouts attracted attention, and he was speedily 
 freed from his unpleasant dilemma. 
 
 Soon afterwards the boat proceeded to Norfolk, 
 Virginia, and Robert was discharged from the 
 service. The name of home sounded sweetly in 
 his ears. The thousand quiet thoughts and en- 
 dearing associations — rendered the more dear from 
 the contrast of his waywardness — attuned his 
 heart to the full melody of that- sympathy which 
 sanctifies the soul, and relieves life of all its 
 dreary features. Then his heart yearned truly 
 for his home, and he felt, if he did not express, 
 the beautiful lines of George W. Bethune : 
 
 "Mother I thy name is widow — well 
 
 I know no love of mine can fill 
 The waste place of thy heart, or dwell 
 
 Within one sacred recess: still 
 Loan on the faithful bosom of thy son, 
 My parent, thou art mine, my only onel" 
 
CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 His stay at home, however, was very short. 
 Hardly twenty-four hours had elapsed before a 
 letter to his mother, from an elder son, informed 
 her that he was very sick. This brother was a 
 member of the Second United States Artillery, 
 and was attached to a division in the Army of 
 the Potomac. The mother's anxiety was very 
 great, and so Robert hastened at once to him 
 and gave him kindly care — those tender assi- 
 duities which flow from hearts allied by the 
 chords of love drawn from a common mother's 
 breast — a social love and sympathy which goes 
 far to cheer the heart, enliven the brain, and 
 drive far away the inroads of physical suffering. 
 His brother soon recovered, and then Robert 
 
182 
 
 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 devoted himself to tlie generous task of nursing 
 the wounded who had fallen while so stoutly 
 and bravely fighting in the battles around Rich- 
 mond; but this tender mission was- soon sus- 
 pended — for one day, while visiting a friend 
 who was stationed in Fort Steadman, near 
 Petersburg; the rebels attacked it, and a des- 
 perate battle ensued, during which he and his 
 friend were taken prisoners and sent to Libby 
 Prison in Richmond. They remained there to- 
 gether for a month, and then Robert being a 
 mere boy, was allowed to come out and walk 
 around the prison. They soon made overtures 
 to him to enter the rebel army as a drummer, 
 and thinking it a speedy way of getting home 
 again, he enlisted under the " Stars and Bars," 
 and was at once sent to Petei*sburg. The very 
 first night after his arrival at the front he 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK:. 183 
 
 crawled througli tlie rebel picket line and over 
 into tlie Federal, when lie was arrested ; but 
 upon proving himself the Drummer-boy of the 
 Rappahannock, which was no difficult task, he 
 was released, and at once repaired to Washington. 
 
 He put up at the Kirkwood House, a first- 
 class hotel then kept by C. C. Sprig, who 
 extended every kindness to him free of charge. 
 Here he remained for two weeks, moving daily 
 among the "stars" and "eagles," which, content 
 with the empyrean height attained, and surfeited 
 with the glory gained, mistily glimmered and 
 wheeled in their particular orbit of Washington 
 society, like the meteor's flash, kindling a flame 
 of admiration for an instant, and then passing 
 away into the depths of the great unknown 
 forever. 
 
 Fortune next drifted him into a news-agent 
 
184 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 on board tlie steamer "James T. Brady," whicli 
 runs regularly between Washington and City 
 Point. Wliile in this business he greatly aided 
 the soldiers in procuring the boxes of nick-nacks 
 and goodies sent them by the loved ones at 
 home. 
 
 Then he visited his brother again in the 
 Second Artillery, and was with him in Sheri- 
 dan's famous battle of the Five Forks, the last 
 engagement of the war, and gained additional 
 laurels for his heroism and kind-heartedness. He 
 was with General Custer, and in the thickest of 
 the fray. In one of the rebel charges he was 
 run over, but again played possum, lying mo- 
 tionless, as if he were dead. Soon Custer's in- 
 vincible host charged the rebel van, driving it 
 like sand before the wind, and Robert, once 
 more secure, returned to life. His unremitting 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 185 
 
 attentions to the wounded in this affair won him 
 troops of fi'iends, and the chief surgeon, in be- 
 half of the wounded, made him a present of a 
 "beautiful silver watch and a pistol. On the 
 inside of the watch was engraved quite neatl}'-, 
 the work of some soldier, the following inscrip- 
 tion: "Presented to R. H. Hendershot, Drummer- 
 boy of the Rappahannock, for his kindness and 
 services to the wounded soldiers of Sheridan's 
 Cavalry, on the 3rd of April, 1865." 
 
 Among the many characteristics of the soldier, 
 generosity is perhaps the most prominent and 
 the most impressive. However knotted and 
 gnarled may have been his heart when at home, 
 even though a kindly emotion may never have 
 welled from his bosom, yet when the rough 
 experiences of soldier life — common trouble and 
 danger — have developed his character, he will 
 
186 THE DEUMMER BOY OP 
 
 sympatliize deeply witli those in distress, and 
 divide his last penny with the unfortunate — the 
 rich fruit of a harsh culture, ripening and crack- 
 ing like the persimmon under the influence of 
 the cold and wintry frost. And the spirit of 
 gratitude exemplified by these brave men in 
 thus gn'ing our Drummer-boy such tokens of 
 esteem, is e\adence strong "as proof of Holy 
 Writ," that they are not forgetful of those en- 
 dearing acts which so knit together heart with 
 heart in mystic bonds of love. 
 
 Now that the war was ended, and the birds 
 caroled their songs of peace, and the voice of 
 the turtle was heard in the land, now that the 
 strong muscle, the indomitable resolution, the 
 unshrinking courage were no longer required to 
 maintain the honor of our starry flag and the 
 perpetuity of the government, Robert again re- 
 
THE EAPPAHATTNOCK. 187 
 
 turned to his Mud beuefactor at Pouglikeepsie, 
 New York, and resumed his studies. At length, 
 Mr. Eastman's famous band made a musical tour 
 through the Middle and Western States, and 
 Robert accompanied them as a drummer. The 
 band won high encomiums from the people and 
 the press of the country. This trip over, he 
 accepted a very kind offer of Reeder Smith, Esq., 
 of Appleton, Wisconsin, to live with him, and 
 pursue his studies in the academic department 
 of Lawrence University. 
 
 Appleton is a beautiful town, and nestles lov- 
 ingly on the banks of Fox River, a stream 
 bordered with scenery as classic as that of the 
 Arno, and abounding with legendary lore as 
 touching as the most pathetic in Hiawatha. 
 And here, too, Lawrence University — the bene- 
 faction of two liberal and noble men of Massachu- 
 
188 THE DEUMMEK BOY OF 
 
 setts, Appleton and Lawrence — rises from amidst 
 a mass of leafy foliage, like a grand Pharos of 
 white stone. 
 
 He remained here but one term, but this 
 period is among the brightest epochs of his 
 young eventful life. Mr. Smith had a boy 
 named Lawrence, a lad the same age as Robert, 
 and every Saturday was a holiday with them. 
 They generally went hunting or fishing, and 
 frequently some episode occurred, full of exciting 
 interest and even of danger. 
 
 One bright morning the two boys, jubilant 
 in spirit, and with a basket laden with a nice 
 lunch, started on a fishing excursion up the river 
 towards Lake Butte des Morts, a wide expanse in 
 the stream, abounding with fish of excellent quali- 
 ty. They trolled for some time with excellent luck, 
 placing in the bottom of their boat about fifty 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 189 
 
 elegant pike and black bass. It was nearing 
 sunset when they started for home. Lawrence 
 first took his turn at rowing. The boat was 
 very long and narrow, but little better in fact 
 than a dug-out, and as Robert was relieving 
 Lawrence at the oars, it struck a snag and 
 capsized. The predicament was laughable. The 
 boat was bottom up, the oars and the fish all 
 drifted down stream. Robert's gun sank instantly 
 to the bottom, while both boys floundered in 
 the water, but being good swimmers, they were 
 not afraid of drowning. Lawrence struck at once 
 for the land, while Robert worked the boat off 
 the snag upon which it had poised, and pushed 
 it ashore, not far distant. This done, he thought 
 of the oars, and swam out for them. They then 
 tipped the water out of the boat and rowed 
 into the stream, picking up the fish. Finally 
 
190 THE DEIJMMER BOY OF 
 
 these were captured. And then came an anxiety 
 to save the gun, for it was a splendid fowling 
 piece, and a great favorite with him. For a 
 moment a shadow of despair darkened his heart, 
 even as the passing cloud obscures the sun, and 
 then disappeared forever. A new thought oc- 
 curred to him. He could dive down and get 
 it, and he would do it. Pwyose declared this, 
 and will achieved it. The third effort was a 
 success. Full of glee, he sang merrily that song 
 so familiar with school-boy days, 
 
 "If at first you don't succeed, 
 Try, try again." 
 
 His conquest was complete, or nearly so, as the 
 only articles lost were his hat and a pair of 
 boots. Home was reached without further mis- 
 hap, and a nice warm supper awaited them. 
 Lawrence's mother evinced great surj^rise when 
 
THE EAPPAHANFOCK. 
 
 191 
 
 they came in, their clothes loggy with water, and 
 at once divined that some accident had befallen 
 them. The adventure was related with all the 
 vim natural to youth, and was ended with a 
 word of caution for the future from the parents. 
 He remained in Appleton, Wisconsin, only 
 during one term of school, and then bade his 
 kind friends and patrons, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 
 adieu. Proceeding to Poughkeepsie, he tarried a 
 little time with Mr. Eastman; and on the 1st 
 of July returned to Michigan. On the Nation's 
 Holiday he visited Detroit, and was unfortunate 
 enough to lose his pocket-book, containing fifty- 
 seven dollars, at the hand of one of the light- 
 fingered gentry. He informed the Honorable 
 Mayor of his loss, and that kind-hearted gentleman, 
 with whom the Drummer-boy was a great favo- 
 rite, because of the honor he had gained as 
 
192 THE DRUMMER BOY OP 
 
 one of Micliigan's sons, failing to recover the 
 money, generously started a subscription among 
 his friends and promptly made the loss good. 
 From Michigan he visited Boston, and spent 
 several days with Mr. Emerson, so eminent for his 
 acquirements and scholarship. From here he 
 visited General A. E. Burnside, his former com- 
 mander, and now Governor of the State of Ehode 
 Island. This noble-minded man received and 
 treated him with great consideration, and upon 
 his leaving for Philadelphia, gave him a letter of 
 recommendation — the strongest one it is said that 
 he ever gave a boy. 
 
 The famous National Uriion Convention was 
 then in session, and Robert was a constant wit- 
 ness to its proceedings, and made the acquaintance 
 of many of its members, both from the North 
 and the South. Thence he returned to Michigan 
 
THE RAPPAHANNOCK. 193 
 
 wliere lie quietly remained in the enjoyment of 
 the society of his mother, relations and friends — 
 especially that of an uncle, Robert Hendershot, a 
 farmer, who resides near Monroe, and who* had a 
 magnificent span of horses and a carriage, which 
 were placed at his disposal, and with which he 
 enjoyed many a ride in company with the fair 
 damsels in and around that beautiful little city. 
 On the fifth of September he came to Chicago 
 to attend the ceremony of laying the corner- 
 stone of the Douglas Monument. Here he met 
 the Presidential party, and at the invitation of 
 General Grant and Secretary Seward, he accom- 
 panied the party the balance of the tour to 
 Washington City. He is now preparing to enter 
 the West Point Military Academy, to which he 
 was designated by the lamented Lincoln, that 
 great statesman and patriot; him whom the 
 
 \y^ 
 
194 THE DRUMMER BOY OF 
 
 renowned in tlie field, the forum, and the pulpit 
 all loved and admired; him who, though tow- 
 ering on the pinnacle of a nation's greatness, 
 did not forget from how humble a source he 
 had risen, nor fail to stoop down from that 
 glorious elevation and extend his hand, electric 
 with the loving sympathy of his heart, and say, 
 "Be of good cheer. Persevere in well-doing, and 
 thou shalt yet win happiness and honor." It 
 was the last appointment to the Military School 
 which he ever made. Robert felt the blow most 
 deeply when the dread news came that his and 
 the people's idolized President had fallen a 
 victim to the assassin's hand. And when martial 
 bands, steeple, tower, and minute gun pealed 
 forth the deep anthem and funeral knell of the 
 dead, the great departed, no oppressed heart 
 uttered a sincerer sigh of sorrow, no eye let 
 
THE KAPPAHANNOCK. 
 
 195 
 
 fall hotter tears of sadness. Ah ! death, thou 
 art inexorable. Thy shafts assail and destroy 
 the noblest as well as the meanest, the purest 
 as remorselessly as the vilest. How sweet then 
 the consolations afforded by a belief in the holy 
 faith of God. 
 
 " They who die in Christ are blessed — 
 Ours be tlien no thought of grieving! 
 
 Sweetly with their God they rest, 
 AU their toils and troubles leaving: 
 
 So be ours the faith that saveth, 
 
 Hope that every trial braveth, 
 
 Love that to the end endureth, 
 
 And through Christ the crown secureth.'' 
 
 The great man has gone, but the principles 
 which he has inculcated and enforced shall live 
 forever. The casket is destroyed, but the jewel 
 is imperishable. The bow is broken, but the 
 arrow has reached its mark. Abraham Lincoln 
 
196 THE DETTlOrER BOY. 
 
 is indeed dead, but the influence of his virtues, 
 his high moral character survives, and will con- 
 tinu,e to exercise a controlling power in the 
 legislation of the nation, as the sunset sky, when 
 the orb of day has set, still shows the glowing 
 traces of its warmth and beauty. 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 OuE task is done. The narrative of the brave 
 Drummer-boy is completed. The record is glori- 
 ous for one so j^oung, and should quicken with 
 pride the hearts of our people. Our young 
 folks can read it with interest and profit. It 
 inculcates a two-fold lesson. The earlier weak- 
 nesses and foibles should be condemned, while 
 the love of country manifested, the enthusiasm 
 of youth displayed, the daring deeds of battle 
 performed, are most worthy of remembrance and 
 emulation. 
 
 And now that the rebellion is ended, thousands 
 of noble acts of heroism, duty, devotion, sacrifice, 
 and humanity performed on the battle-field and 
 in the hospital will be written out — grouped, 
 
198 THE DEUMMEE BOY OF 
 
 defined and analyzed — lending a fresher glow 
 to our national fame and prowess than it has 
 ever before attained. 
 
 It is opportunity that has thus distinguished 
 America, placing it to-day first and foremost 
 among the nations in all the essentials of its 
 being — its institutions, its nationality, its nature, 
 and its life. It is this great motor which en- 
 abled our people, when a few men, in their 
 hatred to New England Puritanism, to freedom 
 and liberal institutions, stirred up an insurrection 
 to establish the political sanctity of American 
 Slavery, to crush out, and forever, every vestige 
 of the giant barbarism, so that now our land 
 is "free in reality as in name," the National 
 Constitution, our Magna Charta of rights pro- 
 claiming in letters of living light the annihilation 
 of this great wrong. Opportunity has proved 
 
THE EAPPAHANNOCK. 199 
 
 that a Republican Government is capable of 
 maintaining itself against internal dissensions and 
 out-breaks, however great, and that the argument 
 of despotic and monarchical power, that in war 
 we should lack the centralization necessary to 
 such an emergency, has been forever silenced 
 from the fact that in this desperate conflict, just 
 terminated, our people — educated and intelli- 
 gent — sustained the national power, vindicated 
 the integrity of the Union, extended its consti- 
 tutional authority to meet every new trial, and 
 that, too, without the least curtailment of private 
 rights, and without the least disturbance of that 
 just equilibrium which constitutes the true har- 
 mony, j)rosperity, and perpetuity of our institu- 
 tions. Opportunity has placed us in the van of 
 nations, in the advancement of science and art, 
 and our inventive talent in the construction of 
 
200 THE DEUMMER BOY OF 
 
 monitors, ordnance, camp-equipage, and tlie mate- 
 riel of war in general has astonished and con- 
 founded the world. 
 
 In our terrible fratricidal strife nothing has 
 gone backward. Every new development has 
 been aggressive and progressive. Olden land- 
 marks, olden ideas, old prejudices have all been 
 set aside, and the nation has steadily and sturdily 
 advanced on the high road to moral and intel- 
 lectual greatness. The Christian and Sanitary 
 Commissions and the benign nobleness and de- 
 votion of our women have exerted untold and 
 incalculable power in this behalf. 
 
 Who then shall say our country shall not 
 live, and its beneficence and power for good be 
 felt until the "last syllable of recorded time?" 
 Well may we declare the language of an English 
 poet, in addi'essing his own country, 
 
THE RAPPAHAITNOCK. 201 
 
 "The grave's not dug where traitor hands shall lay, 
 In fearful haste, thy murdered corse away." 
 
 Let the unexampled growth of our country in 
 the past, its wonderful endurance in the present, 
 its untold and immeasurable field for future 
 usefulness, and honor, and glory, illustrated by 
 the examples of our history, and enforced by 
 the precepts of all that is generous, exalted and 
 pure, be deeply instilled into the hearts of our 
 youth, in each succeeding generation, through all 
 coming time, and there need be no fear but 
 that our government, which is, to quote the 
 words of our martyred President, " the last best 
 hope of the earth," will be perpetuated and be- 
 come as enduring as the earth itself. And God, 
 in the exercise of his mysterious will, ordaining 
 all for good, shall suffer it to stand a beacon 
 of hope to oppressed humanity every where, 
 
202 
 
 THE DEUMMER BOY. 
 
 an intermediary alembic, uniting tlie frailties of 
 the mortal with the Christian self-assurance of 
 the Immortal. Thus may it be ever active, ever 
 onward, and to use the sweet simile of Dante 
 in his Vision of Paradise 
 
 ' ' Like a wheel 
 la even motion, by the love impelled 
 That moves the sun in heaven and all the stare." 
 

 
 
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