3
ONE
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THE SUNDAY OKEGONTAJf, PORTLAND, MAT SO, 1915.
15
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man s army. As a
he served through
"march to the sea."
CIVIL WA
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i" .V 7
XV. . .aft
Colonel jobnt i clem. xj. . a
SETBO "SEA THIS YCARj
raw u
r.
him that, being; bo young, he "did not
possess the discretion of older heads,
and consequently, when carrying a
message, usually took the most direct
route." .
When muBtered out, In 1865, he was
dispatch carrier sained for him a medal of honor pre
all the ruthless sented by Congress. "For distinguished
An officer said to gallantry in voluntarily, under a heavy
Are, going to the aid of a wounded
officer."
"Jennie" served during the entire
time of service of the regiment and
participated in all battles In which it
was engaged, among which were Big
13 years and 6 months old. Being told Bethel, capture of Hatteras Inlet. Boa
that he must give up his pony an noke Island, Camden, South Mountain,
animal captured at Milledgeville, Ga., Fredericksburg, siege of Suffolk and
and which he had long ridden as dls- Antietam.
Sl .
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patch carrier rhe was greatly dis
tressed and went to see President John
son about the matter. "My son," said
the President, "what do you want? A
brevet, I suppose.".
"No, It is not that," replied the boy.
"It Is my dear pony. I have brought
him all through the campaign, and now
he la to be taken away from me."
"You shall keep him," said the Presi
dent, and signed an order to that effect.
At last accounts Van Zandt was
living in Chicago, and looking ten
years younger than his actual age a
fact which he explained by saying that
he had been "scared out of ten years
growth while Jn the Army."
The third youngest drummer boy in
the Union ranks and the youngest from
At Antietam. where he took part in
the famous charge of the Zouaves, in
which they lost 63 per cent killed and
wounded, a horse placed In "JennleV
charge by Major Kimball was shot
under him on the now famous "Burn
side bridge." At Fredericksburg his
drum was riddled with bullets, and at
the siege of Suffolk the tassel of his
fes was shot away. The drummer boy'
term of service extended for a period
of seven years, at the end of which he
was mustered out as Captain.
Colonel John H. Whallen, of Louis
vile. K y.. the youngest recruit of the
Confederacy, had one of the most in
teresting war records of any of the
Kentucky youths who left their homes
NORTH and South this Is the season
when reverence is paid and memo
rials given to the living and the
dead who fought in our great Civil
War. As the ever-thinning ranks of
silver-haired veterans file past the re
viewing stand It is difficult to think
that the battles of 50 years ago were
fought and won by boys some of them
not yet In their teens.
Thousands some authorities say one
million fighting men In the Union
Army were 16 years old or younger,
and the drummer boys were some of
them not yet 10.
The drummer boy of Chickamauga,
youngest of all the soldiers who fought
in the Civil War, was retired a few
weeks ago as an officer of the Regular
Army. He Is Colonel John L. Clem
Little Johnny Clem, as they used to
caJJ him when he carried a musket in
the ranks.
Johnny was not yet 10 years old when
he sought enlistment as a drummer
In the Third Ohio Regiment of Volun
teers. That was at Newark, O., where
ha was going to school. The recruit
ing officer laughed and said that he
was "not enlisting infants."
This would have been enough for
most boys. But Johnny was not bo
easily discouraged. When the Third
Ohio pulled out of Newark he climbed
aboard the train, thus obtaining a pas
sage to Cincinnati, where' he sought to
enlist in the Twenty-third Michigan
Regiment. Again rejected, he went
.long Just the same as a drummer.
He wore a soldier's uniform, cut down
for him by the regimental tailor, and.
though not mustered-in, drew pay reg-
. jr.- "jr
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2
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'-.'Vvi.
the State of New York was J. C. Julius to Participate in the war between the
Langheim, who enlisted in the famous
lighting regiment known as the Ninth
New York Volunteers (Hawkins' Zou
aves) on May 4. 1861, at the age of 14.
Because of his small stature and
childish appearance his comrades called
him "Jennie," a name by which he was
known during his entire length of serv
ice. The bravery of diminutive "Jennie"
was attested in many battles. At Cam-
States. Colonel Whallen died October
H. 1913. He was in poor health in the
early Summer of that year and did
not attend the annual reunion of the
Confederate veterans in Chattanooga.
Another heroic drummer boy was
Robert Henry Hendershot. When the
Federals were trying to build a bridge
of boats across the Rappahannock, the
task was rendered seemingly impossible
by sharpshooters hidden in dwellings
aen. N. C, he performed a feat which and shops on the opposite side of the
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i .UUX-JCC-HH, JAJ.- UX.
DKUMKER. BOY OF
HAStVUNS ' ZOUAVES
"YEARS OLD-HE.
3?E,CET7EX A
OF HQNDRrCE
KRAErxT UNDUE-.,
river. Shot and shell failed to dislodge
them. Volunteers were called for to
cfoss the stream and clear them out.
The officer in command chose 100 men,
who were to make a dash In boats.
Little "Bobby," trying to enter one of
the boats, was ordered out of it, but
told to push it off. He clung to the
stern until he found himself on the
other side of the stream. Then, open
ing the back door of a house, he cap
tured a sharpshooter and brought him
away as a prisoner. In the presence
of his regiment General Burcsids said
to him: "Boy, J glory in your punk.
If you keep on this way for a few
more years you will be in my place."
There was a boy in the Army of
Northern Virginia. 16 years old. who
during a fierce engagement was struck
by a bullet in the brenst. At that moment-
his Colonel ordered the men to
dismount, springing, as he spoke, from
his own horse.
"I will hold your horse. Colonel."
said the wounded boy, who lay helpless
on the ground.
Pausing in the midtt of a storm of
bullets, the Colonel replied: "But you
can't do that, lad; you are dying."
"I know I am. Colonel, but I can
bold the reins when I am dead."
The Colonel placed the bridle In the
boy's hands. When the fight was over
he hurried back and found him lying
dead, the reins still wrapped tightly
about his right hand.
When 9 years old Michael F. Donoho
left for the front in the Summer of
IS61 as a drummer boy and afterward
served with the old 149th New York
Volunteers, with which reslment ho
was mustered out at Syracuse August
19, 1S65. The lad faced the fires of the
entire war, passing through all tho
campaigns on the Totomac, seeing the
terrors of Gettysburg and knowing
what it means to serv tinder the great
Generals. Grant and Sheridan.
Bearing the scars of war all over his
body, but robust and cheery, Mr.
iJonoho, who was 64 years old May 27
of this year, now resides in Auburn,
N". Y.. practically unknown by hia fel
low townspeople, but proud in the
knowledge that he is one of the
"youngest" veterans f the Civil War.
The old soldier never attends the re
unions of his comrades of days gone
by; neither is he a member of the
Grand Army.
if-
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THE rjGHTXMe
PPLTMMER BOY
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CHICKAMAUCiA. J
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11
sawed off to a suitable length. With,
this formidable weapon he shot and
wounded a Confederate officer, who
called him a "d d little Yankee" and
demanded that he surrender. It was
hot work in that fight. Three musket
balls went through the boy's cap and
he thought it Judicious to fall dead.
After dark he "came alive" again and
made his way to Chattanooga.
In recognition of his bravery on this
occasion he was made a sergeant, be
ing at this time 12 years old. At
Chattanooga he saw General Grant,
who said to General Thomas, "Where
did you pick up Little John?"
"I picked him up at Chickamauga."
replied General Thomas, "and I've made
him a sergeant."
"Is that all you are going to make
me. General?" asked Johnny, with
childish Impudence.
Sheer impudence got the boy out of
more than one scrape. On one occasion.
Just before the battle of Perryvllle,
he shot a small pig. Foraging had been
strictly forbidden, and, being caught
with the pig by General Doolittle, he
had good reason to fear severe punish
ment. But when the General demanded
an explanation the boy, assuming an
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tions. As a last resort he went to see
his old friend and military comrade,
General Grant, who was In the White
House. He asked him for a civil ap
pointment. But Grant replied: "I'll do
better for you than that. I'll make you JUEWSPAPER reading was made the
a second lieutenant and send you to subject of scientific investigation at
RAPIDREADING ILLS TOLD
Fortress Monroe to catch up with your
studies." Which was how Little
Johnny came to be an officer of the
Regular Army.
War's strong appeal to boys lies in
the promise of excitement that It of
fers. It has been said that the Civil
conflict was largely a boys' war. Three
in every 10 soldiers on the Union side
were under 21 years of age. and the
percentage was greater in the South.
Although the minimum age of enlist-
a meeting held in connection with tbo
general convention of the aepartment
of superintendence of the National
Education Association, which opened
at Cincinnati. Before so formidable a
gathering a rigorous treatment of the
theme was to be expected, and the
speaker. Dr. Colin A. Scott, of Boston,
presented statistics to show that
"newspaper matter which is very con
crete, such as an account of an auto
mobile accident, is read 100 words a
ment was in, tnis regulation was in mjnuto quicker, on the average, than
many instances evaded. There is reDorts of such items as the proceed-
tJlarly at the rate of $13 a month the
money being furnished by officers who
"chipped in" for the purpose. Rations,
however, were allowed him, and he
slept in a tent with two grown-up
fighting men. It was not until May,
1862, that he was regularly enlisted at
Covington, Ky.
After Chickamauga he fell into the
hands of the enemy and was a orisoner
for some months before obtaining an
exchange. Most of this period he spent
In marching with his captors, and Gen.
ral "Joe" .Wheeler, took delight In
lrnfrT1 f nlr mnl4s4 "Whv nnra1
you wouldn't let a rebel pig bite you?" """V "WJZ mgs of the Legislature. " e tinas mat
Doolittle could not help laughing, and Z ,,TnS ? Li .u? adult8 wlth high 5cho1 educatlon read
so the matter passed off. tho 80ldIers who '"Sht in that memor- ..easy materlal. such as newspaper
Little Johnny was wounded twice abl strie' X , 4V. stories," on the average about 300
during the war. Once a piece of shell ne noteworthy was worda a mlnute. while "editorials are
struck him on the hin. and another little Glb Van .Zandt- wh.. Port read considerably slower." "Concrete-
showing him off. saying, "See what time, when he was carrying a dispatch ,Y"llam; , " n . faummer or readlns appeals to a wider and less ln-
atraita the Yankees must be In when from General Thomas to General Logan. volunteered to drum for a recruit, telligent clas of readers, he says, than
they send their babies to fight us!" his pony was killed under him and a inar otricer at loers meeting in an reading which requires thinking or
Naturally, the women everywhere ball nipped his ear. He keeps to this oli schoolhouse. In August of that general Ideas,
were sympathetically Interested In the day a drum which was smashed by year ne Ustea." drummer to Com. In this there is less, cause for sur-
drummer boys. When Little Johnny piece of shell at Shiloh while he was pany B' In the Seventy-ninth Ohio prlse than in the explanation given ,y
Clem had made a reputation for hero- beating it. But the cap with three Regiment, being at that time 10 years, Dr. gcott: "ThJ- reason of this is not
ism at Chickamauga some women in bullet holes was stolen from him after 7 months and 11 da'8 old- He drummed because the matter is more sensational
Chicago sent for his measurements and Chickamauga by one of his captors. j" the regimental band, as well as in Cr more exciting, but because a reader
with their own hands made him a When at the end of the war he was the reg!ment.me At'Nashvnlehis wh Ca" CVer nly frm 100 t0 200
proper uniform, of which he was Im- mustered out he tried to get into West colonel had a small sword made for him words a minute soon finds reading a
mensely proud. Point. But his schooling had been and the men. of the reg4ment bought painful process." This passage is
At Chickamauga he carried a mus neglected while he was engaged in him a drum. worth reading even more slowly, how-
ket, ha barrel of, which, had been, igh.tin and toe Jailed In his examlna- There was no betier. soldier In Sher ever painful, it may be to a 300 or 400
words a minute reader. Is it true that
rapid reading is essential to pleasure?
And more particularly, is it true that
there is a law of nature which fixes
the pace at which the eye must travel
over a printed page in order to extract
pleasure from the process?
Until psychology has pronounced Its
verdict it may be said that such a rigid
natural law appears most unlikely. It
is quite true that most people find un
necessary slowness a bore. Adults who
have lost the use of their eyes have
confessed that one of the greatest of
their privations was being unable to
skim over the newspapers and maga
zines. Even in half-reading there Is
a pleasure glancing at headlines,
passing by the trivial or irrelevant,
putting off a solid bit for more let
surely treatment when the preliminary
turvcy fa done.
Most people now and then run
through a novel which passes away an
Idle hour very pleaantly. but which
would seem flat if its trivialities were
overemphasised by reading aloud. But,
on the other hand, a personal letter
may be read with intense Interest,
even though a crabbed handwriting
bring down the speed of reading to 20
or 30 words a minute, and he reader
engrossed in a stiff book will not be
bored even if It takes him a good many
minutes to get over a page. Thus the
peed matter less than the. subject
matter, and it may be doubted whether
the reader who turns away from a pas
sage which requires fome deliberate
attention Is moved so much by the
tlowness of his progress as by the men
tal effort required for making any
progress at all.
Rapid reading is. of course, a valua
ble accomplishment, and ought not ta
be neglected, yet there is some reason
to regret the one-sided stress put upon
it by recent educational theorists. The
danger in our time Is not that people
will do too little rapid reading, but
that they will do too little patient,
careful reading of what requires con
centration and provokes thought.
Generally epeaking, reading for infor
mation is done rapidly. So is reading
for amusement, and these two things
absorb by far the greater part of tho
time given to print. Both have their
function, but unless supplemented by
what pedagogy might call "intensive"
reading they encourage superficiality
and make the public, a.t Dr. Scott has
Indicated, impatient of obstacles to this
easy , mental gallop over the open
prairie. He attributes a higher "social
value." whatever that may mean, to
rapid reading, and like many educa
tional psychologists deprecates the old
fashioned exercise of reading aloud on
the ground that it reduces speed. Yet
if reading is rightly learned there Is
no incompatibility between the two
thirgs, and the naturally rapid reader
can be trained to curb his impatience
and shift to a hlll-climbltig gear when
there is a bit of stiff work on hand.
No doubt the speed of our age, in
reading as in other things, could be
vastly Increased by exclusive concen
tration upon it. But when one con
siders how many novels and "ali
ficticn" magazines are skimmed over
and how great is the demand for pop
ular and superficial books which can
be read rapidly, however serious and
important the subject-matter, it seems
likely that speed will take care of
itself, and that educators will need to
concentrate upon the more difficult
problem of control. Springfield (Mass.)
Republican.
Going, Uoing.
(Harper's Monthly.)
The visiting lady had kept her hostess
at the open door fully half an hour
saying good-bye. Finally an irate mas.
culine voice Indoors called out, "Bay.
Maria, if you're going, go; if you're
staying, stay; but, for heaven's sake,
don't ooze out,"