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He who loathes war, and will do everything in his power to avert it, but who will, in the last extremity, encounter its perils, from love of country and of home - who is willing to sacrifice himself, and all that is dear to him in life, to promote the well-being of his fellowman, will ever receive a worthy homage. - Abbott.

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THIS MOTHER GAVE HER ALL

Touching Incident of Sacrifice
on the Altar of Her Country's Need.

One of the touching incidents of General Lyons' march to Wilson creek was that of a Tennessee mother bringing her little boy to the captain's tent and offering him for the service of his country. The boy's father had been killed in battle and the mother and boy were alone in the world. The bright eyes and alert bearing of the little chap, for he was scarcely thirteen years of age, caught the eye of the captain and he asked what the boy could do. "I can drum," he said proudly stretching himself to his full height. And he could as the fifer soon found out as he played "The Flowers of Edinborough," a most difficult piece to follow with the drum. "Madam, I'll take the boy," said the captain. The mother kissed her boy and turning to the captain said: "Bring him back, captain," and to the boy she said as she placed her hand on his eager little head, "God bless you, my boy. You're all I have left, but I give you to my country, and drum right bravely for the boys in blue." During the heavy fatiguing marches from Rolla to Springfield it was amusing to see the long-legged fifer wading through the mud with our little drummer hero mounted on his back. During the fight at Wilson creek the cheery fife and brave drum beat time for the soldier boys in battle. The fight led down into a deep ravine and it was not long before our drummer boy was in the midst of the fray. That night the detail on guard duty near the ravine thought he heard faintly the sound of a drum. He listened in the moonlight and when the relief came he asked permission to go in search of the little drummer lad. He followed the sound of the drum and soon found our hero seated on the ground with his back against a tree and his faithful drum hanging on a bush. He dropped his drum sticks as the guard came up and exclaimed; "Oh, corporal, I am glad to see you. Give me a drink." and as he turned to go to get him water, he pleaded: "Oh, don't go and leave me, I can't walk." His little legs had been shot off at the knees. Looking closer he discovered a dead soldier lying in the grass, but evidently before he died he had put a tourniquet about the stumps of the little legs. The brave lad was carried into camp and given surgical attention, but the brave little spirit went out into the brightness and glory of a duty well done and a country served even unto death.

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America, to thee
We pledge our loyalty,
Mind, heart and hand;
Thy laws be wisely made
And faithfully obeyed,
Thy honor ne'er betrayed-
God keep our land!

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Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!