THE LITTLE DRUMMER BOYS

 

BY

Don Nall

 

With the outbreak of the Civil War, men from all over the country answered the “call to arms” and joined the army. At the beginning, there were no age restrictions for enlistees, drummer boys, or cavalry buglers.  Men of all ages, both north and south, enlisted amidst a fanfare of patriotic enthusiasm. Believing that they should rush to enlist because “this war will be over in a few weeks”, the war began as an adventure, but as the music chronicled became sadder as it turned from weeks into years.

<>Emotions ran so high that everyone was caught up in the rush to enlist. Younger boys were no exceptions, eager to embark on this grand adventure, many signed up to be drummer boys.
 

Experiencing hardships just like regular soldiers, these youngsters served proudly throughout the war. With the courage beyond their years, the drummer boys faced the horrors of war. Moreover, they performed their duties with honor.

Boys as young as ten years old slipped into to the army claiming to be 18 year of age. Some enlisted with the blessing of their parents and others simply ran away.  Boys who were younger than 16 could be accepted as musicians and an average wartime regiment had 20 musicians.

 

Despite the horrors of war, or perhaps because of them, songs and music became an important part of the men’s daily lives. A ditty that was sung in many a farmhouse went:

In camp buglers and drummer, boys provided entertainment for the men who endured so much on the front lines. Songs and music were an important part of war. Men often sang in small groups around the campfire. A popular song would spread quickly along the battle lines.

Confederate and Union troops would occasionally engage in a musical duel. A musical contest took place at the Battle of Dinwiddie Court House in Virginia in March of 1865. The singing of “Yankee Doodle” was met with an equally fervent rendition of “Dixie”; “Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue” and the southern ballad “The Bonnie Blue Flag” echoed off the rolling hills.

YANKEES

ARE NOT WELCOME TO SIT HERE

The question of permanently marking graves of Confederate deceased in national cemeteries and Confederate burial plots resulted in the Act of March 9, 1906 (P.L. 38, 59th Congress, Chap. 631-34 Stat. 56), authorizing the furnishing of headstones for the graves of Confederates who died, primarily in Union prison camps, and were buried in federal cemeteries

Congress adopted the same size and material for Confederate headstones as headstones for Civil-Spanish War deceased. The design varied in that the top was pointed instead of rounded and the shield was omitted.

Apochryphally, it has been said that the pointed top was adopted to prevent "Yankees" from sitting on Confederate headstones.

An act of February 26, 1929 (70th Congress, Chap. 324-45 Stat. 1307), authorized the furnishing of this type stone for graves in private cemeteries, as well.

On May 26, 1930 the War Department implemented regulations for Confederate headstones that also authorized the inscription of the Confederate Cross of Honor in a small circle on the front face of the stone above the standard inscription of the soldier's name, rank, company, and regiment.

 

THE GUNS OF THE

CIVIL WAR

A note from a southern partisan

It is amazing what good guns the Yankees made in Massachusetts and Vermont, yet we managed to kill 100,000 more of them than they did of us, the Confederates must have been better marksmen.
 
We were not only better marksmen but took the greatest percentage of our guns from the Yankees. Our Confederate ancestors used the same guns the Yankees did.
 
Confederate soldiers got their guns from:
 

1. Captured guns

2. Purchases from Northern Arms dealers just prior to the war and early in the war before Lincoln stopped the sales. Private purchases and State purchases.

3. Guns imported from England, Austria and possibly other European sources.

4. Southern manufactured guns during the war years.

5. Southern manufactured guns from early State manufacture around 1808 era- primarily Virginia and South Carolina (obsolete flintlocks by 1860--Some were converted to percussion.)

6. Guns donated from private citizens to state militias or the Confederate government--very few as citizens needed to keep them.

Some soldiers furnished their own guns. Richmond Virginia had a facility to repair captured guns and then they were reissued to Confederates.

 

A SECRET SOCIETY

The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, VOL. XVII, Spring, 1958, No. 1, page 82.
In the mountain, counties of North Arkansas in the fall of 1861 secret organizations were formed for self-protection and apparently to resist Confederate authority. Total membership in the organizations was estimated at 1700 and was concentrated in Searcy, Marion, Carroll, Izard, Fulton, and Van Buren Counties.   In these counties, and perhaps in several others, the local units of the Arkansas Peace Society were quickly suppressed by extra-legal citizens committees acting with the county militia units and with justice of the peace courts. Many of the arrested members were forced into Confederate service either by local citizens committees or by the state military board at Little Rock.   Some were tried for treason in Confederate circuit court and acquitted. Many of those forced into Confederate service deserted and joined the Federal army.

Only a part of the records relating to the Peace Society survived, but they are sufficient to show the scope and the nature of the organization. Surviving documents contain the names of 240 members and suspected members.   Of these 181 were located in the United States census manuscript schedules, 1860. An analysis of that record revealed that of the 181, 115 were born in Tennessee, 13 in North Carolina, and 11 in Arkansas. The leadership of the movement was also predominantly Southern-born. Six preachers among the leaders seemed to have been especially influential.   The brotherhood was indigenous, composed of mountaineers who had no intention of going to war on either side and who wanted to be left alone. There could of course be no neutrality, and the members were forced to take sides.

TRIVIA

 

 

FIFTEEN MINUTES

OF FAME

 

Andy Warhol once said that, “everyone will have fifteen minutes of fame”.  The civil war saw many acts of courage, stupidity or something else that brought notoriety to people who would otherwise have been lost to history.   See if you can remember what these individuals did that brought them a passing moment of fame:  

SGT. RICHARD  KIRKLAND

PVT.  PETER PELICAN

CLEMENT VALLANDIGHAM

PVT. JOHN A. HUFF

EDMUND RUFFIN

JEDEDIAH HOTCHKISS

 

 

Let’s all give Dave a hand with this if you want TRIVIA to continue as a part of the meetings.

 

A NOTE FROM 

ELLEN DIMAGGIO

 

Hi everyone. 
Just wanted to share some exciting news with you.  The National Women's History Project is coming to Little Rock.  This is the organization that brought us Women's History Month.  The annual conference will be Oct. 19-21 at the University of Arkansas.  It is a dynamic group of "movers and shakers" in the field of women's history. 
 
As a special interest to all of you, Miss Ellie will be the featured presenter as the Thursday evening pre-conference program.  The show will be "The Wound Has Never Healed", the story of the women of Arkansas during the War Between the States.  It is open to the public, so even if you can't make the conference consider attending the Thursday evening performance.
 
Please take a look at the attached brochure and share it with everyone you know.  It isn't too late to register as a participant.  I know you will enjoy this amazing conference.
 
Thanks and I hope to see you down the road!
Miss Ellie

 

You may register on-line

 www.nwhp.org

 

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WHEN YOU CAN...WHILE YOU CAN

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GOD BLESS AMERICA