“I recall you as but a child going with me to a real war where you were to spend years of your young life with your little drum. But my dear boy, it did good service, real genuine war service.
“I remember you were the first drummer boy the 2d New York had, and I am proud to know that my own little drummer boy marched at the head of the regiment in every campaign down to Appomattox and beat the last tattoo for the regiment at Hart’s Island, New York Harbor, after nearly four years of service.
“God bless you, how could I be other than proud of my little drummer boy?”
FINIS.
Transcriber’s Note:
Seemingly at random, these two lines were printed at the top of page 18 of the original text:
mules of the wagon trains, and after a couple of
nowhere else for him to go.