The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army A Story of the Great Rebellion

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by Oliver Optic

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Title: The Soldier Boy; or, Tom Somers in the Army

A Story of the Great Rebellion

Author: Oliver Optic

Release Date: January 4, 2005 [EBook #14595]

Language: English

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The Soldier Boy

or

Tom Somers in the Army

A Story of the Great Rebellion

by

Oliver Optic

Author of Rich And Humble, All Aboard, Little By Little, Etc., Etc.

New York

Hurst & Company

Publishers

to

William Lee, Esq.

this book

is respectfully dedicated

by his friend

William T. Adams.

PREFACE.

This volume is not altogether a military romance, though it contains the adventures of one of those noble-hearted and patriotic young men who went forth from homes of plenty and happiness to fight the battles of our imperilled country. The incidents of the story may be stirring and exciting; yet they are not only within the bounds of probability, but have been more than paralleled in the experience of hundreds of the gallant soldiers of the loyal army.

The work is not intended to approach the dignity of a history, though the writer has carefully consulted the authorities, both loyal and rebel, and has taken down the living words of enthusiastic participants in the stirring scenes described in this volume. He has not attempted to give a full picture of any battle, or other army operation, but simply of those movements in which the hero took a part. The book is a narrative of personal adventure, delineating the birth and growth of a pure patriotism in the soul of the hero, and describing the perils and privations, the battles and marches which he shared with thousands of brave men in the army of the Potomac.

The author has endeavored to paint a picture of the true soldier, one who loves his country, and fights for her because he loves her; but, at the same time, one who is true to himself and his God, while he is faithful to his patriotic impulses.

The work has been a pleasure to me in its preparation, and I hope it will not disappoint the reasonable expectation of those partial friends whose smile is my joy, whose frown is my grief. But, more than all, I trust this humble volume will have some small influence in kindling and cherishing that genuine patriotism which must ever be the salvation of our land, the foundation of our national prosperity and happiness.

WILLIAM T. ADAMS.

DORCHESTER, Feb. 22, 1864.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

The Battle of Pinchbrook

The Somers Family

Taming a Traitor

The Committee come out, and Tom goes in

The Attic Chamber

The Way is Prepared

A Midnight Adventure

Signing the Papers

The Departure

Company K

In Washington

On to Richmond

The Battle of Bull Run

After the Battle

Tom a Prisoner

A Perplexing Question

Dinner and Danger

The Rebel Soldier

Through the Gap

Down the Shenandoah

The Problem of Rations

The Picket Guard

The End of the Voyage

Budd’s Ferry

In the Hospital

Tom is Sentimental

The Confederate Deserter

On the Peninsula

The Battle of Williamsburg

More of the Battle

Glory and Victory

Honorable Mention

Lieutenant Somers and Others

The Soldier Boy;

or,

Tom Somers in the Army.

Chapter I.

The Battle of Pinchbrook.

Return to Table of Contents

Fort Sumter has surrendered, mother! shouted Thomas Somers, as he rushed into the room where his mother was quietly reading her Bible.

It was Sunday, and the exciting news had been circulated about the usually quiet village of Pinchbrook Harbor. Men’s lips were compressed, and their teeth shut tight together. They were indignant, for traitors had fired upon the flag of the United States. Men, women, and children were roused by the indignity offered to the national emblem. The cannon balls that struck the walls of Sumter seemed at the same time to strike the souls of the whole population of the North, and never was there such a great awakening since the Pilgrim Fathers first planted their feet upon the rock of Plymouth.

Fort Sumter has surrendered! shouted the indignant young patriot again, as his mother looked up from the blessed volume.

You don’t say so! exclaimed Mrs. Somers, as she closed the Bible, and removed her spectacles.

Yes, mother. The infernal rebels hammered away at the fort for two days, and at last we had to give in.

There’ll be terrible times afore long, replied the old lady, shaking her head with prophetic earnestness.

The President has called for seventy-five thousand volunteers, and I tell you there’ll be music before long! continued the youth, so excited that he paced the room with rapid strides.

What’s the matter, Thomas? asked a feeble old gentleman, entering the room at this moment.

Fort Sumter has surrendered, gran’ther, repeated Thomas, at the top of his lungs, for the aged man was quite deaf; and the President has called for seventy-five thousand men to go down and fight the traitors.

Sho! exclaimed the old man, halting, and gazing with earnestness into the face of the boy.

It’s a fact, gran’ther.

Well, I’m too old to go, muttered gran’ther Greene; but I wa’n’t older’n you are when I shouldered my firelock in 1812. I’m too old and stiff to go now.

How old were you, gran’ther, when you went to the war? asked Thomas, with more moderation than he had exhibited before.

Only sixteen, Thomas; but I was as tall as I am now, replied the patriarch, dropping slowly and cautiously into the old-fashioned high-back chair, by the side of the cooking stove.

Well, I’m sixteen, and I mean to go.

You, Thomas! You are crazy! You shan’t do any thing of the kind, interposed Mrs. Somers. There’s men enough to go to the war, without such boys as you are.

You ain’t quite stout enough to make a soldier, Thomas. You ain’t so big as I was, when I went off to York state, added gran’ther Greene.

I should like to go any how, said Thomas, as he seated himself in a corner of the room, and began to think thoughts big enough for a full-grown man.

Fort Sumter has surrendered, shouted John Somers, rushing into the house as much excited as his brother had been.

We’ve heard all about it, John, replied his mother.

The President has called for seventy-five thousand men, and in my opinion the rebels will get an awful licking before they are a fortnight older. I should like to go and help do it.

The exciting news was discussed among the members of the Somers family, as it was in thousands of other families, on that eventful Sunday. Thomas and John could think of nothing, speak of nothing, but Fort Sumter, and the terrible castigation which the rebels would receive from the insulted and outraged North. They were loyal even to enthusiasm; and when they retired to their chamber at night, they ventured to express to each other their desire to join the great army which was to avenge the insult offered to the flag of the Union.

They were twin brothers, sixteen years of age; but they both thought they were old enough and strong enough to be soldiers. Their mother, however, had promptly disapproved of such suggestions, and they had not deemed it prudent to discuss the idea in her presence.

On Monday, the excitement instead of subsiding, was fanned to a fever heat; Pinchbrook Harbor was in a glow of patriotism. Men neglected their usual occupations, and talked of the affairs of the nation. Every person who could procure a flag hung it out at his window, or hoisted it in his yard, or on his house. The governor had called out a portion of the state militia, and already the tramp of armed men was heard in the neighboring city of Boston.

Thomas Somers was employed in a store in the village, and during the forenoon he mechanically performed the duties of his position; but he could think of nothing but the exciting topic of the day. His blood was boiling with indignation against those who had trailed our hallowed flag in the dust. He wanted to do something to redeem the honor of his country—something to wipe out the traitors who had dared to conspire against her peace. On his way home to dinner, he met Fred Pemberton, who lived only a short distance from his own house.

What do you think now, Fred? said Thomas.

What do I think? I think just as I always did—the North is wrong, and the South is right, replied Fred.

Who fired upon Fort Sumter? That’s the question, said Thomas, his eyes flashing with indignation.

Why didn’t they give up the fort, then?

Give up the fort! Shall the United States cave in before the little State of South Carolina. Not by a two chalks!

I think the North has been teasing and vexing the South till the Southerns can’t stand it any longer. There’ll be war now.

I hope there will! By gracious, I hope so!

I hope the South will beat!

Do you? Do you, Fred Pemberton? demanded Tom, so excited he could not stand still.

Yes, I do. The South has the rights of it. If we had let their niggers alone, there wouldn’t have been any trouble.

You are as blind as a bat, Fred. Don’t you see this isn’t a quarrel between the North and the South, but between the government and the rebels?

I don’t see it. If the North had let the South alone, there wouldn’t have been any fuss. I hope the North will get whipped, and I know she will.

Fred, you are a traitor to your country!

No, I’m not!

Yes, you are; and if I had my way, I’d ride you on a rail out of town.

No, you wouldn’t.

Yes, I would. I always thought you were a decent fellow; but you are a dirty, low-lived traitor.

Better be careful what you say, Tom Somers! retorted the young secessionist, angrily.

A fellow that won’t stand by his country ain’t fit to live. You are an out-and-out traitor.

Don’t call me that again, Tom Somers, replied Fred, doubling up his fist.

I say you are a traitor.

Take that, then.

Tom did take it, and it was a pretty hard blow on the side of his head. Perhaps it was fortunate for our young patriot that an opportunity was thus afforded him to evaporate some of his enthusiasm in the cause of his country, for there is no knowing what might have been the consequence if it had remained longer pent up in his soul. Of course, he struck back; and a contest, on a small scale, between the loyalty of the North and the treason of the South commenced. How long it might have continued, or what might have been the result, cannot now be considered; for the approach of a chaise interrupted the battle, and the forces of secession were reënforced by a full-grown man.

The gentleman stepped out of his chaise with his whip in his hand, and proceeded to lay it about the legs and body of the representative of the Union side. This was more than Tom Somers could stand, and he retreated in good order from the spot, till he had placed himself out of the reach of the whip.

What do you mean, you young scoundrel? demanded the gentleman who had interfered.

Tom looked at him, and discovered that it was Squire Pemberton, the father of his late opponent.

He hit me first, said Tom.

He called me a traitor, added Fred. I won’t be called a traitor by him, or any other fellow.

What do you mean by calling my son a traitor, you villain?

I meant just what I said. He is a traitor. He said he hoped the South would beat.

Suppose he did. I hope so too, added Squire Pemberton.

The squire thought, evidently, that this ought to settle the question. If he hoped so, that was enough.

Then you are a traitor, too. That’s all I’ve got to say, replied Tom, boldly.

You scoundrel! How dare you use such a word to me! roared the squire, as he moved towards the blunt-spoken little patriot.

For strategic reasons, Tom deemed it prudent to fall back; but as he did so, he picked up a couple of good-sized stones.

I said you were a traitor, and I say so again, said Tom.

Two can play at that game, added Fred, as he picked up a stone and threw it at Tom.

The Union force returned the fire with the most determined energy, until one of the missiles struck the horse attached to the chaise. The animal, evidently having no sympathy with either party in this miniature contest, and without considering how much damage he might do the rebel cause, started off at a furious pace when the stone struck him. He dashed down the hill at a fearful rate, and bounded away over the plain that led to the Harbor.

Squire Pemberton and his son had more interest in the fate of the runaway horse than they had in the issue of the contest, and both started at the top of their speed in pursuit. But they might as well have chased a flash of lightning, or a locomotive going at the rate of fifty miles an hour.

Tom Somers came down from the bank which he had ascended to secure a good position. He had done rather more than he intended to do; but on the whole he did not much regret it. He watched the course of the spirited animal, as he dashed madly on to destruction. The career of the horse was short; for in the act of turning a corner, half a mile from the spot where Tom stood, he upset the chaise, and was himself thrown down, and, being entangled in the harness, was unable to rise before a stout man had him by the head.

I wish that chaise had been the southern confederacy, said Tom to himself, philosophically, when he saw the catastrophe in the distance. Well, it served you right, old Secesh; and I’ll bet there ain’t many folks in Pinchbrook Harbor that will be willing to comfort the mourners.

With this consoling assurance, Tom continued on his way home. At dinner, he gave the family a faithful account of the transaction.

You didn’t do right, Thomas, said his mother.

He hit me first.

You called him a traitor.

He is a traitor, and so is his father.

I declare, the boys are as full of fight as an egg is of meat, added gran’ther Greene.

You haven’t seen the last of it yet, Thomas, said the prudent mother.

No matter, Tom; I’ll stand by you, added John.

After dinner, the two boys walked down to the Harbor together.

Chapter II.

The Somers Family.

Return to Table of Contents

The town of Pinchbrook is not a great distance from Boston, with which it is connected by railroad. If any of our young readers are of a geographical turn of mind, and are disposed to ascertain the exact locality of the place, we will save them any unnecessary trouble, for it is not laid down on any map with which we are familiar. We live in times of war, and probably our young friends have already learned the meaning of military necessity. Our story is essentially a military story, and there are certain military secrets connected with it which might be traced out if we should inform our inquisitive readers exactly where Pinchbrook is situated.

Squire Pemberton, we doubt not, is very anxious to find out certain persons connected with some irregular proceedings in and around his house on the evening of Monday, April 16th. Fidelity to the truth of history compels us to narrate these proceedings in our humble volume; but we should exceedingly regret thereby to get any of our friends into a scrape by informing the squire that they were active participants in the scenes of that eventful night, or to say any thing which would enable him, a lawyer, to trace out the authors of the mischief through these pages. Therefore we cannot say where Pinchbrook is, or even give a hint which would enable our readers to fix definitely its locality.

Pinchbrook is a town of about three thousand inhabitants, engaged, as the school books would say, in agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and the fisheries, which, rendered into still plainer English, means that some of the people are farmers; that wooden pails, mackerel kegs, boots and shoes, are made; that the inhabitants buy groceries, and sell fish, kegs, pails, and similar wares; and that there are about twenty vessels owned in the place, the principal part of which are fishermen.

We have not the agricultural and commercial statistics of the place at hand; but the larger territorial part of the town was devoted to the farming interest, and was rather sparsely populated, while the principal village, called Pinchbrook Harbor, was more densely peopled, contained two stores, four churches, one wharf, a blacksmith shop, and several shoe and bucket manufactories.

We are willing to acknowledge that Pinchbrook is rather a singular name. The antiquarians have not yet had an opportunity to determine its origin; but our private opinion is that the word is a corruption of Punch-brook. Perhaps, at some remote period in the history of the town, before the Sons of Temperance obtained a foothold in the place, a villainous mixture, known to topers under the general appellation of punch, may have been largely consumed by the Pinchbrookers. Though not a very aged person ourself, we have heard allusions to festive occasions where, metaphorically, the punch was said to flow in streams. Possibly, from streams came brooks,—hence, Punchbrook,—which, under the strange mutations of time, has become Pinchbrook. But we are not learned in these matters, and we hope that nothing we have said will bias the minds of antiquarians, and prevent them from devoting that attention to the origin of the word which its importance demands.

The Somers family, which we have already partially introduced, occupied a small cottage not quite a mile from Pinchbrook Harbor. Captain Somers, the head of the family, had been, and was still, for aught his wife and children knew, master of the schooner Gazelle. To purchase this vessel, he had heavily mortgaged his house and lands in Pinchbrook to Squire Pemberton. But his voyages had not been uniformly successful, though the captain believed that his earthly possessions, after discharging all his liabilities, would amount to about five thousand dollars.

The mortgage note would become due in June, and Captain Somers had been making a strong effort to realize upon his property, so as to enable him to pay off the obligation at maturity. Captain Somers had a brother who was familiarly known in the family as uncle Wyman. He had spent his life, from the age of eighteen, in the South, and at the time of which we write, he was a merchant in Norfolk.

Captain Somers and his brother had been interested together in certain mercantile transactions, and uncle Wyman being the business man, had the proceeds of these ventures in his own hands.

On the 10th of April, only two days before the bombardment of Fort Sumter, Captain Somers had sailed in the Gazelle, with an assorted cargo, for Norfolk. Before leaving home he had assured his wife that he should not return without effecting a settlement with Wyman, who had postponed it so many times, that the honest sailor began to fear his brother did not mean to deal justly with him. Nothing had been heard of the Gazelle since her departure from Boston.

Uncle Wyman was known to be a northern man with southern principles, while his brother, though not in the habit of saying much about politics, was fully committed on the side of the government, and was willing to sustain the President in the use of all the coercion that might be necessary to enforce obedience to the laws. The threatening aspect of affairs at the South had made Captain Somers more than ever anxious to have his accounts adjusted, as all his earthly possessions, except the schooner, were in the hands of his brother; and the fact that uncle Wyman was so strong an advocate of Southern rights, had caused him to make the declaration that he would not return without a settlement.

The financial affairs of the Somers family, therefore, were not in a very prosperous condition, and the solvency of the house depended entirely upon the adjustment with uncle Wyman. The mortgage note which Squire Pemberton held would be due in June, and as the creditor was not an indulgent man, there was a prospect that even the little cottage and the little farm might be wrested from them.

The family at home consisted of Mrs. Somers and three children. The two oldest daughters were married to two honest, hard-working fishermen at the Harbor. Thomas and John were twins, sixteen years of age. The former had a place in one of the stores at the village, and the latter occasionally went a fishing trip with his brothers-in-law. Both of the boys had been brought up to work, and there was need enough now that they should contribute what they could to the support of the family. The youngest child, Jane, was but eleven years of age, and went to school. Mrs. Somers’s brother, a feeble old man, a soldier in the war of 1812, and a pensioner of the government, had been a member of the