The Youngest Medal Of Honor Recipient

William Johnston enlisted in the 3^rd Vermont Infantry December 11^th 1861 at the age of 11 as a drummer boy; he would become the youngest person ever to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

William Johnston, who was known as Willie, was born July 12^th 1850 in Morristown, St Lawrence, New York, the son of William Johnston.  After the death of his mother, the family moved to Derby, Orleans, Vermont.

When the Civil War started Johnston’s father enlisted to fight for the Union, and Johnston went with his father.  He was enlisted on December 11^th 1861 at St Johnsbury, Vermont.  Johnston was five feet tall and 11 years old.  When the 3rd Vermont infantry was mustered into Union service, Johnston’s father was a private in Company B and Johnston left Vermont as a drummer boy in Company D.  The first time Johnston saw action was at the Battle of Lee’s Mill on April 16^th 1862.

It was during the next campaign, the Seven Days Battles that Johnston would be cited for bravery, and would be subsequently award the Medal of Honor.  During the Union retreat to Harrison’s Landing, when other men threw away their equipment in order to travel faster with less weight, Johnston brought his drum safely back with him to Harrison’s Landing.  It was there that Johnston was asked to drum the division on parade, he being the only drummer boy to bring his instrument off the field.

Johnston was presented with the Medal of Honor on September 16^th 1863 by Union Secretary of War Edwin M Stanton.   Johnston was and is the youngest person ever to be awarded the Medal of Honor.  He would continue to serve throughout the war, mustering out of service on December 30^th 1864.

After the war Johnston attended Norwich University, but did not graduate.  He was living in Chelsea, Massachusetts around 1868.  It was reported that he was working as a mariner.  After this report, there doesn’t seem to any more information about him.

Asleep On Duty

Union soldier William Scott died April 17^th 1862, he was pardoned by Abraham Lincoln for falling asleep on duty, and became known as the “Sleeping Sentinel”.

William Scott was born about 1840 in Groton, Vermont.

Scott joined the 3^rd Vermont in St Johnsbury, Vermont.  While stationed at Chain Bridge near Washington, DC, he was found on August 31^st 1861 asleep while on duty.  Scott was court martialed and sentenced to be executed.  There were appeals made to his superiors to stay the execution which was scheduled to take place on September 9^th 1861.  Scott was already placed in front of a firing squad and his death sentence read, when a pardon arrived from President Abraham Lincoln.

Scott was sent back to his unit in the 3^rd Vermont.  His was wounded during the Battle of Lee’s Mills.  He died from his wounds April 17^th 1862 and is buried in the National Cemetery at Yorktown, Virginia.

The pardon reads, “Private William Scott, of Company K. of the Third regiment of Vermont volunteers, having been found guilty by court martial of sleeping on his post while a sentinel on picket guard, has been sentenced to be shot, and the sentence has been approved and ordered to be executed. The commanding officers of the brigade, the regiment and the company, of the command, together with many other privates and officers of his regiment, have earnestly appealed to the Major-General commanding, to spare the life of the offender, and the President of the United States has expressed a wish that as this is the first condemnation to death in this army for this crime, mercy may be extended to the criminal. This fact, viewed in connection with the inexperience of the condemned as a soldier, his previous good conduct and general good character, and the urgent entreaties made in his behalf, have determined the Major-General commanding to grant the pardon so earnestly prayed for. This act of clemency must not be understood as affording a precedent for any future case. The duty of a sentinel is of such a nature, that its neglect by sleeping upon or deserting his post may endanger the safety of a command, or even of the whole army, and all nations affix to the offence the penalty of death. Private William Scott of Co. K. of the Third regiment of Vermont volunteers will be released from confinement and returned to duty.”

Two web sites that I recommend if you are interested in more information are William Scott, The Sleeping Sentinel and THE STORY OF GROTON'S HISTORICAL SLEEPING SENTINEL

Fooled By The Numbers

The Siege of Yorktown, was a part of the Peninsula Campaign and began in April 5th 1862.

Union Brigadier General Erasmus D Keyes found Confederate defensive works along the Warwick River on April 5th 1862. This was an area in which General George B McClellan hadn’t expected any resistance. Confederate Major General John B Magruder moved his troops only around 6,000 strong back and forth through his 13 mile long works, convincing the Union Commanders that his force was larger then it was. Keyes’ reconnaissance caused him to believe there were 40,000 Confederates in his front, and he advise McClellan not to assault the Confederate works. The Union IV Corps came into Magruder’s earthworks at Lee’s Mill, they stopped about 1,000 yard from the fortifications and were joined by a brigade of Union Brigadier General John Davidson’s. There was an artillery duel between the two side for several hours. While this was going on Keyes made another reconnaissance, and waited for more units to arrive.

McClellan doubting that his numbers were superior, decided not to attack and instead had his army entrench, and begin a siege of Yorktown. While the Union troops dug in, Magruder continued to receive reinforcements, but still had only about 35,000 men by mid April; not really enough men to even defend his line. The siege would go until May 4th 1862.

A Soldier's Artist

Artist and Civil War Medal of Honor winner Julian A Scott was born February 14th 1846.

Julian A Scott was born in Johnson Vermont February 14th 1846 the son of Charles and Lucy [Kellum] Scott. He attended Johnson State College. At the beginning of the Civil War several Scott brothers enlisted, including Julian’s older brother Lucian who was wounded at the Battle of Ball’s Bluff, taken prison and almost died in Libby Prison. Julian enlisted at the age of 15 in the 3rd Vermont Infantry, Company “E” as a fifer. He received the Medal of Honor in February 1865 for rescuing wounded at the Battle of Lee’s Mills while under fire.

Following the war Scott graduated from the National Academy of Design in New York City. He then traveled to Europe to continue his education in art. He produced many works of his experiences of the soldiers experience during the Civil War. Scott’s master work of art is the “Battle of Cedar Creek” now located in the Vermont State House in Montpelier. The painting illustrates the Vermonter’s roll in the battle. He would travel west as part of a 1890 census party and there painted Native Americans in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona.

Scott died at 55. He is buried in the Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains New Jersey.

Another website to look at about this subject
Julian A Scott, Artist