"General Lee told me that at the Battle
of Sharpsburg this battery suffered so much that
it had to be withdrawn for repairs and some fresh
horses, but as he had no troops even to offer a reserve,
as soon as a battery could be made useful it
was ordered forward. He said that as it passed
him a boy, much stained with powder, mounted as
a driver of one of the guns, said, "Are you going
to put us in again. General ?" After replying to him
in the affirmative, he was struck by the voice of the
boy, and asked him, "Whose son are you, my boy ?"
and was answered, "I am Robbie, father; don't you
know me?" Whereupon his father said, "God bless
you, my son, go on!"
Robert E. Lee, Jr., was afterwards on the staff
of Gen. Fitz Hugh Lee. This is said to be the only
instance on record where the son of a commanding
general entered the army as a private in the ranks."
BOY SOLDIERS OF THE CONFEDERACY
Susan R Hull
1906
Photo-Robert E Lee photographed with his son, "Rooney"
"William Henry Fitzhugh" at about 8 years old circa 1845
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