Willie Johnston

William J. Johnston (July 12, 1850 – September 16, 1941) was a drummer boy in Company D of the 3rd Vermont Infantry during the American Civil War. When his division was routed during the Seven Days Battles during the Peninsula Campaign of June to July 1862, he was the only drummer to come away with his instrument. His superiors considered this a meritorious feat, given that the regiment's other soldiers had thrown away their guns and equipment to lighten their loads as they retreated. As a result, he received the Medal of Honor in 1863; at age 13, he remains the youngest recipient of the award.

Early life Johnston was born in Morristown, New York, in July 1850, a son of Eliza and William B. H. Johnston, both natives of England. His mother died while he was young and the family had moved to Montreal, Canada, by 1853 where his father, a civil engineer, married Thérèse E. Martin at Montreal's St. George Anglican Church. The Johnston family moved to Salem, Vermont (now part of Derby) in 1858, where William Johnston either purchased or rented a farm. In the 1860 federal census, William Johnston gave his occupation as innkeeper, with the inn he operated probably being located in nearby Coventry.

Civil War service Enlistment Johnston's father enlisted in the 3rd Vermont Infantry in June 1861 and the regiment mustered at St. Johnsbury on July 16. Willie Johnston was formally enlisted in Company D as a drummer on December 11, 1861, but was originally denied pay, because the regiment's officers thought he was too young. In June 1862, he was approved to receive pay, which was backdated to his December 1861 enlistment. The regiment's rolls at the time of his enlistment list him as 11 years old and five feet tall. His father was a member of Company B, attained the rank of corporal, and served in the regimental color guard.

The Peninsula Campaign The 3rd Vermont was assigned to Brooks' 1st Vermont Brigade, Smith's 2nd Division, Keyes' IV Corps, for McClellan's Peninsula Campaign.

The regiment served throughout the Peninsula Campaign in Virginia, including the Seven Days Battles of June 25 to July 1, 1862. The division arrived at Harrison's Landing early on the morning of July 2, with Johnston having brought his drum the whole way. Despite some bureaucratic issues with his documentation, Johnston is known to have re-enlisted in the 3rd Vermont at Brandy Station, Virginia, on February 15, 1864. He was mustered out of the service on August 31, 1865.

Medal of Honor citation Rank and organization: Musician, Company D, 3rd Vermont Infantry. Place and date: Unknown. Entered service at: St. Johnsbury, Vt. Birth: Morristown, N.Y. Date of issue: 16 September 1863.

Citation:

Date and place of act not on record in War Department.

Despite the inability of researchers to locate official documentation about the circumstances of Johnston's Medal of Honor action, the events were covered in contemporary newspaper accounts. In 1867 Johnston, competed for a position at the United States Military Academy, but was not selected. In the late 1860s, Johnston also played in St. Johnsbury's town band.

He moved to Charlestown, Massachusetts in the late 1860s, where he married Nellie Murphy on March 1, 1870. William Henry (born 1872), Mary (born 1874), Charles Cyril (born 1876), and Leo Francis (born 1878). The family lived at 65 Tremont Street and Johnston worked as a machinist. (The plaque was reported on in The Vermont Union (Lyndon, Vermont) for July 12, 1867.) Johnston was not dead in 1890, as evidenced by the Chelsea city directories for the late 1880s, 1890s, and early 1900s, which listed him as a "mariner" and then a "master mariner" indicating that he pursued a career as a merchant sailor and ship captain.

Later life In July 1899, Johnston was listed as among the attendees at a Medal of Honor Legion reunion in Burlington, Vermont. His hometown was not noted in the magazine or newspaper articles about the event. However, a valid reference for this information has not been found. The work is dedicated to all U.S. military personnel, past and present. In June, 2012, a plaque honoring Johnston was placed at Berkeley Plantation, Virginia (Harrison's Landing) by the Vermont Civil War Hemlocks living history organization. The text reads:

"At Harrison's Landing on July 4, 1862, Willie Johnston—age 11, 3rd Vermont Drummer Boy played for Div. review. For keeping his drum during the arduous 7 days battles, he was awarded the Medal of Honor by Sec. of War Stanton. He remains the youngest recipient of the Medal of Honor. His gravesite is unknown. Dedicated June 2012. The Vermont Civil War Hemlocks."