Willie Johnston (Medal of Honor)

While in camp Willie would have been at work all day sounding orders such as reveille, water and wood details, doctor's call, officer's call, dinner, and tattoo. During combat, standing beside his mounted regimental or company commander, he drummed commands such as march, double-quick, halt, cease-fire, or retreat.

The 3rd Vermont was assigned to Brooks' Second Brigade (made up of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Vermont Infantry Regiments, often referred to as the Vermont Brigade), Smith's 2nd Division, Keyes' IV Corps, for McClellan's Peninsula Campaign.

Johnston's first fight was at Lee's Mill, Virginia, on April 16, 1862. Companies D and F charged across the creek, temporarily taking the enemy works and suffering over thirty casualties. Willie's father, William was wounded in the battle, losing his right forefinger to the second joint, from a gun shot while charging the enemy. Two members of the regiment were later awarded Medals of Honor for actions during this battle.

After Yorktown Brooks' Vermont Brigade, as part of Smith's Division, was ferried up the York River to Eltham's Landing where they built a pontoon wharf and offloaded supplies as they chased the withdrawing Confederates.

On May 7 they supported Hancock's Brigade at the Battle of Williamsburg, only coming under stray fire. On May 18, Vermont Brigade was assigned to Franklin's VI Corps.

During his next campaign, the Seven Days Battles from June 25 to July 1, 1862, Johnston earned his medal.

On June 26 the Vermont Brigade worked all day and through the night to erect a redoubt at the crest of a wheat field near Garnett's Farm. The next day brought much artillery shelling as they came under fire from Magruder's Division. Smith responded with his artillery and directed another battery to fire on the east side of the Chickahominy in support of Porter's V Corps. This action at Garnett's Farm convinced McClellan that he was fighting Confederate troops on both sides of the Chickahominy, prompting him to order a general withdrawal toward the James River.

On June 28 they were at Golding's Farm when the division was ordered to the left to connect with Sumner's II Corps line where they were again severely shelled.

On the 29th Smith's Division moved to a point in front of Savage's Station to help cover the Union withdrawal. Realizing he was ahead of the main battle lines, and as the enemy formed in front, Smith ordered the division to fall back to the station. As the battle heated up the Vermont Brigade was thrown to the left. As the 3rd was forming up in the woods an approaching soldier called out "Who are you?" A soldier of the 3rd called out "Friends!" Another query, "Which regiment?" "Third Vermont!", came the reply. It turned out to be the 5th Louisiana and the rest of Semmes' Brigade, McLaws' Division. A heated fire ensued. The Vermonters eventually charged the enemy, driving them off, but suffering heavily, taking 439 casualties including General Brooks, who was wounded in the thigh.[7] Assuming each regiment fielded about 500 men, one in six were wounded or killed. And Willie was right in the middle of it.

That night, unable to move the wounded, Smith left his surgical staff to tend them and marched to positions south of White Oak Swamp bridge, holding the right flank during the Battle of Malvern Hill. Again they were under heavy artillery fire, this time from Stonewall Jackson's force on the north side of the swamp.

On July 1 Smith's Division was posted to positions on Turkey Creek, arriving at Harrison's Landing early in the morning of the second. Smith noted in his summary report that every march was made at night.

During that retreat many men threw away all their equipment so they would have less weight to carry. Johnston, however, retained his drum and brought it safely to Harrison's Landing. There, he had the honor of drumming for the division parade on July 4, he being the only drummer to bring his instrument off the battlefields. Neither General Smith, the division commander, nor General Brooks, the brigade commander, made any note of Willie's feat in their after-action reports.[8]

President Lincoln arrived by gunboat and was present for the parade of the entire Army of the Potomac conducted on July 8. It is suggested that Lincoln heard the story and wrote Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton, suggesting the youth be given a medal, but no evidence exists. In any case Stanton approved the award and Willie Johnston was presented his Medal of Honor on September 16, 1863, at the age of 13, for a deed performed when he was but 11 years and 11 months of age.[9] No official details of the reason for Willie's award survive, but the story is found in contemporary newspapers.[10]

This was the second Medal of Honor ever awarded. Secretary Stanton presented the actual award and Willie's file contains a signed receipt for the decoration.

After the campaign, Johnston served as a nurse in a hospital in Baltimore and was transferred to Company H, 20th Regiment of Veteran Reserve Corps, where he played in the regimental brass band as Drum Major. His carte de visite photograph must have been taken at this time as his cap insignia is from this unit.

Johnston re-enlisted, on the same day as his father, at Brandy Station, Va., on February 15, 1864. After some confusion as to which unit he'd reenlisted in (He'd intended to return to the 3rd Vermont, yet he was still on the rolls of the 20th VRC) he was mustered out of service on December 30, 1865.