Partially recruited in Montour County, the 187th Regiment, Company C, was part of a body of troops known as the First Battalion, organized for a six-month service.
A member of this regiment was Danville’s Charles P. Harder, known as the youngest soldier in the Civil War. Charles was a drummer boy. Be it North or South, troops never left home without a drummer as an integral part of their unit. What a thrill for a young boy who probably hadn’t been far from Danville to join a unit of individuals he knew and go off to war.
A drummer’s task was not only to beat cadence for his unit while marching, but he was the “communication officer” using the drum for everything from assembling officers to sounding retreat in the midst of severe enemy fire. The drummer was always in the company of a high-ranking officer because at any time be might be needed to alert the troops of an upcoming movement or operations.
The drummer often did not get enough sleep. At any time he might be needed to play the appropriate drum call. This meant being awakened at any hour and not being able to return to sleep for many hours. Once the men were assembled and deployed to a particular engagement, the drummers would lay down their drums and take up stretchers, act as runners between outposts, or do whatever was necessary to help the unit.
Charles was the youngest of five brothers, all veterans. He enlisted in the Army on April 14, 1864, at the age of 10 years and 6 months. The 187th regiment supported the 9th Corps on the front during the fighting of Petersburg.
It was engaged in the work of fortification until the unit was ordered to Philadelphia and during the funeral of President Lincoln it led the procession from the railway station to Independence Hall and guarded the remains while they lie in state.
Harder had the rare honor of being a member of the drum corps that escorted Lincoln’s remains from the B&O; train station to the State House in Philadelphia. Charles Harder’s drum is part of the collection in the Montgomery House.
Mustered out with his company on Aug. 3, 1865, Charles returned to Danville. In his later years he had a distinguished career and served his community well. He became a member of the Montour County Bar and served a term as sheriff. He was a member of the Danville school board and served three years as its president. In 1902, Harder was appointed Danville postmaster.
Charles was born in Danville in 1853 and married Sallie Miles of New York. He died in Danville in 1923 and is buried in Mount Vernon Cemetery, in Riverside. Montour County is proud to be the home of this soldier who served his country and home so bravely.
-- Lynn Reichen is president of the Montour County Historical Society.
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