The Drummer Boy of Shiloh: Reading Response

           Blog Post #4

                              The Drummer Boy of Shiloh

   In "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh", The General was very wise and gave an empowering speech(es) to Joby. And many messages were directed to the boy about being a drummer boy in a war. The idea would be the lesson/morals explained by the General. 
   "You are the heart of the army (probably something everybody chose)......"(pg. 53) is one of the most influential lines in the book. Even though Joby plays a small role, without him the army would be empty. The rhythm of the drum he beats pumps the heart of the soldiers and they would perform better. I guess you could say there is no I in teamwork. Joby will deny it because he is discouraged and if the general never came, Joby would have just ran away from his problems again.
    *Warning: It's a very long quote*
"Many nights from tonight, many years from now, when you're as old or far much older than, when they ask you what you did in this awful time, you will tell them - one part humble and one part proud - I was the drummer boy at the battle of Owl Creek or the Tennessee River, or maybe they'll just name it after the church there. I was the drummer boy at Shiloh. Good grief, that has a beat and sound to it fitting for Mr. Longfellow. 'I was the drummer boy at Shiloh.' Who will ever hear those words and not know you, boy, or what you thought this night, or what you'll think tomorrow or the next day when we must get up on our legs and move." The General is saying after this battle people will be saying "Are you the drummer boy from Shiloh?" and Joby will say "Why yes! It was me!" But he is saying at as a motivational speech so Joby will feel proud. He will be the brave boy who was at the battle of Shiloh while other boys were at home. 
    The General was sending a good message to Joby and I wrote two of the quotes that were really inspiring to me.