Augusta: ""Little Jack" Trimble," by John Bennett, 1910
Summary: John Bennett remembers Jack Trimble, a descendant of the Augusta Trimbles and a cousin of John Marshall McCue, who served as a courier for John Imboden during the Civil War.
In the Charleston News and Courier of September, 1868, this paragraph appeared: "The death of Little Jack Trimbnle, the 'boy soldier.' On the 8th of August, 1868, John A. Trimble died of consumption, aged about twenty-four years, at the home of his father, in HIllsboro, Ohio."
Many a soldier who served in the Valley of Virginia during the eventful campaigns of 1862, 1863, and 1864 read with grief this announcement. Everybody in the valley knew Little Jack Trimble, and everybody loved him. Being extremely delicate from early childhood, he had the appearance of a fragile boy of twelve or fourteen years. He was descended from the Trimbles of Augusta County, Va., some of whom emigrated to Ohio when it was a territory and a wilderness, and, growing up with the State, filled the high offices of Governor, United States Senator, Representative in Congress, general in the army, and other conspicuous positions.
He had numerous relatives in Augusta, and had spent several years before the war with his cousin, Col. J. Marshall McCue, of that county. Like most invalid youths, he possessed a mind of extraordinary quickness and strength, which he improved so as to be a most interesting and entertaining companion for men of the highest intelligence. He was an enthusiastic Confederate; and, delicate and feeble lad though he was, he resolved in 1862 to enter the army. He volunteered his services to Colonel (afterwards General) Imboden, who was then engaged beyond our lines in organizing the hardy mountaineers of the border and northwest counties for service in the Confederate army. He was accepted as a courier and a scout, and right nobly did he perform his duties; for, being an admirable rider and well mounted, he moved over great distances with wonderful celerity.
Collected, shrewd, observing, intelligent, and brave, he was often intrusted with important information to be conveyed when writing would have been unsafe and through a region of country where a man could not have passed, but where a boy attracted little attention. He made many narrow escapes. Sometimes he outwitted those who sought to find out who and what he was, and only once was he actually captured. This was in the mountains of Hardy, where the enemy held Moorfield. Jack was taken to headquarters and closely questioned; but he appeared to be only an ordinary mountain lad of no consequence, and was ordered by the general commanding to be put upstairs to sleep. After all was silent, Jack disappeared, found his horse, flanked the pickets, and at daybreak was many amile across the Virginia mountains on his way to his own people. He was trusted, respected, and honored by his officers, and was a universal favorate and pet with the men.
I shall be greatly pleased to hear from any comrade who remembers John Alexander Trimble, the well-loved "Little Jack," whose services are thus briefly generalized. I feel sure that there is left some relative, friend, or comrade in Imboden's command who remembers the boy courier and can give some particulars of his service. James Blythe Anderson, 657 Elsmere Park, Lexington, Ky., is writing the genealogy of the Anderson family for publication, and he is as anxious as I am for facts in regard to "Little Jack," as he wishes to give his service faithful record in his book.
Bibliographic Information: Source copy consulted: Bennett, John, "'Little Jack' Trimble," Confederate Veteran, Volume XVIII, 1910, pages 473-474
