Charles Follen Adams was an American poet. During the American Civil War, Adams was a soldier and he was wounded in action. He was then taken as a prisoner of war. In 1872, he began writing humorous verses for periodicals and newspapers in a Pennsylvania German dialect Charles Follen Adams (21 April 1842 in Dorchester, Massachusetts - 8 March 1918) was an American poet. He received a common school education, and at the age of fifteen entered into mercantile pursuits. During the American Civil War, at age 22, Adams enlisted in the 13th Massachusetts Infantry. He was wounded in action at Gettysburg, and taken as a prisoner of war.On his release from prison, he was detailed for hospital duty. In 1872, he began writing humorous verses for periodicals and newspapers in a burlesque broken-English imitation[6] of Pennsylvania German dialect.His first published work was "The Puzzled Dutchman" which appeared in Our Young Folks.