How old were the drummer boys of the Civil War?

As a result thousands of young boys between the ages of 13 and 17 fought in the Civil War. Many of these boys were killed or wounded in battle. The youngest of the boy soldiers usually ended up being drummers or messengers.

How old was the youngest boy in the Civil War?

The youngest soldier to fight in the Civil War was a boy named Edward Black. Edward was born on May 30 in 1853, making him just 8 years old when he joined the Union army on July 24, 1861, as a drummer boy for the 21st Indiana volunteers.

How old was the youngest drummer of the war?

Twelve-year-old
Twelve-year-old drummer boy William Black was the youngest recorded person wounded in battle during the American Civil War.

Who was the oldest drummer boy in the Civil War?

Lincoln Clem
John Lincoln Clem (August 13, 1851 – May 13, 1937), famously known as Johnny Shiloh, was a United States Army general who served as a drummer boy in the Union Army in the American Civil War….

John Clem
Born	August 13, 1851 Newark, Ohio, U.S.
Died	May 13, 1937 (aged 85) San Antonio, Texas, U.S.

What was the minimum age to fight in the Civil War?

18
Although the official minimum enlistment age was 18, there were various ways boys got around this. First, a boys’ appearance often fooled recruiters. It is fairly common, especially for teenage boys, to appear much older than they are.

What was the average age of a Confederate soldier?

Most soldiers were between the ages of 18 and 39 with an average age just under 26. The majority of soldiers North and South had been farmers before the war.

What was the average age of soldiers in the Civil War?

What was the average soldier’s age? The average Union soldier was 25.8 years old; there is no definite information on the average age of Confederate soldiers, but by the end of the war old men and young boys, who otherwise would have stayed home, were being pressed into service.

Did drummer boys have shields?

The drums were hung low from leather straps, necessitating the use of the traditional grip. Regulation drumsticks were usually made from rosewood and were 16”-17” in length. Ornamental paintings were very common for Civil War drums which often displayed pictures of Union eagles and Confederate shields.

What was the point of a drummer boy?

Responsible for beating out vital battle orders and communication signals, they were placed in harm’s way from the beginning of the fight to its conclusion. And when the battle was over, drummer boys were also relied upon to police the field, helping to carry wounded men to the hospital tents, and to bury the slain.

What was the job of a drummer boy in the Civil War?

Unlike the drummers in today’s modern army, Civil War drummer boys were an integral part of the army. Besides their primary job (beating the drums), drummer boys also acted as stretcher bearers and assistant surgeons. They would walk around the battlefields to look for the wounded, so they can be treated. They also bury the dead.

Who were the drummer boys in the Civil War?

Johnny Clem ( Massachusettes ) John Joseph Klem, often refered to as Johnny Clem, was probably the most famous boy who served in the Civil War. He is known to history as the “Drummer Boy of Chickamauga” and also “Johnny Shiloh .”.

What age were drummer boys?

Drummer boys used beats to communicate messages to the regiment. The average age of a drummer boy was 15 years old and there were some as young as 8 years old.

Who was the drummer in the Civil War?

Jump to navigation Jump to search. John Lincoln Clem (August 13, 1851 – May 13, 1937) was a United States Army general who served as a drummer boy in the Union Army in the American Civil War.