Children In The Civil War

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Confederate soldier Henry Morton Stanley (later to become a well known explorer and adventurer) recalled this conversation while in preparation for The Battle of Shiloh:
"Next to me....was a Boy of 17....Henry Parker
....While we stood at ease, he drew my attention to
some Violets at his feet and said:"

"It would be a good idea to put a few into my cap. Perhaps the Yanks wont shoot me if they see me wearing such flowers, for they are a sign of peace"

as the troops from both sides were amassing in the surrounding country side, Confederate Private James H. Hodam of the Seventeenth Virginia regiment, later recorded this:

"Near Gettysburg, we captured the camp and equipage of a force of Pennsylvania militia, and after an exciting chase of several miles our regiment succeeded in picking up over 300 of the "Band Box Boys," as we called them."

"While returning from escorting a lot of prisoners to the rear, I met a large party of prisoners hurrying by [on their way to join the others in the rear], while a short distance behind them a little drummer boy was trying to keep up. He was bare headed, wet and muddy, but still retained his drum."

"Hello, my little Yank; where are you going?" I said.

"Oh, I am a prisoner and I am going to Richmond," he replied.

"Look here" I said, "you are too little to be a prisoner; so pitch that drum into that fence-corner, throw off your coat, get behind those bushes, and go home as fast as you can."

"Mister, don't you want me for a prisoner?"

"No."

"Can I go where I please?"

"Yes."

"Then you bet I am going home to mother!"

Saying this as he threw his drum one way and his coat another [and became, in appearance, a civilian], he disappeared behind a fence and some bushes; and I sincerely hope he reached home...and mother."

On the battlefield of Chickamuaga, Confederate officer William Oates came upon
"a Boy....about fifteen years old....lagging in the rear and crying".

"I spoke to him and told him not to cry; that he had not yet been hurt and he might live through the battle, and not to be so unmanly as to become frightened and go to crying. He replied,"
"Afraid, hell! That ain't it. I'm so damned tired I can't keep up with my company."

a very young soldier made a name for himself that afternoon.
He was Johnnie Clem , of Newark, Ohio. A Federal nurse who knew him, Mrs. Annie Whittenmeyer
says that he was
"a fair and beautiful child...about twelve years old, but very small of his age; he was ...only about thirty inches high and weighed about sixty pounds." Johnnie was a veteran of several battles, and his hat had acquired three bullet holes. He seems to have carried a musket that had been sawed off to match his size."
Mrs. Wittenmyer continues:
...His brigade...being partly surrounded by rebels, was retreating, when he, being unable to fall back as fast as the rest of the line, was singled out by a rebel colonel who rode up to him with the summons, "Scoundrel, halt! Surrender, you damned little Yankee!
Johnnie halted and brought his gun into position as though he was about to surrender, thus throwing the colonel off his guard. In another moment the gun was cocked, fired, and the colonel fell dead from his horse.
His regiment was pursued, and a volley was fired at that moment, and Johnnie fell as though he had been killed, and lay there on the field until...[he was able] to slip away unnoticed."

Below is a CivilWarStory Video Minute
which focuses on the notorious Andersonville Civil War era Prison.
Please take a moment to check it out. Running time is just about 10 minutes

Please click on the musket below
to return to the Main Page Menu.

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