Figure 1.--The Federal Army began enlisting blacks after the emancipation Proclamation. So this portrait of a Federal drummer boy was taken sometime in 1863-65. All we know about him is that his name was Jackson. To see what he looked like before he enlisted, click on the image.

We have begun to collect acounts and images of drummer boys in the Civil War. Here we are looking for accounts of actual boys. Most joined the colors for adventure and excitement. This they found and for the most part more than they ever could have expected. Perhaps the most famous is Johnny Clem, but thousands of boys served as musicians with both the Federal and Confederate Armies and most because of their age lived into the 20th century. Unfortunately there are all to few who left detailed accounts. Some told their stores, but many did not. One boy who only left his portraits to history is known only as Jackson and we know very little about him.

Thomas Camp

Here we have a tin-type of Thomas Camp. He was a drummer boy in the 11th Wisconsin, Co. F. His uniform is particularly interesting because the unit was Zouaves. It was known as the Harvey Zouaves. Harvey was presumably the officer who organzed the unit. Unfortunastely we know virtuslly nothing about Thomas' service. A note with the tin-type reads, "Thomas Camp. Mother Wismer's youngest brother. Drummer boy in Civil War."

Johnny Clem

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 hostory as the "Drummer Boy of Chickamauga" and also "Johnny Shiloh." He was one of the youngest, but not the youngest to do so. Like most younger boys who participated in the War, he served as a musician. The Federal Army alone had places for 40,000 muscians. Many of the boys given the turmoil of battle became involved in the actual fighting. Johhny was the most famous Union boy soldier. He became a drummer in the 22nd Massachusetts Infantry at age 11 years. He fought in the battles of Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, Chickamauga, and Atlanta. He was eventually promoted to serve as a mounted orderly on the staff of General George H. Thomas, with the "rank" of lance sergeant.

Charley Common

"Other boy musicians had less spectacular careers than Clem, but many followed his example of swapping drums for guns in the heat of the conflict. The colonel of the Fifty-second Ohio Regiment told of one such instance in his official report of Perryville where 'Charley Common, a little drummer boy, having lost his drum, took a musket and fought manfully in the line.' [Wiley, p.?.]

Chauncey H. Cooke

Wiley quotes from: Martha N. McLeod, editor, Brother Warriors, The Reminiscences of Union and Confederate Veterans (Washington, 1940), 47). "Chauncey H. Cooke of the Twenty-fifth Wisconsin Regiment, whose letters home are among the best of Civil War sources, wrote thus of his mustering-in experience: 'Every one he suspicioned of being under 18 he would ask his age. He turned out a lot of them who were not quite 18...Seeing how it was working with the rest, I did not know what to do...I saw our Chaplain and he told me to tell the truth, that I was a little past 16, and he tho't when the mustering officer saw my whiskers he would not ask my age. That is what the boys all told me but I was afraid. I had about made up my mind to tell him I was going on 19 years, but thank heaven I did not have a chance to lie. He did not ask my age. I am all right ... but the sweat was running down my legs into my boots when that fellow came down the line and I was looking hard at the ground fifteen paces in front.'((Wiley quotes from Chauncey H. Cooke, "A Soldier Boy's Letters to his Father and Mother (1912), 2. These letters were published serially in the Wisconsin Magazine of History, IV (1920-1921), pages 75-100, 208-217, 322-344, 431-456, and V (1921-1922), 63-98.) [Wiley, p. ?.]

Robert Henry Hendershot

Another noted drummer boy was Robert Henry Hendershot who became known as 'the Drummer Boy of the Rappahannock.' He was a drummer boy for the Eighth Michigan. His regiment was stationed near the Seventh Michigan during the Battle of Fredricksburg, Virginia. On December 11, 1862, the Seventh was trying to cross the Rappahannock River under fire. Robert answered a call for volunteers and ran to help push the boats. He had crossed the river when a shell fragment hit his drum and broke it into pieces, so he picked up a musket.

Orion P. Howe

"One drummer boy, Orion P. Howe of the Fifty-fifth Illinois Regiment, for gallantry at Vicksburgwas awarded the coveted Medal of Honor. His citatioon stated: 'A drummer boy, 14 years of age and severly wounded and exposed to heavy fire from the enemy, he persistently remained upon the field of battle unti lhe had reported to Gen. W.T. Sherman the necessity of supplying cartridges for the use of troops under command of Colonel Malmborg.' [Wiley, p. 298.]

Jackson

The portrait of a run-away slave before and after he enlisted in the Federal Army are two of the most moving photographs of the Civil War. Unfortunately we know little more about him than that his name was Jackson. Probably this was his owner's name and from the look of the boy, maybe even his actual father. All that we know about Jackson was that he joined the 79th U.S. Colored Troops in Louisiana.

Charles Monell

Charles Monell was a drummer boy with the 165TH New York, 2ND Battalion, Duryee Zouaves. He served most of te Civil War. He had a CDV portrait taken in his Zouave uniform. It was once archived in a famiy album. Charles' home residence was not limited. He was 15 years old, I think when the portrait was taken. He first enlisted at New York City as a Musician (September 10, 1862). The 165th, the 2nd battalion, Duryea's Zouaves, was originally recruited for a 9 months' term. Even in 1862, few people undrstood how long the War would last. The unit was called Duryea's Zouaves because an officer named Duryea was responsible for forming the unit--I think Lieut.-Col. Hiram Duryea,. The enlistment was subsequently changed to 3 years. Only six companies were recruited, principally from New York city and Brooklyn, and were mustered into the U. S. service between August-December 1862, for 3years. He then mustered into "A" Co. NY 165th Infantry (November 28, 1862). The battalion left the state sailing for New Orleans (December 2, 1862). On its arrival was assigned to the 3d brigade, 2nd (Sherman's) Division, 19th corps, Department of the Gulf. Four new companies joined the battalion in the field and were consolidated with the original six companies (1864). Charles mustered Out at Charleston, SC still in the 165th Infanry (September 1, 1865). The officers were: Lieut.-Cols., Abel Smith, Jr., Governeur Carr, William R. French; Majs., Governeur Carr, Felix Angus, William W. Stephenson.

John M. Raymond

John M. Raymond was a drummer boy with the 11th Michigan Volunteer Infantry. Unfortunately we do not have any details about his service or a photograph during the War. We have found a portrait of him years after the War as an elderly man, orobably about 1900. He wears a complete Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) uniform and sporting various Civil War badges. For Raymond and many others who survived the War, it was the adventure of a life time. Obviously it was for Raymond which can clearly be seen in this portrait.

William C. Richardson

"The diary of William C. Richardson, drummer boy of the 104th Ohio Regiment, shows that he supplemented his musical activities with barbering, carrying water for the soldiers, honing the surgeon's instruments, assisting in removal and care of the wounded, helping bury the dead, and drawing maps. Another drummer boy sold cakes, nuts, watermelons and other delicacies to the soldiers at a profit which infuriated the men and which permitted him send home in one lump the then fabulous sum of sixty-five dollars." From Diary of WIlliam C. Richardson, 1862- 1865, 4 vols., passim, manuscript, Western Reserve Historical Society; J.H. Kendig to his brother, August 10, 1863, manuscript, Historical Society of Pa.) [Wiley, p. 296.]

Gustav Schurmann

Gustav was a bootblack. He nlisted for adventure and served as both a drummer and buggler. He is best known for making friends with President Lincoln's youngest son Tad.

Franklin Searis

Private Franklin Searis (sp??). Franklin was the drummer boy for Company E of the 19th Wisconsin Volunteers and perished during the Civil War in December 1862. Unfortunately we do not know anything more about Franklin. Hopefully HBC readers will forward us any additional information that they may require.

Stengel

Here we have two Civil War drummer boy paintings. They appear to be contemporary water color portrait on paste board. Thus this is an important color contribution to our archive of drummer boy portraits as well as a camp scene background. Unfortunately we are not sure of the boy's name. The back of one portrait is signed "Stengel". We are not sure, however, if this is the boy's name or the artist. The portraits were found in northern Ohio, so it is likely that the boy was wih an Ohio regiment. The portraits were done for oval frames. The drummer boy is accompanied in one of the portraits with an adult soldier. We also do not know who he was.

Johnnie Walker

"Private Harvey Reid in a remarkable letter to a very young brother gave the following delightful glimpse of little Johnnie Walker, twelve-year old drummer in the 22nd Wisconsin Regiment: Johnnie is drummer for the band, and when they play at dress parade every evening lots of gentlemen and ladies come from the city to hear them play and see the little drummer and when we are marching, and the ladies see the little soldier-boy they always give him apples, cakes, or something ... When we are marching Johnnie always keeps up with the big men, and is always singing and laughing but when he gets tired the big Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel or Adjutant will let Johnnie have his horse to ride. Everybody in the regiment likes Johnnie because he is a good little boy, is always pleasant and polite and not saucy like a great many boys. His mother sent him a suit of clothes made exactly like officer's clothes, and Lieutenant Baumman says he will get him a pair of shoulder straps with silver drum sticks upon them. Johnnie used to live in Racine and he has a half brother who is corporal in our company (but he is a mean bad man, don't take care of Johnnie, who lives with the Captain of Company B). (Harvey Reid to his brother Charles (1862), manuscript, Wis. Historical Society. [Wiley, pp. 296-297.]

Other

We have noted many other names, such as: C.W. Bardeen, Jerry Collins, Delavan Miller, and Otto Wolf. We do not have many details about their experiences.

Sources

Wiley, Bell Irvin. The Life of Billy Yank: The Common Soldier of the Union (Louisiana State University Press, 1952. (The edition quoyed here is the 1978 reissue.)