Figure 1.--No miliary uniform has had more impact on children's clothes than sailor suits. The suits commonly worn in each country were based on the contemporary style of the national navies. This tennage boy has just entered the English Navy at about the turn of the century.

Children before our modern era commonly joined the military. Boys served a drummer boys during the Civil War. Young boys entered the British navy as ensigns leading to a commission and as powder boys leading to service as seamen. The use of boys continue through the 19th Century. While this seem cruel to our modern sensibilities, the use of child labor was also extensive. The life of boys, even quite youg ones could be very difficult. Boys from working class families often had short childhoods. Read about the boys that worked in mines, for examole, such as the "breaker boys" in coal mines. When one reads about the use of child labor into the 20th cerntury, the use of boy soldiers can be seen in better perspdevctive. These boys wore unforms just like adults. Even today in the interminable conflicts in developing countries, especially, Africa, often boys are actively involved.

Countries

HBC has collected some limited infornmation concerning children involved in military service in a few countries, although our information at this time is very limited. It appears to have been a common practice during the 19th century, especially for mussicians. This was generally phased out in the early 20th century. Many youth still served in the military, but you no longer saw pre-teens are very young teenagers.

Specific Conflicts

Information is also available on boys serving in specific conflicts. For the most part, European countries began phasing boys out of the military by the time of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), but there were still some boys in the military at the turn of the 20th century. HBC does not yet have details on the actual regulations in each country.

The Civil War

Thousands of children were directly involved in the Civil War. Older boys served as soldiers. Many younger boys were also invoved, some boys as young as 11 years old. The younger boys generlly served as drummer or bugle boys. Commonly the drummer and bugle boys were 13-15 years of age. Both the Confederate and Union soldiers tried to look after the younger boys. In major engagements they were often sent to the rear when charges into fortifications were planned. In some cases they had to be forced to the rear crying. Such a scene is portrayed in the movie Glory. In addition, over 1 million boys of 17 or under served in the Federal Army alone. Beyond the use of very young boys as deummer boys and bbugle boys, about 1 million boys 16 and 17 years of age fought with the Federal Army alone. Almost surely very large numbers of similsrly aged boys fpught with the Conderacy, although actual records are less available. So many boys served in both the Federal and Confederate Army that one author has suggested calling the American Civil War the Boys' War.

Naval Influences

The most important military-style uniform influincing boys clothes, of course, was the sailor suit and sailor hat popularized by Queen Victoria when she began dressing the young princes in them during the mid-19th century.