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Drummer boy essay Under construction

Most people think that the job of a drummer boy was easy, but they are wrong. being a drummer boy envoles bravery, corage and the ability to stand your ground. drummer boys had a huge part in the civil war. Not only were they used for music but the drums also war an important part in the battlefields communications, with many drum rolls telling the soldiers different commands. And getting the boy to work on the drums rather then men, let the men be used for compat duty; when the boys got older they enlisted into compat duty as well.

Drummer boys were looked at as the mascot of the troops, because they had fewer things to do then the soldiers, life as a drummer boy seems glamorous; so boys of all ages wanted to enlist and even ran away from home to do so. There were suppose to be age restrictions, but that was ignored. The boys who were as young as ten would be beating the “long roll”, which is used to call men into action when the battle starts. The drummer boys on the Confederate side were sometimes black slaves; but they and the rest of the drummer boys were often in the middle of the fighting, getting killed on a regular basis. Many drummer boys have died and are buried under unmarked graves.

A number of drummer boys greatly proved themselves in action, and several became very well known. The most famous drummer boy of the Civil War was John Clem (1851 - 1937), who added "Lincoln" as his middle name in 1861. At the age of ten John ran away from home in Newark, Ohio, and tried to enlist in many regiments but many did not take him, until the 24th Ohio. He served at Shiloh, earning the nickname "Johnny Shiloh" for his bravery. Later transferring to the "22nd Michigan", john drummed the long roll at Chickamauga -- where he earned the nickname "The Drummer Boy of Chickamauga" After the war he was given a commission into the army as a second lieutenant in 1871, retiring 45 years later as a major general, as the last Civil War veteran on active duty. He was 85 years old when he died on May 13, 1937 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Willie Johnson, from St. Johnsbury, Vermont. was also a famous drummer boy. he was in "Company D" of the "3rd Vermont". His service during the " Seven Days " retreat in the peninsular Campaign was amazing, and he was the only drummer in his division to come away with his "instrument". because of this he was awarded the Medal of Honor on the recommendation of his division commander, he was the youngest recipient, being then just 13 years old.

John McLaughlin, a native of Lafayette, Indiana, enlisted as a drummer in the 10th Indiana in 1861, being then about ten years old. McLaughlin had many adventures. During the Henry-Donelson Campaign he put aside his drum and joined the firing line. he fought as a trooper at Perryville, where he took a wound in his leg,and just when he thinks it could not get any worse he received a saber cut in the same leg. because his injery was so serious he was discharged. Although he recovered only partial use of the leg, he fought the discharge, appealing to Lincoln. After a private interview with the president, McLaughlin was enlisted as a bugler in the Regular Army.

To be a drummer boy it took a lot of work and guts. even little boys had to learn how to be as brave as a soldier. drummer boys were very important and the ones that imentioned before were only a few of the ones that had done brave acts during the civil war, most did not even get a marked grave because people did not know much about the younger boys involed in the war. they were thought to be worthless when really they were very important.