How many drummer boys were in the civil war?

Answer 1

The US regulations at the time said that each company (100 men) would have two musicians. Typically one was a fifer and one was a drummer. This means that for every regiment (10 companies), there should be a total of 20 musicians, about 50:50 between fifers and drummers, and one Drum Major who led the field music.

Answer 2

The drummer boy's job is to drum certain drum beats that tell the soldiers to retreat or attack. Some drummer boys are known for dropping their drums and grab rifles from wounded soldiers and join the fighting.

Answer 3

That depends on what you mean by the question.

The US Army still (to this day) has Marching Bands, and continues to have drummers in such marching bands.

However, your question seems to be whether the US Army continued to use juveniles as musicians after the Civil War.

An act passed by Congress on June 30, 1864 prohibited the enlistment of any minor under the age of 16. During the last months of the Civil War, therefore, it as illegal to enroll a youngster as a drummer or in any other capacity. There is substantial evidence that this law was not enforced during the last portion of the Civil War (probably most recruiting officers were unaware of it).

After the war, a small number of minors enlisted in the US Army as musicians throughout the 1870's and 1880's (of course, there would have been individuals who misrepresented their ages, but I am talking about individuals who were acknowledged to be underage). John Urquhart joined the 14th US infantry in 1881, at age 15, and served for five years. Thomas Conlin joined the 21st US infantry, also in 1881, at age 14 and served for 5 years. These were two of the last acknowledged juveniles to serve in the US Army (or in any branch of the US armed forces)

Answer 4

The drummer boys also fought. One boy named Johnny Clem ran away from home in 1861 when he was 11 years old and enlisted. The twenty-second Michigan Regiment took him as a drummer paying him 13.00 a month for his service. At the battle of Shiloh Clem earned the name " Johnny Shiloh" when a cannon shell bounced off a tree stump and destroyed his drum. When another drum was shattered in battle, Clem found a musket and fought the rest of the war. He became a sergeant in the fall of 1863. If you want to read more about the boys of the Civil War get the book the "Boys War" by Jim Murphy.

Answer 5

drummer boys were so important because they led the army with their beats on the drum