Johnny Clem and his drum

[william42]

http://arawan.itgo.com/clem.html


Below is Johnny Clem (in uniform) and his little brother whose name I can't seem to find.

Terry

[texascavcadet]

Thats a very nice photos of the drummer boy of shiloh, They say he shot a confederate cavalry man he ordered him to surrender, is this true or is this something some yankee newspaper wrote?

[william42]

Hi Garrett: According to the link I posted he supposedly shot a colonel, but I don't really know if that's legend or fact. Maybe somebody could shed some light on that.

Terry

[samgrant]

Originally Posted by texascavcadet

Thats a very nice photos of the drummer boy of shiloh, They say he shot a confederate cavalry man he ordered him to surrender, is this true or is this something some yankee newspaper wrote?

"Born at Newark, Ohio, in 1851 as John Joseph Klem, but changed his name as a youth because of his admiration for President Abraham Lincoln.

He fought in the Civil War at the age of ten. In May 1861, at the outbreak of the Civil War, he attempted to enlist as a drummer-boy in the 3rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry, but was rejected on account of his age and size.
Subsequently he joined the 22nd Michigan Volunteer Infantry and accompanied that unit to the field and in the Summer of 1862 was regularly enlisted as a drummer in that regiment. He displayed fearless spirit in the Battle of Shiloh, where his drum was destroyed by a piece of shell. At the Battle of Chickamauga he served as a marker and carried a musket instead of a drum, and particularly distinguished himself. he had been in the thickest of the fight and three bullets passed through his hat. He became separated from his companions and was seen running, with a musket in his hands, by a Confederate Colonel who called out, "Stop you little Yankee devil!" He halted and brought his musket up when the Colonel rode up to make him a prisoner. With a swift movement, he brought his musket up and fired, killing the Colonel instantly. He escaped and for that exploit on the battlefield was made a Sergeant, put on duty at the Headquarters of the Army of the Cumberland, and placed on the roll of honor."

-from http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jlclem.htm

[william42]

Thanks for the link Sam. Garrett, I guess Johnny did bag a Confederate colonel. I think he was close to your age when he did that. Chickamauga was in late 1863, so he could have been about 13 I suppose. Apparently Johnny did not like the idea of being taken prisoner.

Terry

[hoosier]

Johnny didn't like the idea of being taken prisoner, but he liked Army life just fine.

When he retired from the U.S. Army in 1915 at the age of 65, Clem was the last man active in the armed forces who had fought in the Civil War.

[texascavcadet]

Wasnt he the longest living Civil War Solider? I know Col Ames was the longest living officer,lived till he was 88 I think.

Yah this yankee was a "fightin yankee"

[Fifth Iowa]

Originally Posted by samgrant

"a Confederate Colonel... called out, "Stop you little Yankee devil!" He halted and brought his musket up when the Colonel rode up to make him a prisoner. With a swift movement, he brought his musket up and fired, killing the Colonel instantly."

I know our young drummer/soldier's act was regarded as heroic, but I see it as just another of the tragedies of the war. I assume the colonel clearly noted the age of the boy and let his guard down, assuming that he would surrender. Had the officer approached the lad more warily or, God forbid, more violently, he would have been less honorable... but he may have survived the war.

[Alabaman]

Originally Posted by Fifth Iowa

I know our young drummer/soldier's act was regarded as heroic, but I see it as just another of the tragedies of the war. I assume the colonel clearly noted the age of the boy and let his guard down, assuming that he would surrender. Had the officer approached the lad more warily or, God forbid, more violently, he would have been less honorable... but he may have survived the war.

Dear Rob,

I really appreciate your comment above, which was well thought-out and well reasoned. A man's life was taken by a child and there isn't anything 'heroic' about it. I would say the exact thing had this been a Confederate 'child' soldier who "bagged" a Union Colonel. The perceived 'heroic' action of this Union drummer boy probably caused the (future) deaths of many other Union youngsters who deserved a chance to live. Again, I see absolutely no heroism in this act. Thanks, Rob, for seeing this tragedy in its true light.

Most Respectfully,
Rob