When the United States was embroiled in war between 1861 and 1865, men from all over the country fought for the identity of the nation. Men from all walks of life fought in the US Civil War to defend the values so ingrained into them, but what is often forgotten is that many of the young men weren't men at all but child soldiers. Children made up 20 percent of the military population, and though they weren't all in combat, they played necessary roles in the war effort they would barely comprehend as scouts, messengers, musicians, and 'powder monkeys'.
Many of these young children have been forgotten or unidentified, leaving behind only a brief understanding of their experience through gilded portraits. They serve as tokens of history, reminding viewers of the very personal toll of the American Civil War and demonstrate President Herbert Hoover's old quote, "Older men declare war. But it is youth that must fight and die."
Unidentified Young Soldier In A Confederate Infantry Uniform
Unidentified Young Soldier In Union Uniform And Forage Cap
Sergeant William T. Biedler, 16 Years Old, Of Company C, Mosby's Virginia Cavalry Regiment
Unidentified Young Soldier In 5th New Hampshire Infantry Uniform
David Potts, A Young Union Cavalryman
Unidentified Young Union Soldier With Rifle Musket
