Customer Reviews

When Johnny Went Marching: Young Americans Fight the Civil War

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Though both the North and South banned the enlistment of anyone under the age of 18, thousands of boys and some girls as young as ten fought during the Civil War. They came from all walks of life, immigrants, blacks, the poor, and rich, even future president William McKinley, and served as soldiers, drummers, buglers, hospital orderlies, and spies. Many were wounded, imprisoned, died in battle, or of disease, and six even received the Medal of Honor. G. Clifton Wisler has compiled the stories and experiences of 49 of these very young Americans into a riveting and vivid collection. History comes alive in short two or three page chapters, and each account is very personal and poignant, often using diary entries, letters, and postwar recollections if possible, and most include a haunting photograph of each young soldier at the time of his/her service. It is obvious that this book was a labor of love, and Mr Wisler's painstaking research and attention to detail brings these stories to life. A map, extensive chapter notes, glossary, index, and bibliography are included to augment lessons and discussions. Perfect for youngsters 10 and older,When Johnny Went Marching is a masterpiece, and children will be fascinated as they read about soldiers their own age who tried to make a difference.

It's been estimated that during the Civil War, 1 out of 50 soldiers in the Federal army and 1 out of 20 in the Confederate army were under 18 years old. Some of them were as young as 11 or 12. Those who joined the Navy were generally used as powder monkeys, tasked with hauling gunpowder to the ship cannons during battle. Those who joined the Army were generally used as drummer boys, but during and after battle were frequently enlisted as medics.

Today we're horrified at the thought of child soldiers. Our ancestors in the Civil War seemed less disturbed. This is a crucial difference in the sensibilities of their time and ours.

But author G. Clifton Wisler seems not to appreciate the shift. His book, written for kids in grades 5 through 8, tends to glorify the child soldiers who fought and sometimes died in the Civil War. He portrays them as heroic, valiant, brave, and occasionally even writes as if running off to join the army was little more than an adventuresome lark. The battlefield butchery of the Civil War and the horrific physical and psychological wounds suffered by those who fought in it are ignored.

I appreciate that school-age kids need heroes to inspire them and to serve as role models. But Wisler's treatment of Civil War child soldiers is a whitewash of the horror of war that may give young readers today a tragically misguided picture.

For adults reading this review who might wish to learn more about the harsh reality of child soldiers in the Civil War, I'd recommend the following: Scott Cohn, Beyond Their Years: Stories of Sixteen Civil War Children (2003), James Martin, The Children's Civil War (1998), James Martin, Children for the Union: The War Spirit on the Northern Home Front (2004), and Emmy Werner, Reluctant Witnesses: Children's Voices from the Civil War (1998).