Early Accounts of Drummer Boy Johnny Clem

John Lincoln "Johnny" Clem (1851-1937) gained fame at age 12 for his battlefield courage. Today he remains one of the Civil War's most enduring figures after a military career that ended with his retirement as a brigadier general in 1915. Seeking to learn more about his origin story, I found three early accounts dating from the Civil War from individuals who claimed to have met him.
"Life on the Civil War Research Trail" is hosted by Ronald S. Coddington, Editor and Publisher of Military Images magazine. Learn more about our mission to showcase, interpret and preserve Civil War portrait photography at militaryimagesmagazine.com and shopmilitaryimages.com.
This episode is brought to you in part by Civil War Badges, with thousands of authentic items in a single store. Shop and buy with confidence: civilwarbadges.com.
Image: Ronald S. Coddington Collection.
This channel is a member of the TH-cam Partner Program. Your interest, support, and engagement is key, and I'm grateful for it. Thank you!

[@mamieturner5133]

My Great Grandfather Porter Frierson was a Drummer boy 10 - 12 years old. I don't have a photo

[@ConsiderationFarm]

Great story. I love how he was just a little kid but he "used to drink and swear."

[@MichaelSmith-ct1xl]

🤣

[@kristiskinner8542]

Well kids havent always been over sheltered & over coddled in the extreme ways many are nowdays. Some so much so that they have a false sense of reality completely

[@ConsiderationFarm]

@@kristiskinner8542 It's the computers. They lead to mush brain in us all. Tech has been designed to destroy reality.

[@dresqueda]

I love his bravado in telling about himself. He was certainly a brave young person!

[@FuzzyWuzzy75]

I had never heard of Johnny Clem before this posting. Thank you once again Mr. Coddington for another fascinating story.
That kid was more of a man at 10-12 than most of us will ever be!

[@scotv5099]

I went to Johnny Clem elementary!

[@yisroelkatz-xj6pq]

Thank you Ron for this very famous story!

[@MichaelSmith-990]

Great story. Very interesting and may he Rip.

[@TheKonartest]

Thanks for sharing some of my family history! Great info

[@richardliles4415]

Good story. Thank you.

[@loarnotoole36]

Brilliant history account of young Johnny Clem....✌👍💥

[@susanschaffner4422]

Great story no matter the time. Thank you.

[@peterschief9778]

As a kid I watched the Disney Johnny Shiloh movie and remember it fondly. Thanx

[@yisroelkatz-xj6pq]

I also remember Disney's Johnny Shiloh, it was a great movie!

[@MarkGolding-vs8ew]

I have been interested in Johnny Clem's story since I was not much older than he was during the war. I had already read General Rosencran's account but the other two were new to me. Most accounts from during the war say that the rebel Johnny shot was killed, but Clem's own article decades later says he later learned the rebel survived. And I once found an account that when Clem was a lt. in the army he met the rebel he had shot, who was a lawyer at Brownsville, Texas.
I note that General Wheeler's raid where Johnny was captured was a big raid, and the wagon trained he captured and burned had about 800 wagons.
I also note at the Battle of Corinth in 1862 a rebel colonel actually entered battery Robinette before being killed. One account says he was shot many times, another that he was shot by a drummer boy. I also note there is a story about drummer boy Robert Henry Hendershot shooting a rebel colonel, although Hendershot was not the most truthful drummr boy.
Geernal Rosencrans might have been wrong about Johnny being the youngest soldier in the army of the Cumberland at the time, although Johnny was probably the smallest. Although General Rosecrans said Johnny had corporal's stripes but all his photos from the war have sergeant's chevrons, and it is said he was promoted to lance sergeant. And my copy of his military service records say that Johnny was promoted to Lance Sergeant by order of General Thomas on September 20, 1863, a date when General Thomas was very busy.
Johnny was offiically enlisted in the 23rd Michigan in about April or May 1863. He was described as 12 years old although that was a few months before his birthday, and 4 feet inches blank tall. His account says he was the 23rd Michigan on a probationary statues before being enlisted. It was formed on September 13, 1862, which is about the earliest possible date for his unofficial service with them. Your accounts quite him saying he moreor less served for about 2 years before Dec 1863.-Jan 1864, or since about Dec. 1861 to Jan. 1862. A number of accounts say he ran away from home in the spring of 1861 to Join the army. And if he did leavehome then it is unknown where he was for about two years.

[@hubstead1]

Thanks!

[@lifeonthecivilwarresearchtrail]

Many thanks! I appreciate your support of the Research Trail and stories of the Civil War generation.

[@Chris-ut6eq]

Great story. Curious though if anyone besides him ever confirmed this story? A lot of chaos in war so even if no one else witnessed it, still might have happened.

[@lifeonthecivilwarresearchtrail]

The accounts I've read vary slightly in the details. But the common theme is that he shot a Confederate officer.

[@steveshapiro326]

Johnny's parents were German immigrants to Ohio. He may have been bilingual. Unfortunately he didn't have the opportunity to attend school regularly. Nonetheless he was extremely smart and successful throughout his life.

[@gregdavis19]

I’d say the last story was closer to accuracy. I didn’t say accurate just closer.

[@ibkristykat]

Were any movies made about lil Johnny?

[@vernabryant2894]

I wonder why his parents let him do this.Where was his parents?

[@fiddlemusik]

He was an orphan.

[@steveshapiro326]

@@fiddlemusik His mother was killed in a train wreck August, 1861. His father did not want him to be in the Army. Johnny apparently ran off against the father's wishes.