Children of the civil war

Roughly around 20 percent of the soldiers in the civil war were under the age of 18. When the war started in 1861 many children enlisted in the army. The ages of the children soldiers varied from 10 - 17 years old. The legal age limit for union soldiers was 18 years old but, the confederacy set no minimum age limit.  Many of the children that entered the army while they could did it because, they wanted to escape the boring life of living as working on a farm with there parents and also to escape there abusive family.

        Most of the young soldiers enlisted to be a musician. The musicians played the bugle, the fife and the drums. Most of the musicians played during the battle was occurring. The reasons they would play were to issue marching commands and also to enhance the confidence of the soldiers during battle. Most of the children that enlisted wanted to become a musician because they were told that musicians did not engage of the fighting during the battles. Most children did get the role as a musician but some got switched to become a full fledge soldier. Even though musicians were not supposed to fight during battle most of the soldiers found them selfs holding a gun for protection.

 children that were in the army and the military during the civil war were happy when it ended in 1865. Most of the soldiers came home safe but some came home wounded and some even never came home. When the north was celebrating and being happy about there win, the south had to go through the feeling of defeat and shame. but at the same time african american people could live in freedom. In the end most children were happy that one of the most fierce wars in history was over.

Sources: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/general-article/grant-kids/
         
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