Civil War Was Fought

By Boys

There were 1,151,438 in Ranks Who Enlisted When Under 18 Years of Age

Washington D. C. May 9, 1917 -  Surprise is often expressed that there are so many veterans of the Civil War still living. The fact is that the war was fought at least on the northern side, by boys. Of the 2,159,798 enlisted there were only 46,626 who were over 25 years old. The official figures of the age at enlistment in the Civil war were read in the House of Representatives by Joseph G Cannon, and they were as follows;

Those 10 years and under 25

Those 11 years and under 38

Those 12 years and under 225

Those 13 years and under 300

Those 14 years and under 1,523

Those 15 years and under 104,987       Don Carlos Butler age 15 Shawano County

Those 16 years and under 231,051

Those 17 years and under 844,891

Those 18 years and under 1,151,438

Those 21 years and under (these two classes make the total number of enlistments) 2,159,798

Those 22 years and over (these two classes make the total number of enlistments) 618,511

Those 25 years and over 46,626

It will be noticed from this statement that the greatest number of enlistments were of boys 18 and under. In a great number of cases these boys became officers before they were 20, some of them even reaching the rank of Captain. The methods of war have so changed that in future armies there must be a far greater portion of mature men. There must be a large number who can handle the intricate, complex and death dealing machinery and engines of destruction.

But as far as the Civil war was concerned the fighting was done by boys and the phrase "boys of '61" is a literal expression of the truth and not a metaphorical. There are still 400,000 of them alive.