Title: Boy soldiers of the American Revolution /
Authors: Cox, Caroline, 1954-2014; Middlekauff, Robert
Year: 2016
Subjects: Child soldiers United States History; Children United States Social life and customs; Child soldiers; Children Social life and customs; United States History Participation, Juvenile.; United States
Abstract: "Between 1819 and 1845, as veterans of the Revolutionary War were filing applications to receive pensions for their service, the government was surprised to learn that many of the soldiers were not men, but boys, many of whom were under the age of sixteen, and some even as young as nine. In Boy Soldiers of the American Revolution, Caroline Cox reconstructs the lives and stories of this young subset of early American soldiers, focusing on how these boys came to join the army and what they actually did in service. Giving us a rich and unique glimpse into colonial childhood, Cox traces the evolution of youth in American culture in the late eighteenth century, as the accepted age for children to participate meaningfully in society--not only in the military--was rising dramatically"--
Contents: Introduction: As well as I can recollect -- Answer the purpose -- A strong desire to enlist -- My father caused me to enlist -- He took his father's place -- Fellow citizens.