Willie Johnston ( Medal of Honor ) William " Willie " Johnston ( born July 1850 ) , from St . Johnsbury , Vermont , was a drummer boy in Company D of the 3rd Vermont Infantry . His service during the Seven Days retreat in the Peninsula Campaign was exemplary . He was the only drummer in his division to come away with his instrument , during a general rout . His superiors considered this a meritorious feat , when fellow soldiers had thrown away their guns . As a result , he received the Medal of Honor on the recommendation of his division commander , thereby becoming the youngest recipient of the highest decoration at 13 years of age . Early life . Johnston was born in Morristown , New York in 1850 . ( Note - His birthplace is also listed as Warrentown in St . Lawrence County , N . Y . ) Apparently his family moved to Salem , Vermont ( now Derby ) . When his father enlisted in December , 1861 , young Willie begged to go with him . The commanding officer agreed . He was enlisted as a drummer boy on December 11 , 1861 in St . Johnsbury , Vermont . He was 11 years old and five feet tall . The war . Johnston enlisted as a drummer in Company D , 3d Vermont Infantry Regiment on May 1 , 1862 and was mustered into United States service same day . His father , William Johnston , was a member of Company B of the same regiment . Johnston ' s first fight was at Lee ' s Mill , Virginia , on April 16 , 1862 . During his next campaign , the Seven Days Battles from June 25 to July 1 , 1862 , Johnston was cited for bravery . During that retreat many men threw away all their equipment so they would have less weight to carry . Johnston , however , retained his drum and brought it safely to Harrison ' s Landing . There , he had the honor of drumming for the division parade , he being the only drummer boy to bring his instrument off the battlefields . Johnston ' s division commander noted this fact and included them in his report . President Lincoln heard the story and wrote Secretary of War Edwin M . Stanton , suggesting the youth be given a medal . Stanton agreed , and Willie Johnston was presented his Medal of Honor September 16 , 1863 , at the age of 13 , for a deed performed when he was but 11 years of age . This was the second Medal of Honor ever awarded . Secretary Stanton presented the actual award . Johnston re - enlisted at Brandy Station , Va . on February 15 , 1864 . He transferred to Company H , February 15 , 1864 , and then became Drum Major of the 20th Regiment of Veteran Reserve Corps . He was mustered out of service on December 30 , 1864 . Nothing is known of his life after his discharge from the Army . Medal of Honor citation . Rank and organization : Musician , Company D , 3d Vermont Infantry . Place and date : Unknown . Entered service at : St . Johnsbury , Vt . Birth : Morristown , N . Y . Date of issue : 16 September 1863 . Citation : Date and place of act not on record in War Department . Historical note . Until the establishment of the Medal of Honor there was only decoration presented in the United States Army - the original Purple Heart . However , since the Purple Heart had not been awarded since the Revolutionary War , and would not be used again until World War I , the Medal of Honor was effectively the only award available to U . S . military personnel at the time of the Civil War .