"The Unreconstructed Rebel" "I'm a good ol' Rebel Soldier, and that's just what I am. And for this Yankee Nation, I do not give a damn. I'm glad I fit against it, I only wish we'd won, And I don't want no pardon for what I am or done. I hate the Yankee Nation and its Uniform of Blue. I hate the Constitution of this Great Republic too. I hate the Starry Banner, it's stained with Southern Blood, I hate them pizened Yankees, and I fit 'em all I could. I followed ol' Marse Robert for four years thereabout. Got wounded at Mannassas and starved at Point Lookout. I got the rheumatism from campin' in the snow, Bit I kilt a chance of Yankees and I wish I'd of kilt some mo. Three hundred thousand Yankees are stiff in Southern dust. We got three hundred thousand before they conquered us. They died of Southern Fever and Southern Steel and Shot, And I wish we'd of got three million instead of what we got. I can't take up my musket to fight 'em anymore. But I don't have to love 'em, and that is sartin sure. And I don't want no pardon for what I've done or am, And I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn!" Major Innes Randolph, of J.E.B. Stuart's staff
Interesting, Hal. I can understand it at the time, but not 150 years later. Must be miserable thinking like that now.
I had an Aunt from East Texas. She told me she was sixteen before she learned that "Damnyankee" was two words.
I am amazed at the number of letters that survived the Civil War and provide historians with so much data. I was interested enough to do some digging and research on how the mail was processed and delivered. Prior to the war mail could be delivered to any of the states. There were many diarys kept by soldiers that also survive today.
Soldiers of all ranks, and even civilians, were prolific letter writers then, as well as diary/journal keepers, and a large number of books were compiled on the basis of these letters and journals, many of which can be read on Kindle for free or for cheap. I have read dozens of them and have several others downloaded for later reading.
There were approximately 420,000 in both Armies. The North had 100,000 under age 17. The youngest soldier was a eight year old drummer boy.
Funny, I just saw this article today: The Last Living Person To Collect A Civil War Pension Died On Sunday She died at age 90...born 1930. Her father was a Civil War vet, and was 83 when she was born. Her mother was 34.
I believe that a during WWII, many changed their birth certificates to enlist. You might find this thesis an interesting read... https://scholarworks.umt.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1210&context=etd Other than that, 17 is definitely teenaged (as the thread title) and still a BOY.
The Civil War had more documented teen aged soldiers than any other war & that is the only point I was trying to make.