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He was eight years old. Countless other children fought, with white children carrying drums, bugles, and guns and black children working as servants for white officers.
Some children were captured, some were injured, and some were killed — but everyone saw the horrors of war firsthand, watching grown men kill and die. Every one of them had to pray each night that they would live long enough to ever become grown men.
For more on hard-living children throughout American history, view these vintage photos of child laborers. Then, see 39 Civil War photos that depict America in its darkest hour.
Then, learn about the African-American troops who served in the Civil War. And if you liked this post, be sure to check out these popular posts: A "powder monkey" aboard a ship, identified in some places as the U. New Hampshire and, in others, as the U. Little Johnny Clem became the youngest soldier in the Union Army to kill a man when he put down his drum, grabbed a rifle, and shot a Confederate officer.
Three drummer boys in the Confederate army. By the time this picture had been taken, these boys were veterans of nine battles. This photo, labelled "Captain Goodrich's Jack" on the back, appears to show the African-American servant of an army officer. A year-old Confederate child soldier lies dead in the trenches at Fort Mahone. Major Luzerne Todd poses for a photograph with his African-American child servant.
The crew of a frigate poses in front of a cannon. The boy sitting on top serves as a powder monkey, gathering gunpowder and bringing it to the cannons. A young African-American boy stands next to a Union Officer. He is most likely working as the officer's servant. A young Union drummer. A Union drummer boy in uniform. Johnny Clem in uniform, with the stripes showing off his officer's rank.
A portrait of a young boy in a Confederate uniform. William Black, the youngest soldier to injured in active duty, was 12 years old when his arm was hit by an exploding shell. An African-American child poses in front of a painted backdrop in the clothing of an army servant. Older tweens hear about issues related to violence, crime, and war on social media, YouTube, TV, and movies -- not always reliable sources for facts. Try to get a sense of what your kids know before launching into an explanation, since you don't want to distress them further or open up a whole new can of worms.
Feel them out by asking, "What did you hear? Be honest and direct. Tweens can find out what they want to know from different sources, and you want the truth to come from you. It's not necessary to go into extreme detail. About a family who held their kids hostage, you can say, "The kids suffered many different kinds of abuse.
But they were rescued, and their parents were arrested. Often in cases of child abuse, the parents are very sick with mental illness or other issues. Discuss sensationalism in news and media. Talk to kids about how media outlets -- including news agencies, TV shows, movie companies, and game developers -- use extreme subjects to get attention, whether it's in the form of clicks, viewership, or ticket sales. Share the old newsroom adage, "If it bleeds, it leads," and talk about why we may be drawn to outrageous human behavior. This helps kids think critically about the relative importance of issues, the words and images used to attract an audience, and their own media choices.
Explain context and offer perspective.
With your life experience, knowledge, and wisdom, you can explain the various circumstances around certain issues. This is the process that gives things meaning and clarity -- and it's important for kids to be able to make sense of negative and unpleasant things, too. To work through the powerful emotions that images of beatings, blood, and human suffering can bring up, kids have to learn to distance themselves from horrific events, understand the underlying causes, and perhaps get involved in meaningful ways to make things better , such as diplomacy and education.
T eens get a lot of their information from online sources such as social media or YouTube, which can be misleading or flawed. Still, it's important to respect their knowledge and ability to learn things independently because that's a process you want to foster.
You'll still need to fill in the blanks, offer some history, and share what you know. High school years can be tough, as teens start rejecting their parents' ideas, becoming concerned with what friends think, and developing their own voice. This separation can be especially difficult when traumatic events occur or when you know they're interacting with mature media. To continue the kinds of conversations you had when they were younger -- and stay connected and relevant -- resist the urge to lecture and instead ask their opinions about things.
Encourage them to support their ideas with legitimate news sources, not just repeat what others have said. Say, "We may not always agree, but I'm curious to hear what you have to say. Accept their sources, but expand their horizons. Trending topics capture the headlines, but teens are just as likely to run across provocative subjects, stories, and characters on TV and in movies -- such as the meth-making chemistry teacher of Breaking Bad -- that get users clicking, viewing, and sharing.
Give teens the tools to view information critically , whether they're scrolling through Snapchat or Netflix. Teach them to question what they see by asking themselves, "Who made this? Mood swings are the hallmark of the teen years. But exposure to sad and depressing news, as well as to issues like violence, crime, and war, through social media, video games, and movies can make teens world-weary.
Pretend weapon play is normal, but it's still wise to limit kids' exposure to media violence. History >> Native Americans for Kids The Battle of the Little Bighorn is a legendary battle fought between the U.S. Army and an alliance of Indian tribes. It is also.
Don't be a Pollyanna teens will see through that , but talk about meaningful ways to contribute something to the world -- anything that benefits the greater good. The idea that you can make a positive impact restores the soul and boosts the resilience they'll need their whole lives.
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