# Would a 10 year old be in the Civil War? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 13, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879 "2009-07-13T18:07:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/1 "2009-07-13T18:07:47Z")
I’ve been doing my family tree and I’ve come across something that I can’t figure out. I have a 3ggrandfather named Jacob E Dinterman. He was born in 1851 in Frederick, MD. He died in 1929 in Frederick. He married a Susan A Bostian. I have found a few documents that point to a Jacob E Dinterman that served in the Maryland 7th infantry Company E. Normally I would have just thought that two people with the same name. However, I have found a Jacob Dinterman with a wife of Susan **R** Dinterman which is close, though not exact, in the Pension Index. I have also found that Jacob served from August 1861-May 1865, so he served for almost three years. My 3ggrandfather’s obituary didn’t say anything about him being in the Civil War, though that may not mean much. So is it possible for a 10 year old boy to have served in the Union army for almost three years? And is there a way to find the age of Jacob Dinterman who served in the Maryland 7th? Most of the documents and books I have found so far have just listed dates of service. If there’s a place to search for ages, if it’s even possible, that would be great. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/2 "2009-07-13T18:14:33Z")
He could have been a drummer boy or a bugler. According to [this site:](http://www.ttfnsw.com/writing/Heroes.html) > [@](#): > > Over 100,000 boys younger than 15 enlisted in the Union Army, there were even 300 boys younger than 13. Tommy Hubler may have been the youngest member of the Union Army. He was only 9 years old when he enlisted with his father. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/3 "2009-07-13T18:19:04Z")
You may be able to get a copy of his Compiled Military Service Record from the [National Archives](http://www.genealogybranches.com/civilwar/servicerecords.html), which may have his age. I was able to find the original records files of three of my ancestors who served in the Civil War there. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/4 "2009-07-13T18:26:17Z")
Try here: > **[Contact the National Archives](https://www.archives.gov/contact)** > > Contact Us We welcome your questions. \* indicates a required field. I’m not entirely sure it’ll give you what you want, but if you order his service record from the Archives (NATF form 86), it might have information you need. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/5 "2009-07-13T18:55:23Z")
Thanks for the information so far. It’s good to know, and I thought a 10 year old could do something like that. The good thing is that I live in Maryland so I’m near NARA, though I haven’t taken the time to go down. Maybe in a few weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/6 "2009-07-13T19:13:26Z")
As an interesting aside, Union Civil War veterans were eligible to be homesteaders, so a few of those drummer boys ended up making a life for themselves on the prairie while still in their low teens. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2009, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/7 "2009-07-13T19:40:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > As an interesting aside, Union Civil War veterans were eligible to be homesteaders, so a few of those drummer boys ended up making a life for themselves on the prairie while still in their low teens. Interesting, funny you should say that as it looks as if he might have moved to Kansas for a few years in the 1870s. Though I haven’t looked that hard for him just yet during that time. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/8 "2009-07-14T00:44:54Z")
Boy, you Dintermans didn’t ever move much, did you? 😃 While there was your 3gggrandfather was Jacob E., born in 1851, there was _another_ Jacob E., born in 1833. This is most likely the Civil War vet. If you search the US Census, using either Heritagequest or Ancestry, on/both of which may be accessible at your local library, search for “Dinterman” in the 1900 Census. You’ll find both of the Jacobs listed, with pertinent info, sons/wives/daughters/year of birth, etc. Interesting that they both seemed to be married to a Susan. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/9 "2009-07-14T01:05:27Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > So is it possible for a 10 year old boy to have served in the Union army for almost three years? John Lincoln Clem, aka Johnny Shiloh Born August 1851 Joined up (unofficially) May 1861 enlisted officially two years later promoted to sergeant October 1863 > **[John Clem](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Clem)** > > John Lincoln Clem (nicknamed Johnny Shiloh; August 13, 1851 – May 13, 1937) was an American general officer who served as a drummer boy in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He gained fame for his bravery on the battlefield, becoming the youngest noncommissioned officer in the history of the United States Army at the age of 12. > He retired from the Army in 1915, having attained the rank of brigadier general in the Quartermaster Corps; he was at that time the last veteran of the America... ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/10 "2009-07-14T01:47:31Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Boy, you Dintermans didn’t ever move much, did you? 😃 > > While there was your 3gggrandfather was Jacob E., born in 1851, there was _another_ Jacob E., born in 1833. This is most likely the Civil War vet. > > If you search the US Census, using either Heritagequest or Ancestry, on/both of which may be accessible at your local library, search for “Dinterman” in the 1900 Census. You’ll find both of the Jacobs listed, with pertinent info, sons/wives/daughters/year of birth, etc. Interesting that they both seemed to be married to a Susan. No, we don’t move around much, I’m only 20-30 miles from Frederick now. However, that makes it very easy to find information on my family since no one moved. They all came here and never left. Makes going to the local historical society and library fun. Thanks for finding that. I do use Ancestry, but not Heritagequest, as I get Ancestry at home. Strange that the other Jacob Dinterman never seemed to have shown up, but other Dintermans have. I’m guessing that the older Jacob is my Jacob’s uncle. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-a-10-year-old-be-in-the-civil-war/502879/11 "2009-07-14T02:12:39Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > John Lincoln Clem, aka Johnny Shiloh… Helluva story. Buried at Arlington as a major general - I’ve seen his tomb, too, which is just a stone’s throw from the Custis-Lee Mansion. Some other images of young men in the ranks: [http://www.jcosmas.com/cdvimages/cdv-1.jpg](http://www.jcosmas.com/cdvimages/cdv-1.jpg) [http://www.civilwar-pictures.com/g/albums/african-americans/black\_drummer\_boy.sized.jpg](http://www.civilwar-pictures.com/g/albums/african-americans/black_drummer_boy.sized.jpg) [![](http://www.greenpointmonitormuseum.org/traveling_road_show/ps110y03/imagesPS110y03/ps110y03edwinjennison.jpg) ](http://www.greenpointmonitormuseum.org/traveling_road_show/ps110y03/imagesPS110y03/ps110y03edwinjennison.jpg) [http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war/pictures/Drummer-Boy.jpg](http://www.old-picture.com/civil-war/pictures/Drummer-Boy.jpg) [![](https://www.vintagephoto.com/collection/drummertin.jpg) ](https://www.vintagephoto.com/collection/drummertin.jpg) The Navy had 'em, too: [http://www.timegun.org/drummer-boy-01.jpg](http://www.timegun.org/drummer-boy-01.jpg)