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.Drawing creatively on sources; such as diaries; letters; and memoirs; Caroline Cox offers a vivid account of what life was like for these boys both on and off the battlefield; telling the story of a generation of soldiers caught between old and new notions of boyhood.
#885024 in Books Mark Wahlgren Summers 2014-10-27Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.00 x 6.00 x 1.00l; .0 #File Name: 1469617579528 pagesThe Ordeal of the Reunion A New History of Reconstruction Littlefield History of the Civil War Era
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