Is this meant to be literal? Please tell me a Confederate Colonel actually got shot by a fucking drummerboy.
this post was submitted on 03 Jul 2025
132 points (97.8% liked)
A Comm for Historymemes
2960 readers
951 users here now
A place to share history memes!
Rules:
-
No sexism, racism, homophobia, transphobia, assorted bigotry, etc.
-
No fascism, atrocity denial, etc.
-
Tag NSFW pics as NSFW.
-
Follow all Lemmy.world rules.
Banner courtesy of @[email protected]
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
It seems it’s up for debate but there is evidence of it being true. And according to the Wikipedia article, he was 12 at the time but had been trying to enlist and tagged along with the 22nd Michigan Infantry since he was 9. His story is fascinating.
I don’t actually see this as embarrassing (though being a confederate colonel is embarrassing af). I’d rather a kid kill me than kill a kid. I don’t know how likely it is to get out of the situation without anyone dying, but if someone’s got to, I’d prefer it be the adult, even if that’s me.
Clearly I would be a bad soldier.
The civil war, like all wars, was a truly horrifying place to serve regardless the side one found themselves on.
Dude became a brigadier general
I don't quite get how this story is meant to be funny. Slavery aside, the colonel was trying to do the right thing, and not kill a child. Whatever his other views, I can at least respect him for that.
I just looked up John Clem and wtf? Dude was a twice wounded war veteran before even hitting puberty. Sick stuff. And not until the positive way.