May 1, 2024 • 10 mins
On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell the story of John Lincoln Clem—the youngest non-commissioned officer in Army history—is Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, author of John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy.
Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
This is our American stories, and we love to tell
stories about American history, sometimes about people you know, events
you know, and we try to fill in the rest
of the story of those stories. Or sometimes there are
stories you've never heard of, and there are some of
our favorites. Up next is the story of the youngest
non commissioned officer in army history, and told by Kristin
(00:34):
O'Donnell Tubb and by the way she writes under the
pseudonym E. F. Abbott, She's the author of John Lincoln
Clem Civil War Drummer Boy.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I first learned about the amazing John Clem when my publisher,
McMillan Children's Books approached me to write a story for
a new historical fiction series they were developing. The series
was called Based on a True Story, and they'd compiled
a list of a few of the true American heroes
that they wanted to highlight. John Clem was on that list.
(01:09):
When I did a quick Google search for him, I
knew his story was the one I wanted to write.
John Lincoln Clem was born John Joseph Clem in Newark, Ohio,
on August thirteenth, eighteen fifty one. When he was nine
years old, His mother was killed by a train later
(01:32):
that same year, John became so enamored with the idea
of restoring the divided Union he volunteered his services to
Captain Leonidas McDougall of the Third Ohio Union Regiment. Years later,
he said, laughingly, my help was obviously needed. Captain McDougall
(01:53):
laughed at this offer from a nine year old boy,
saying I'm not enlisting infants.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Son.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Johnny Clym's father wisely refused to let his nine year
old enlist, so Johnny concocted a plan. He told his
brother Louis and sister Lizzie that he was skipping church
to swim in the canal, but instead Johnny stowed away
on a train. Now, john was discovered quite quickly and
(02:24):
was put on the next train home, but his father
in the meantime believed his son had drowned. It's unclear
whether they had already dredged the canal for his body
when he arrived back home, but you can just imagine
the heap of trouble Johnny was in. But young John
(02:48):
Clem couldn't resist the call to aid the Union, so again,
on May twenty fourth, eighteen sixty one, Johnny hid on
an outgoing train. This second time, the boy made it
all the way to Covington, Kentucky, where many Union troops mustard.
Johnny was quickly adopted as a mascot and was paid
(03:11):
thirteen dollars a month by the other soldiers in his
regiment out of their pockets. He was also given a
uniform and a drum. John's whereabouts for the next several
months are a bit of a mystery, since he wasn't
officially enlisted. The next time we hear of john it's
(03:31):
in Tennessee. At the Battle of Shiloh on April sixth
and seventh, eighteen sixty two, john says he was ordered
by General Ulysses S. Grant himself to play a drum
call known as the long role, also called the advance
without stopping. It was an aggressive tactic. According to several accounts,
(03:56):
General Grant praised Johnny's bravery during the battle. Clem says
at Shiloh, my drum was smashed by a fragment of shell.
They called me Johnny Shiloh for a while after that.
At the ripe old age of twelve, John Clem fought
(04:18):
at the Battle of Chickamauga on the Tennessee, Georgia border
on September nineteenth and twentieth, eighteen sixty three. He was
still small, so he fought with a sawed off musket.
Just prior to the battle, Clym was officially enlisted as
a sergeant by General George Henry Thomas. John was disappointed
(04:40):
with the rank, asking Thomas, General, is that all you're
going to make me? When asked why he traded in
his drum for a rifle, Clym replied, because I did
not like to stand and be shot at without shooting back.
At the Battle of Chickamauga, twelve year old Clem injured
(05:01):
a Confederate colonel when the colonel demanded Clem surrender. Clem
ultimately survived the Battle of Chickamauga by playing possum. I
decided that the best policy was to fall dead for
the moment, and so I did. Clem later wrote he
continued I lay dead until after dark, when I came
(05:24):
alive again and managed to find my way to Chattanooga.
John Clem was captured shortly after Chickamauga. He later wrote,
a few days after the Battle of Chickamauga, I was captured.
It was at this period that I was exhibited by
(05:46):
Confederate General Joe Wheeler as the fighting Yankee boy. What
he means by exhibited is that John Lincoln Clem became famous.
He arrived at his place of imprisonment. Confederate newspapers ran
his photo with the headline the Yankees are sending their
(06:09):
babies to fight us. Union newspapers also picked up the
story instead, touting the heroism of this young drummer boy
imprisoned by rebels. The story of Johnny Shiloh, as he
was often called in these stories may have close ties
to the popular Civil War song The Drummer Boy of
(06:32):
Shiloh by William S. Hayes. John Clem was held prisoner
for two months before he was exchanged. After the Civil War,
John Clem was honorably mustered out of service at the
age of thirteen. He finished his schooling and then went
(06:57):
to visit an old buddy of his, now President Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant appointed Clem second Lieutenant. Clym retired from the army
as a major general in nineteen sixteen and was the
oldest active Civil War veteran. John Lincoln Clem died in
(07:19):
nineteen thirty seven at the age of eighty five. He
is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
A six foot.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Statue of young Johnny Clem stands in Newark, Ohio. A
World War II transport and hospital ship was named in
his honor. A public school in Ohio is named John
Clem Elementary after him, and in nineteen sixty three, Walt
Disney produced a made for TV movie called Johnny Shiloh
(07:53):
that detailed Clem's life.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
John Lincoln Clem, Step four, hoping to save the life
of your sergeant at the risk of your own, You're
promoted to the rank of sergeant, attached General Thomas's staff
as a messenger. Congratulations, sergeant, Thank you sir. Something wrong, son? Well?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Is that all you're gonna make me?
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Sir? Did you expect to be made a general boy?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Oh no, not yet, sir, But I sure would like
to be in the army if it's not too much trouble, sir.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
You mean you've never been sworn into the regular army?
Oh no, sir, Raise your right hand, Johnny John Lincoln Clenn.
Do you swear your allegiance the United States of America? Yes, sir,
you are then duly mustered into the Union Army with
the rank of sergeant. Thank you, sir, and I promise
(08:57):
I'll never let you answer.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Late in his life, Clem wrote war is bald naked savagery,
and he warned that boys have a quote spirit of
caution that is not yet developed. And yet Clem made
a decision at age nine to heed his nation's call,
(09:20):
and his purpose never wavered. I visit a lot of
schools to discuss my books, and when we talk about
John Clem, I tell elementary students this. You know, adults
like to ask kids what do you want to be
when you grow up? I think John Clem shows us
(09:40):
that adults should be asking what do you want to
do with your life? Right now?
Speaker 1 (09:47):
What a terrific story, and it is so true. War
is bold, naked savagery. But that question that we ask
young people, who are you going to be? I think
is right. It is the wrong question. Who are you now?
And these history stories told like this two young people
(10:07):
can only inspire them. And so many people who are
young have done remarkable, bold, adventurous things, and infantilizing kids
we do a little too often here in this country
and letting them know they can do great things. That's
what Kristin O'Donnell Tubb did with her story, and by
the way, she writes under the pseudonym E. F Abbott.
(10:28):
She's the author of John Lincoln Clem Civil War Drummer Boy.
A special thanks to Kristin for lending her voice, and
as always, great job by Greg Hengler, the story of
John Clem, Johnny Shiloh. Here on our American Stories
This is our American stories, and we love to tell
stories about American history, sometimes about people you know, events
you know, and we try to fill in the rest
of the story of those stories. Or sometimes there are
stories you've never heard of, and there are some of
our favorites. Up next is the story of the youngest
non commissioned officer in army history, and told by Kristin
(00:34):
O'Donnell Tubb and by the way she writes under the
pseudonym E. F. Abbott, She's the author of John Lincoln
Clem Civil War Drummer Boy.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
I first learned about the amazing John Clem when my publisher,
McMillan Children's Books approached me to write a story for
a new historical fiction series they were developing. The series
was called Based on a True Story, and they'd compiled
a list of a few of the true American heroes
that they wanted to highlight. John Clem was on that list.
(01:09):
When I did a quick Google search for him, I
knew his story was the one I wanted to write.
John Lincoln Clem was born John Joseph Clem in Newark, Ohio,
on August thirteenth, eighteen fifty one. When he was nine
years old, His mother was killed by a train later
(01:32):
that same year, John became so enamored with the idea
of restoring the divided Union he volunteered his services to
Captain Leonidas McDougall of the Third Ohio Union Regiment. Years later,
he said, laughingly, my help was obviously needed. Captain McDougall
(01:53):
laughed at this offer from a nine year old boy,
saying I'm not enlisting infants.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Son.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
Johnny Clym's father wisely refused to let his nine year
old enlist, so Johnny concocted a plan. He told his
brother Louis and sister Lizzie that he was skipping church
to swim in the canal, but instead Johnny stowed away
on a train. Now, john was discovered quite quickly and
(02:24):
was put on the next train home, but his father
in the meantime believed his son had drowned. It's unclear
whether they had already dredged the canal for his body
when he arrived back home, but you can just imagine
the heap of trouble Johnny was in. But young John
(02:48):
Clem couldn't resist the call to aid the Union, so again,
on May twenty fourth, eighteen sixty one, Johnny hid on
an outgoing train. This second time, the boy made it
all the way to Covington, Kentucky, where many Union troops mustard.
Johnny was quickly adopted as a mascot and was paid
(03:11):
thirteen dollars a month by the other soldiers in his
regiment out of their pockets. He was also given a
uniform and a drum. John's whereabouts for the next several
months are a bit of a mystery, since he wasn't
officially enlisted. The next time we hear of john it's
(03:31):
in Tennessee. At the Battle of Shiloh on April sixth
and seventh, eighteen sixty two, john says he was ordered
by General Ulysses S. Grant himself to play a drum
call known as the long role, also called the advance
without stopping. It was an aggressive tactic. According to several accounts,
(03:56):
General Grant praised Johnny's bravery during the battle. Clem says
at Shiloh, my drum was smashed by a fragment of shell.
They called me Johnny Shiloh for a while after that.
At the ripe old age of twelve, John Clem fought
(04:18):
at the Battle of Chickamauga on the Tennessee, Georgia border
on September nineteenth and twentieth, eighteen sixty three. He was
still small, so he fought with a sawed off musket.
Just prior to the battle, Clym was officially enlisted as
a sergeant by General George Henry Thomas. John was disappointed
(04:40):
with the rank, asking Thomas, General, is that all you're
going to make me? When asked why he traded in
his drum for a rifle, Clym replied, because I did
not like to stand and be shot at without shooting back.
At the Battle of Chickamauga, twelve year old Clem injured
(05:01):
a Confederate colonel when the colonel demanded Clem surrender. Clem
ultimately survived the Battle of Chickamauga by playing possum. I
decided that the best policy was to fall dead for
the moment, and so I did. Clem later wrote he
continued I lay dead until after dark, when I came
(05:24):
alive again and managed to find my way to Chattanooga.
John Clem was captured shortly after Chickamauga. He later wrote,
a few days after the Battle of Chickamauga, I was captured.
It was at this period that I was exhibited by
(05:46):
Confederate General Joe Wheeler as the fighting Yankee boy. What
he means by exhibited is that John Lincoln Clem became famous.
He arrived at his place of imprisonment. Confederate newspapers ran
his photo with the headline the Yankees are sending their
(06:09):
babies to fight us. Union newspapers also picked up the
story instead, touting the heroism of this young drummer boy
imprisoned by rebels. The story of Johnny Shiloh, as he
was often called in these stories may have close ties
to the popular Civil War song The Drummer Boy of
(06:32):
Shiloh by William S. Hayes. John Clem was held prisoner
for two months before he was exchanged. After the Civil War,
John Clem was honorably mustered out of service at the
age of thirteen. He finished his schooling and then went
(06:57):
to visit an old buddy of his, now President Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant appointed Clem second Lieutenant. Clym retired from the army
as a major general in nineteen sixteen and was the
oldest active Civil War veteran. John Lincoln Clem died in
(07:19):
nineteen thirty seven at the age of eighty five. He
is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Speaker 3 (07:28):
A six foot.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Statue of young Johnny Clem stands in Newark, Ohio. A
World War II transport and hospital ship was named in
his honor. A public school in Ohio is named John
Clem Elementary after him, and in nineteen sixty three, Walt
Disney produced a made for TV movie called Johnny Shiloh
(07:53):
that detailed Clem's life.
Speaker 3 (07:57):
John Lincoln Clem, Step four, hoping to save the life
of your sergeant at the risk of your own, You're
promoted to the rank of sergeant, attached General Thomas's staff
as a messenger. Congratulations, sergeant, Thank you sir. Something wrong, son? Well?
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Is that all you're gonna make me?
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Sir? Did you expect to be made a general boy?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Oh no, not yet, sir, But I sure would like
to be in the army if it's not too much trouble, sir.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
You mean you've never been sworn into the regular army?
Oh no, sir, Raise your right hand, Johnny John Lincoln Clenn.
Do you swear your allegiance the United States of America? Yes, sir,
you are then duly mustered into the Union Army with
the rank of sergeant. Thank you, sir, and I promise
(08:57):
I'll never let you answer.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Late in his life, Clem wrote war is bald naked savagery,
and he warned that boys have a quote spirit of
caution that is not yet developed. And yet Clem made
a decision at age nine to heed his nation's call,
(09:20):
and his purpose never wavered. I visit a lot of
schools to discuss my books, and when we talk about
John Clem, I tell elementary students this. You know, adults
like to ask kids what do you want to be
when you grow up? I think John Clem shows us
(09:40):
that adults should be asking what do you want to
do with your life? Right now?
Speaker 1 (09:47):
What a terrific story, and it is so true. War
is bold, naked savagery. But that question that we ask
young people, who are you going to be? I think
is right. It is the wrong question. Who are you now?
And these history stories told like this two young people
(10:07):
can only inspire them. And so many people who are
young have done remarkable, bold, adventurous things, and infantilizing kids
we do a little too often here in this country
and letting them know they can do great things. That's
what Kristin O'Donnell Tubb did with her story, and by
the way, she writes under the pseudonym E. F Abbott.
(10:28):
She's the author of John Lincoln Clem Civil War Drummer Boy.
A special thanks to Kristin for lending her voice, and
as always, great job by Greg Hengler, the story of
John Clem, Johnny Shiloh. Here on our American Stories
Host
Lee Habeeb
Popular Podcasts
40s and Free Agents: NFL Draft Season
Daniel Jeremiah of Move the Sticks and Gregg Rosenthal of NFL Daily join forces to break down every team's needs this offseason.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.