John Clem
1851–1937
Source: Library of Congress
Biography
John Clem was the youngest enlisted soldier in the Union Army during the Civil War, earning fame as the 'Drummer Boy of the Cumberland.' He joined the army as a drummer boy at age nine and saw combat in multiple campaigns in the Western Theater. Clem continued his military service after the war, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant major, and remained a notable figure in American military history.