Figure 1.-- TYhis portrait of Chrlkey King included the notation, "12 years 50 mo. and 9 days old when he enlisted. Source: State Museum of Pennsylvania , Resources & Reference Material.

Charles 'Charly' King was from West Chester, Pennsylvania. He was the oldest child in his family, but only 12 years old when the Civil War began and northern units began to organize and train. Charley was fascinated by all the activity and he also loved to make music. He begged his father tyo allow him to enlist as a drummer boy. Attitudes toward children were different at the time, but even for Civil War parents, 12-years old was very young to enlist in the Army. Boys that age, however, can be very persistent. And Charley managed to gain an ally. Company F Captain Benjamin Sweeney noticed him practicing his drumming near the camp where the 49th Pennsylvania was training. Sweeney was not only involved with the training, but also recruiting soldiers. Sweeney was impressed with both Charley's determination and drumming skills. He had a talk with Charley's father that drummer boys were non-combatants andc not really in danger. He said the boys were usually behind the lines and in safe poositions helping with the wounded rather than on the battlefield. He promised he woukd keep Charley safely away from danger anhd look after him. Of course there was no way that he could possibly ensure this. But in fareness to captain Sweeney, very few people at the time realized what alood bath the Civil War would become. Most had highly unrealistic, romatic ideas about battle and thought the War would soon be over. So Charley's father gave his permission. We are not sure if mother had any say in this. Charley immediately became a big hit with the men as they trained. Charley was a very talented drummer and got on well with the men who took him under their wing. His drumming was so impressive with Compny F that the commanding officer of the 49th promoted him as the drum major of the field music of the Regiment.

Family

Childhood

Charles 'Charly' King was from West Chester, Pennsylvania. Valley Forge where the Continental Army wintered during the Revolutionary War was located nearby. He was born (April 1849). Charley was the oldest child in his family with four younger siblings.

Civil War

He was only 12 years old when the Civil War began and northern units began to organize and train. Charley was fascinated by all the activity and he also loved to make music. He begged his father tyo allow him to enlist as a drummer boy. Attitudes toward children were different at the time, but even for Civil War parents, 12-years old was very young to enlist in the Army.

49th Pennsylvania

Boys that age can be very persistent. And Charley managed to gain an ally. Company F Captain Benjamin Sweeney noticed him practicing his drumming near the camp where the 49th Pennsylvania was training. Sweeney was not only involved with the training, but also recruiting soldiers. Sweeney was impressed with both Charley's determination and drumming skills. He had a talk with Charley's father that drummer boys were non-combatants andc not really in danger. He said the boys were usually behind the lines and in safe poositions helping with the wounded rather than on the battlefield. He promised he woukd keep Charley safely away from danger anhd look after him. Of course there was no way that he could possibly ensure this. But in fareness to captain Sweeney, very few people at the time realized what alood bath the Civil War would become. Most had highly unrealistic, romatic ideas about battle and thought the War would soon be over. So Charley's father gave his permission. We are not sure if mother had any say in this. Charley immediately became a big hit with the men as they trained. Charley was a very talented drummer and got on well with the men who took him under their wing. His drumming was so impressive with Company F that the commanding officer of the 49th promoted him as the drum major of the field music of the Regiment. That was a great honor for a 12-year old boy.

Antitem (September 1862)

Most of the Civil War was fought in the South. General Robert E. Lee mastermined the Seven Days Campaign which stopped McClellan and the Army of the Potomac's drive on Richmond known as the Peninsula Campaign. Lee then struck the Federals at Second Bull Run before the Federals could complete their withdrawk from the Yorktown POeninsula. Buoyed by his brillint victories, Lee decided to take the war to the North and began by invading the border state of Maryland where he thought he would find some support for an effort to cut off Washington. The 49th Pennsyvania with Charley had fought in the Peninsula Campaign and were now veterans. Lee's Army of Northern Virgina was now driving to a point only a little south of Charley's home town in an effort to cut off Washington. Federal units had to march west to confront the Confederates in Western Pennsylvania. One wonders how a 12-year old boy coukd keep up, but he did. The Army of the Potomac with General McClellan back in command met Lee's Army of Norther Virginia along Antitem Creek near the small town of Sharepsburg. The result was the bloodiest day of the Civiul War--the Battle of Antitem (September 17, 1862). The 49th Pennsylvania was in a reserve position. Confederate artillery during the battle, hoever, hammered the Regimenbt, wounding several men. Among them were Charley. Shrapel passed through Charley's small body. He fell into the arms of H.H. Bowles of the 6th Maine. Bowles carried Charley to a field hospital in the rear. Medical care was, however, primitive at the time. And Charley died 3 days later from his wound. He was one of the nearly 25,000 men killed at Antitem. Charley is believed to be the youngest soldier of either army to be killed during the 4 years of fighting. A few younger boys served in the war, but Charley apparently was the youngest combatant killed as a result of a battlefield wound. .

Burial

Charley's father was informed and he came to get's his son;s body. He was buried near his home in West Chester, at Old Cheyney Cemetery.

Broken Drum

A fictionalized account of Charley's experiences was written by Edith Morris Hemingway and Jacqueline Cosgrove Shields and titled Broken Drum. Thecactual details on Charley's life are very limited. The book is the author's efforts to fill in the details and bring Charley to lifec for the modern reader. Agood bit is known about the 49th Pennsyvania as well as the lkives of drumme boys which the authors have used in their book.

Souces

Andy Waskie.

Frassanito, William A. Antietam: The Photographic Legacy of America's Bloodiest Day (1978).

Westbrook, Robert S. History of the 49th Pennsylvania Volunteers (1898).

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Created: 4:23 AM 3/27/2012
Last updated: 4:23 AM 3/27/2012