Figure 1.--This is Private Franklin Sears. Franklin was the drummer boy for Company E of the 19th Wisconsin Volunteers and perished during the Civil War in December 1862. Unfortunately we do not know very much about him.

Private Franklin Sears was the drummer boy for Company E of the 19th Wisconsin Volunteers. He lived in Fox Lake, Wisconsin, Franklin enlisted as a Private (March 7, 1862). He enlisted in Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment Wisconsin. Notice his cp which looks to date from the850s ratther than the 1860s when the kepi. Also notice all the buttons on his jacket, another pre-Civil War style. Notice tht the middle button are not buttoned, I'm not sure why that was. He died of disease Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment Wisconsin in Portsmouth, Virginia (December 16, 1862). One of the sometimes overlooked is the number of Civil war soldiers who died of disease rather than as battle casualties. Here I suspect boys Franklin's age were especially vulnerable. He is buried at Hampton National Cemetery (Section B Site 4540). Unfortunately we do not know anything more about Franklin. Hopefully HBC readers will forward us any additional information that they may require.