Child soldiers in the American Civil War Child soldiers in the American Civil War Between 250,000 and 420,000 boys under 17 were involved in the American Civil War, for both the Union and the Confederacy. It is estimated that 100,000 Union soldiers were under 15 years old. Given the large number of young men in the American Civil War, compared to the number of older men, one author stated that it “might have been called The Boys’ War.” When the surrender of Fort Sumter was announced, men and boys of all ages on both sides of the conflict were eager to enlist. Abraham Lincoln initially only called
Names of the American Civil War was commanded by Isaac Avery and Nicholl's Brigade by Jesse Williams. Nicknames were common in both armies, such as the Iron Brigade and the Stonewall Brigade. Union artillery batteries were generally named numerically and Confederate batteries by the name of the town or county in which they were recruited (e.g. Fluvanna Artillery). Again, they were often simply referred to by their commander's name (e.g. Moody's Battery, Parker's Battery). Names of the American Civil War The American Civil War has been known by a number of names since it began in 1861. These names reflect the historical, political, and cultural sensitivities