Boy soldiers of the American Revolution

The late Caroline Cox (formerly, Univ. of the Pacific; d. 2014) has written a deeply researched volume on a nearly impossible subject: why boys younger than 15, constituting anywhere from 2.4 to 11 percent of enlistments, joined the Continental army and what happened to them afterward. Using hundreds of veterans' pension applications as her core primary source, supplemented by the few surviving letters, court records, and civilian and military memoirs, Cox carefully and imaginatively re-creates the lives and feelings of these boy soldiers. She finds that they enlisted for diverse reasons. Some were "pulled" into the army by patriotism, the excitement of war, a desire to emulate their fathers, or to achieve Christian manhood. Others were "pushed" into the army by the instability of the times and tensions within their families, the military offering the possibility of stability. Although lacking in physical strength, boy soldiers did everything older soldiers did. They guarded coastlines and prisoners, dug latrines, foraged for food, tended to the wounded, spied on enemies, carried messages, and fought. This exemplary volume is required reading for anyone interested in the history of childhood and the American Revolutionary War. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries. --E. Wayne Carp, Pacific Lutheran University

In explaining why wars are waged, cultural context is often as important as politics. The late Cox (history, Univ. of the Pacific; A Proper Sense of Honor) provides insight into the lives of soldiers under the age of 16 who fought in the American Revolution between 1765 and 1783. Cox identifies these young volunteers using pension records and other primary sources to detail the reasons why a minor would be willing to enlist. As a result, the author creates a social history that both informs and generates interest into lives once forgotten in history. Cox further adds to the literature on children's history, especially during wartime, broadening the account's appeal to both casual readers and scholars. Expertly detailing the social fabric of the founding era, this work should be placed next to the likes of Woody Holton's Forced Founders, Carol Berkin's Revolutionary Mothers, and Gary B. Nash's The Unknown American Revolution. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in the American Revolution and children's history, as well as those seeking a different perspective on why people fight in wars.- Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.