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by Patricia Beatty |
Winner of the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction
Charley is a member of one of the toughest gangs in New York Ctiy. When his older brother is killed at Gettysburg, Charley vows revenge against the Confederates. So he joins the Union Army as a drummer boy. Charley things war will be glamorous and exciting. But then he sees two of his friends gunned down mercilessly. when Charley shoots a Confederate soldier in self-defense, he knows he can't take any more killing. He "skedaddles" away from teh battle, convinced he's a coward. Hiding in the blue Ridge Mountains, Charley encounters the uttimate test of his courage. Can Charley prove his mettle once and for all - and restore his shattered self-image? |
140th Regimental Flag |
Charley's Regiment: The 140th
Use this article to find out how many men were actually in this regiment and the regiment's impression of itself. |
The youngest boy on record was 8 yrs. old. |
The Boys' War
The Civil War was often called "The Boy's War." This article explains why and tells a little about some of the boys who served. |
Civil War Drum |
The Drummer Boys
Eighteen was the minimum age for enlistment, but thousands of boys lied about their age to join. Many were drummers. Their drumbeats communicated orders to the troops. A certain drumbeat called men to drill. The "long roll" was a signal to march into battle, "Rally" ordered scattered forces to regroup, and there was a drum signal for "retreat". These drummer boys gathered wood, helped set up camp, cooked and treated the wounded. |
The Wilderness |
The Wilderness
Read historical reports about The Battle of the Wilderness |
Frederick Grant viewed this as the best portrait of his father |
Union Commander General Grant
"Although a soldier by profession, I have never felt any sort of fondness for war, and I have never advocated it, except as a means of peace."
"My failures have been errors of judgment, not of intent."
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Robert E. Lee |
Confederate Commander General Lee
"There are few, I believe, in this enlightened age, who will not acknowledge that slavery as an institution is a moral and political evil."
"It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we should grow too fond of it." (Battle of Fredericksburg, 13 Dec, 1862)
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OTHER INTERESTING SITES TO CHECK OUT
Music of the Civil War
Clicking on this link enables you to hear music from the civil war. Music has always been an important part of American society and it was no different during the Civil War. Military bands were called upon to play at recruitment rallies and their patriotic marching tunes were sometimes a great incentive to inspire young men to enlist. |
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Civil War Poetry
Read wonderful poems written about the Civil War while listening to music from the era. |
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Civil War Slang
The military of today has a confusing and distinctive catalog of terms all its own and it was no different during the Civil War. The Civil War soldier had a wide variety of names for different army items and many slang terms or nicknames for their equipment, experiences, and other soldiers. Many of these expressions were based on military terms, lighthearted humor, or biblical references and can still be found in our everyday language. |
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Other Civil War Historical Fiction Books
If you enjoyed reading Charley Skedaddle, you may enjoy these other fiction books about the Civil War. This list was compiled by the Punahou Educational Technology Center, but you should be able to find them at your local library. |
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