Most kids were still learning their ABCs, but John Clem was already marching into history. At just twelve years old, he joined the Union Army as a brave drummer boy during the American Civil War, becoming one of its youngest soldiers. His incredible story of courage and resilience would soon become legendary across the nation.

Known across the country as “Johnny Clem,” he was wounded at Chickamauga and promoted on the battlefield, embodying a spirit of determination that helped define a nation. Author Kristin O’Donnell Tubb, in her book John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy, shares the remarkable true story of how this young hero’s valor shaped his enduring place in American history. Hear it now on Our American Stories.