The Civil War Navies Message Board

Re: 13 Year Old Boy In 1st Hunley Remains?

Jay S. Hoar, retired lecturer of the University of Maine, has been doing studies on this subject for some years, and his first volume on the subject, titled CALLOW, BRAVE & TRUE: A GOSPEL OF CIVIL WAR YOUTH, was published in 1999. It includes the names and biographical data of many underaged boys who served in the Armies and Navies of both sides. His listings include one William Orlanda Neubold Lea, who served at the age of 6, on the GREYHOUND. However, although it is claimed that he was in the Confederate States Navy, a check of other records show that the GREYHOUND was in fact a blockade runner.
As with the Union Navy, which included quite a number of youths aged 14 and under (some of whom lied to conceal their true ages), I am certain that the Confederate Navy included many who served at an early age. Unfortunately, with the sparsity of proper documentation, it is hard to research this subject properly.

Messages In This Thread

13 Year Old Boy In 1st Hunley Remains?
Re: 13 Year Old Boy In 1st Hunley Remains?
Re: 13 Year Old Boy In 1st Hunley Remains?