They Shot My Drum
They Shot My Drum
Through bullets, mud, danger, and deplorable conditions, can he survive the torment he has been drawn into?
Along with the brave men of his regiment, he helped pull a train loaded with wounded troops for ten miles over a forty-two-hour period. During his time in combat, his drum is shot six times by enemy fire, and Alexander is shot in the leg.
Born in Massachusetts, Alexander H. Johnson enlisted in the Union Army at age 14. When the 54th Massachusetts (of the movie Glory fame) was formed, he joined as a drummer boy.
The 54th Massachusetts was one of the Union’s first colored regiments, and Alexander was likely the first African-American musician to sign up and fight for his country.
You will surely enjoy this exciting Civil War fiction for middle school-aged children. Based on the true story of Alexander Johnson, this real-life adventure will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
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This might be my favorite of the three books that I read in the Teen Warrior series, I thought Alexander H. Johnson was a great character and enjoyed the story being told. Kellie May has a great writing style and I was glad I read this series.I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
My son loves american history, and he found this story fascinating. It was well written on his level. He cannot wait to read the next one!
The drum was how the military leaders communicated with their soldiers during the battle. There were 27 complicated drum signals. And usually the drummer was too young to be a soldier. So these were very young boys, typically. Worth the read.