The drum was found in Blaine, Tennessee, twenty miles east of Knoxville, in a former Confederate camp. Drummer boys on both sides could be as young as nine years old. Drums communicated group activities in camp as well as orders on the march and in battle. At the Battle of Fort Sanders, the youngest person killed was Charles Gardner, a 14-year-old drummer, from the 2nd Michigan.
Source: http://mcclungmuseum.utk.edu/collections/highlights/
The McClung Museum at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, aims to advance the understanding of natural history and culture through our collections, exhibitions, research, and outreach programming. The McClung Museum, which was opened in 1963, has strong collections in anthropology, archaeology, material and visual culture, and natural history.
Exhibits at the museum showcase the geologic, historical, and artistic past of Tennessee, as well as cultures from around the globe. In doing so, the museum seeks to promote a better understanding and respect for the world’s cultural heritage.
As a part of the university, the McClung supports and participates in the mission to serve the state, region, and nation through scholarship, teaching, artistic creation, professional practice, and public service. The McClung is one of only eighteen museums in Tennessee to be accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, reflecting the institution’s commitment to excellence.
