Drummer boys were children recruited as military drummers for use on the battlefield.

Armies regularly recruited young boys for this service, well into the nineteenth century. The drums were an important part of the battlefield

Battlefield

A battlefield refers to the location of a battle.Battlefield may also refer to:-In music:*"Battlefield", a song by Diana Ross from her 1991 album The Force Behind the Power* Battlefield Band, a Scottish traditional music group...

 communications system, with various drum roll

Drum roll

A drum roll is a technique the percussionist employs to produce a sustained sound on a percussion instrument. Rolls are used by composers to sustain the sound and create other effects, the most common of which is using a roll to build anticipation.- Snare drum roll :The most common snare drum roll...

s used to signal different commands from officers to troops.

Twelve-year old drummer boy William Black

William Black (soldier)

William Black was a drummer boy for the Union during the American Civil War. At twelve years old, his left hand and arm were shattered by an exploding shell. He is considered to be the youngest wounded soldier of the war....

 was the youngest recorded person wounded in battle during the American Civil War

American Civil War

The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...

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Boys 7-9 were drummer boys.