"Werner provides a fascinating primary angle on the Revolution."—Library Journal
PRAISE FOR THE HARDCOVER EDITON:“This is a really interesting contribution to the history of children, showing individual young people as active agents, of various sorts, during the American Revolution. Children were also acted upon during the Revolution, and this testimony is revealing as well; but the extent of active involvement, and the sources this involvement generated, provide the most telling analysis.”—Peter N. Stearns, provost, George Mason University
“In this book, Emmy Werner, a lifelong student of human resilience, tells a remarkable story of the Revolutionary War from a much-neglected perspective—that of young children and youth from the colonies. . . . This memorable book will alter views of the Revolutionary War by highlighting the many contributions of ‘boy soldiers’ to winning America’s independence.”—Glen H. Elder Jr., Howard W. Odum Distinguished Professor of Sociology, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill
“A history of children’s participation in the American Revolution [using] children’s eyewitness accounts—letters, diaries, and memoirs—drawn from printed published sources as well as U.S. and German archives.”—Choice
"A compelling history that is both clearly written and a riveting experience for both adults and young people who are interested in Revolutionary War history from a different perspective. . . . Read this book before you pass it on to a young friend."—Washington Times
“The cumulative effect of the many and varied young persons’ accounts of the war is a fresh perspective, and one which should inspire further exploration of its implications.”—Journal of Social History