Autograph note signed by John L. Clem, addressed to Mr. Robins. 13 August 1915. Clem's note is written in the lower margin of a letter written and signed to "Col. John Clem" by W. North Robins, who had requested Clem's signature after seeing that he would be going on the retired list in the coming weeks. Syracuse, NY, 11 August 1915. 1 page, on "W. North Robins" letterhead, old folds. Robins asks Clem to "favor me with your autograph on that date (Aug. 13th) on the enclosed card." Clem responds in his note to Robins, "You forgot to enclose card," with his signature below. Clem adds, "Last Civil War Veteran leaves active list to-day-Aug. 13, 1915." Accompanied by the original envelope postmarked Washington, 13 August 1915, sent from the War Department, presumably addressed in Clem's hand, to Mr. W. North Robins. Provenance: An estate sale in Bethesda, Maryland. William (W.) North Robins was an engineer and is referenced in the Thomas A. Edison papers.

John Clem (1851-1937) was barely 10 years old before he attempted to enlist for the 3rd OH. The regiment refused to enlist a boy so young, but, undeterred from his military dream, Clem enlisted a second time in the 22nd MI Inf. The regiment accepted and made him their mascot and honorary drummer boy. The officers paid for his salary until he was able to enlist in 1863. Clem's young age did not shield him from battle. He carried a sawed-off musket, and at the battle of Horseshoe Ridge Clem shot a colonel. His young age brought the attention of General Rosecrans and the hearts of the American public. Apocryphal stories of his war experience circulated including his drum being destroyed at the Battle of Shiloh and surviving three close bullets that tore through his hat at the Battle of Chickamauga.  What is true is that Clem was promoted to sergeant, becoming the youngest soldier ever to become a noncommissioned officer in the US Army. He went on to fight at Perryville, Murfreesboro, Kennesaw and Atlanta, where he was wounded twice. 

Clem was discharged from the Army in 1864 at age 13, but sought to rejoin the military in 1870. General U.S. Grant nominated Clem to West Point, but he failed the entrance exams three times. Regardless, Grant appointed him a second lieutenant in the US Army. In his second military career, he rose to the rank of colonel and assistant quartermaster general by 1906. He retired on the eve of the country's entry into World War I with the rank of major general. He was the last Civil War veteran to actively serve in the US Army. He died in 1937 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.