Like you David, I find it hard to believe that he was just 30 inches tall after Chickamauga. I have a good friend who has written numerous books on J.L. Clem and has more of his photo's and personal items then anyone else. Special equipment was made for J.L. Clem because of his size. I do NOT know if the drum was or NOT? But I seem to recall that my friend said there was a speical drum made just for Clem. Like you I find it hard to believe that a special belt plate was made for Clem. The women of the North fell in love with the little boy after reading about him in the newspapers especially the women of Chicago, IL.. Grant, Sherman, and Rosecrans all knew of J.L. Clem and his expolits and I have little doubt that a special sawed-off rifle was made for him. And like you I do think he was made to look smaller than he really was in some of the photos.

J.L. Clem's fater R. Klem died in 1890 and is buried next to L. Klem or Clem who was killed by Indians near the Black Hills, in SD., on May 1, 1876. And also next to J.L. Clem's mother who was killed by a train while crossing the tracks in 1860.

E. Klem married a genleman named Adams and her stories to newspapers following the War started to expand in my opinion. Some of the local counties histories started to include her statements as fact and some researchers are using those local histories to base their articles on. One thing if for sure, Clem did NOT serve with the 22nd Michigan at Shiloh because that regiment was NOT formed until August of 1862. In fact in Clem's own words he said "I was NOT at Shiloh" After the War Juila Dent Grant was doing some charity work in Atlanta, Ga. and J.L. Clem attended. Sher remarked that her husband had seen J.L. Clem at Shiloh. J.L. Clem did NOT correct her. J.L. Clem would take credit for being at Shiloh until pinned down as to what unit he was with. Governor Rhodes of Ohio wrote a book about J.L. Clem but did NOT base his book on fact or research rather then by the popular story. A time later Disney really created the myth of the Drummer Boy of Shiloh. J.L. Clem was however correctly called the Drummer Boy of Chickamauga.