American Toby Jug Museum 

Drummer Boy stoneware matchstand produced by Royal Doulton of Lambeth, England, from 1924 to 1927. Drummer Boys played a valuable role in the Revolutionary war. They supported the troops by completing camp chores to free the men for more difficult tasks, playing duty calls and signals to tell the soldiers what to do during combat, and playing marching music to boost troop morale which also helped sustain order and discipline. The drummer boys were from all thirteen colonies. They were often enlisted by their parents or if they were a slave by their master. Some slaves volunteered so that they could earn their freedom. The drummer boys also enlisted because they were very patriotic. The age range of the drummer boys was sixteen to twenty although there were younger drummers known who were twelve to fourteen years old.