James Wolfe volunteered for the army aged 13

An English general named James Wolfe (1727–1759) commanded the British forces as they famously defeated the French at the Plains of Abraham outside of Quebec.

James Wolfe was born on January 2, 1727, in Westerhan, Kent, into a military family. At the age of 13, he volunteered to join his father's unit, and two years later, he was appointed to the regiment. Soon after, he became an ensign and joined the 12th Foot. He served as the battalion adjutant at the battle of Dettingen in 1743. He served as General "Hangman" Hawley's assistant and brigade major during the Jacobite uprising of 1745. Wolfe was granted command of the 20th Regiment at the age of 23 as a result of the Duke of Cumberland praising him for his contribution to the action at Lanfoldt. He took on the role of quartermaster general in the unsuccessful assault on Rochefort after being promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1750.

James Wolfe appeared set for a protracted military career. An intriguing tidbit about James Wolfe is that his father served in the military, and when he was 13 years old, Wolfe volunteered to join his father's first marine battalion. He would pick up a number of talents during this time that would be very helpful to him in the future.