Women at War (Article 118)

“I could only thank God that I was free and could go forward and I was not obliged to stay at home and weep." - Sarah Edwards Seelye

 In July of 1863, a Union burial detail at Gettysburg found the body of a woman in a Confederate private’s uniform.  She had no identification, and so she was buried in a mass grave like so many others at that battle; and we will never know who she was. But she was not the first, nor would she be the last woman to die fighting for her chosen side in the Civil War.

Neither North or South permitted women to join their Armed Forces, however, there were several hundred women who disguised themselves as men and joined either the Confederate or Union Army in units which engaged in battles. Of course, there were several thousand other women who served as nurses and caregivers; however those who joined active military forces were a special breed and had to be deceptive to serve. The best known of these “imposters” is probably Loreta Janeta Velazquez, who wrote a best-selling memoir and was even depicted in several early western movies. Most historians, however, doubt that all of the exploits in her autobiography actually occurred and some, including a recent biographer, believe she was a total fraud. But more on her later.

However, that un-identified female soldier who was found dead at Gettysburg, was one of many who really fought, and in that case died, in battles of the Civil War. Since so many young boys of 15-16 enlisted, it was relatively easy for a woman to disguise herself as a young man and mix in with the many other smaller, smooth faced, soldiers. Because these women had to assume false identities, it is impossible to know how many really served, but estimates range from 400-750.  Unlike Loretta Velasquez, most ended their service after they were discovered, some after being wounded, and never sought to publish a memoir or accept speaking engagements. One reason many kept their service secret after the War was that, in the 19th century, they may have been falsely labeled as a prostitute and, unfortunately, some were. The women named in this article are only known today because historians researched letters which they had written, interviews they gave to home-town newspapers after the war, military arrest records (after all it was a crime to enlist under a false name and certainly a crime if it was a woman), and in a few cases, records of their capture as a prisoner of war.

But why did they enlist? Some joined to be with a loved one, others for the adventure, and for some who were very poor, it was a matter of food and shelter. But for others, they believed it was their patriotic duty.

Sarah Emma Edmonds (she married J.C. Seelye in 1868, after the war) was one of those who enlisted as a duty to her Country. She was an ardent Unionist, opposed slavery, and had already made her own way in the world. She would often disguise herself as a man under the alias of Franklin Thompson to earn a living as a street peddler of Bibles and household utensils (a job she could not get as a woman). When the Civil War broke out, she enlisted as Franklin Thompson in a Michigan unit. She served as a soldier until injured when thrown from her wounded horse. Fear of discovery, and the punishment that might bring, led her to discard her disguise. She then introduced herself to an unsuspecting officer under her real name and he agreed that she could serve as a courier. Her exploits became known, not because she wrote a memoir or sought recognition, but because she later wanted to clear Franklin Thompson’s name. Unknown to her, until after the war, the soldier, Franklin Thompson (actually her in disguise), had been listed in the official records as a deserter, a capital crime with no statute of limitations. Therefore, Thompson was a wanted man! When she learned of the desertion charge, Sarah waged a ten- year battle with the War Department, whose senior officers denied that she could have fooled so many Commanders (or other soldiers, for that matter). Further, some thought she may have actually harbored Thompson knowing he was a deserter; also a serious crime for which some believed she should be charged! As her petition with the Army turned contentious, she then turned to Congress for assistance and finally, after two more years, the record was corrected by an act of Congress. Then, in a last gesture to irritate the Army, she applied for a pension for her service and, finally the Army bureaucracy gave up the fight, her request was granted.

Sarah Emma Edmonds (Seelye) 1841 – 1898

Sarah wrote of her decision to enlist as a man, “I could only thank God that I was free and could go forward and I was not obliged to stay at home and weep."  

But Sarah is only one example of these remarkable women! Following are a few of the other women who went to war and whose service was documented.

Margaret Catherine Murphy disguised herself as a man and enlisted in an Ohio unit as Joseph Davidson. But Margaret could not win for losing! When her unit commander discovered that she was a woman, he suspected that she was a Confederate spy and she was arrested and imprisoned. After a brief trial, she was exiled to the South where she was captured by the Confederates and, in an ironic twist, was suspected by that side of being a spy. She was sent back across Union lines by her Confederate captors and arrested again. She remained in a Union prison until the war ended. Some might say that, without bad luck, Margaret would have had no luck at all.

 Mary Ellen Wise joined an Indiana regiment and was wounded at the Battle of Lookout Mountain, after which her identity was discovered. She still wanted to be of some service, as well as to avoid prison, and became a nurse in a hospital in Louisville. She did not write a memoir, but a Washington newspaper publisher heard about her and, in 1874, wrote a serialized version titled “Brave Soldier Girl”

 Emily Frank was severely wounded at the Battle of Lookout Mountain and doctors discovered that she was a woman. Her injuries would prove fatal, but while dying, she dictated a poignant letter to her parents.

 Jennie Hodgers, who fought as Albert Cashier, enlisted in Illinois and fought throughout the Civil War without being discovered. She evidently chose to continue living as a man and applied for and received an army pension. Years later, her true identity was discovered by the staff at a nursing home and they kept her secret until she died.

 Mary and Mollie Bell, whose aliases were Tom Baker and Bob Morgan, were two cousins who served in the Confederate army. They were arrested after confessing their real identities to their commander and imprisoned until near the end of the War.

 Melverina Peppercorn, enlisted in the Confederate army alongside her twin brother, Alexander, in 1862. After Alexander was wounded, Melverina admitted her true identity and was allowed to serve as Alexander’s nurse in the hospital.

 Frances Clayton enlisted under the name of Jack Williams, in a Missouri unit. Her real identity was discovered after she was wounded in the Battle of Shiloh, and she was discharged as Jack Williams and sent home in 1863.

 Mary Galloway was from Maryland and enlisted to stay close to her fiancée. Both were wounded at the Battle of Antietam and her real identity was discovered by Clara Barton, a famous nurse and later founder of the American Red Cross. Mary made a full recovery and returned home, in the meantime, Clara Barton helped reunite Galloway with her future husband by locating him in a Washington hospital and arranging for his transfer back home.

 Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, enlisted in a New York regiment as Lyons Wakeman. She died of an unknown illness in 1864 and was buried as Lyons Wakeman. Her identity was revealed after her parents published her letters describing her military service. Her grave has two stones, one for Sarah and one for Lyons.
The names of most women soldiers of the Civil War are lost in history, but they made similar sacrifices as the men with whom they served: therefore, it would be appropriate if we remembered them in the same manner and with the same respect.

 (Two books on this topic are “She Went to the Field” by Bonnie Tsui and “They Fought Like Demons” by DeAnne Blanton. Also, articles are available from the Smithsonian)

 (FOOTNOTE: Loreta Janeta Velazquez, who was mentioned earlier in this article, wove a fascinating tale of her exploits as a disguised Confederate officer and spy in a book and a series of lectures after the Civil War. Most historians do not believe much of her story, but she included enough details to cause some to accept parts of what she said as, at least, possible. A later post will explore her story in more detail. Stay Tuned!)

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