Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1863-04-02
A Detroit Heroine.

We learn through Washington correspon-
dent of the Bangor (Me.) Wing, of the exploits
of heroine, Miss Anna Etheridge, formerly of
this city, and who is well known to many Of our
readers. She is now with the Army Of the Po-
tomac, and her history deserves to be conspc-
uous, fully justfying, as it does, that truth is
stranger than felton," while it furnishes an ex-
ample believed TO be without parallel in the
history of her sex.
She was born in this city, and is now twenty
three years of age Her father was once man
of wealth, and her early youth was passed in he
lap OF luxury, with no wish ungratifed, and no
want uncartd for. But misfortune came and
swept away his property, and broken in fortune
and depressed in spirit, he moved TO Minnesota,
where he died, leaving our heroine, a, the age
of twelve years, in comparative poverty and
want On the breaking out Of the rebellion,
she was visiting her friends in this city. Col.
Richardson was then engaged in raising the
Second Michigan volunteers, and she and nine
teen other females volunteered to accompany
the regiment as nurses. Every other has re-
turned home or been discharged but she has
accompanied the regiment through all its fort
unes, and declares her determination to remain
with it during its entire term OF service She
has for her use a horse furnished with side
sandle, saddle-bags, &c.
At the commencement of battle, she fills
her saddle bags with lint and bandages, mounts
her horse, and gallops to the front, passes un-
der fire, and regardless of shot and shell, en-
cages in the work OF staunching and binding
up the wounds of our soldiers. In this man
ner she has passed through every battle in
which the regiment has been engaged, common
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cedng the first battle at Bull Run, including
the battles of the Peninsula, and terminating
with the battle of Fredericksburg. General
Berry, the present commander of the brigade
to which her regiment is attached, and who
highly distinguished himself for bravery and
gallantry in all these fights, declares that she
| has been under as hot fire of the enemy as
| himself On one occasion, a soldier was torn
in pieces by shell while she was in the act of
binding up his wounds previously received and
on many occasions her dress has been pierced
by bullets and pieces of shell, yet she has never
| fiinched and never been wounded. Her regi-
ment belonged to the brigade commanded by
the lamented Gen Kerney till his death, and in
consideration of her dauntess courage and in
valuable services in saving the lives of his men,
Gen. Kerney commissioned her as a regimental
sergeant When not actively engaged on the
battle field or in the hospital, she superintends
the cooking at the headquar ers of the brigade
When the brigade moves, she mounts her horse
and marches with the ambulances and surgeons
administering to the wants of the sick and woun-
ded, and at the bivouac she wraps herself in her
blanket, and sleeps upon the ground with all
the hardihood Of true soldier.
Anna is of Dutch descent, about five feet three
inches in height, fair complexion, (now some
what Drowned by exposure,) brown hair, vigor.
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Her dress, on entering into battle, is a riding
dress, so arranged as to be looped up when she
dismounts Her demeanor is perfectly modest
quiet and retiring. and her habits and conduct
are correct and exemplary yet on the battle
! field she seems to be alone possessed and ami
mated with a desire to be effective in saving
the lives of the wounded soldiers. No vulgar
word was ever known to be uttered by her. and
she is held in the highest veneration and es-
teen by the soldiers, as an angel OF mercy. She
is indeed the idol of the brigade, every man OF
which would submit to almost any sacrifice in her
behalf She takes the deepest interest in the
result OF this contest, eagerly reading all the pa,
Pers to which she can obtain access, and keep.
ing thoroughly posted as to the progress of the
war. she says she feels as if she God alone
in the world, as it were, and desired to do good.
ohe knows she is the instrument of saving many
ives ana aiievlaling much suffering in her pres
ent position and feels it her duty to continue
in so doing.
These facts can be substantiated by ,estmo.
ny Of the highest character, and they deserve
to go forth to the world to show that If EngIand
can boast of the achievements of q Florence
Nightingale, we of America can present sin
higher example of female heroism and exalted
acts of humanity in the person Of Anna Ether
idge,-Detroh Daily advertiser,