Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1863-06-29
No.45.
From the Mississippian.
Adventures of Young Lady in the Army

Amsng the registered enemies of the United States
government who have been recently sent across the
lines from New Orleans, there is now in this city
lady whose adventures place her in the ranks of the
Moly5Pitchers of the present revolution.
At the breaking out ofthe war, Mrs Laura j. Will
ams, (the lady to whom we allude,) was a resident
of Arkansas Like most of the women of the South,
her whole soul was enlisted in the struggle for ade-
pendence Her husband was a Northern man by
birth and education asd strong Union man. After
Arkansas seeded from the Union, he went to Con-
nectcut he said to see his relations and settle up
some business Mrs. Williams suspected his purpose
and finally she received Information that he had om-
ed the Yankee army Possessing little of the char
acteristc weakness of her either in body or mind
Mrs w. vowed to otr her life upon the altar of her
country. Disgusting herselfn Confederate uniform
and adopting the name of " Henry Benford" she
proceeded to Texas where she raised and equipped
an independent company, and went to Virginia with Z
it as 1st Lieutenant Sac in the battle of Lees
burg and several skirmshes; but finally her sex
having been discovered by the surgeon of the regi-
ment-the 9th Texas Volunteers, to which the com.
pany had been attached she returned to her home in
Arkansas. After remaining there short time, she
proceeded to Cornth and was in the battle of Shiloh
where she displayed great cooness and courage She
saw her father on the field but of course, he did not
recognize her. and she did not make herself known to
him. In the second days fighting she wounded
in the head, and ordered to the She wrote
to her father, and then on down to Grenada,
where she waited for time, but never saw or
heard from him.
She then visited New Orleans, was taken SICK and
while sick the city captured. On recovery, she
retired to the coast where she employed herself in
carrying communications, assisting parties to the
blockade with drugs and cloths for uniforms. She
informed on by negro and arrested and brought
| before General Butler She made ner appearance
! before Gen. Butler in Southern home spun dress.
She refused to take the oath told him she goried in
being rebel-had fought side by side vita South
ern men for Southern rights and if she lived to
see Dixie" she would do it again. Butler denounc-
ed her one of the most ncorrigble she rebels he
had ever met with. By order of the Beast she was
/ placed IN. confinement, where she remained three
ed again ,s hes aErsss
ence, and kept in dungeon fourteen days brea
and water, at the expiration of which time she was
placed in the State prison dangerous enemy
Her husband, it so happened, was Lieutenant in th
| 18th Connecticut regiment, and on duty Proves
Guard in the city He accidently found her out and
asked If she wanted to see him. She sent him word
she wanted to see him so long as he wore the
Yankee uniform. But he forced himself upon her.
tried to pursuade her to take the OATH get release
when he said he would resign and take her to his re-
lations in Connecticut She indignantly spurned hi
proposition and he left her to her fate Wien Gen
Banks assumed command he released u great many
prisoners, but kept her in confn ement until the It'll
of May last when she was sent across the lines t.
Meadesville with the registered enemies.
An article was recently published in the New Yorl
"World" in relation to the part Mrs. Williams ha
played in this war; but the above is, we are assured
true account of her remarkable career. We under
stand she has attached herself to the medical staff
brigade in this city, and will render all assist
ance in her power to our wounded in the approacin
struggle for the possession of the great Valley of tn
Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss, June 6, 1868. 3d..
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