The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-02-19
MISCELLANY.
An American Heroine.

Among the many heroes and heroines which
the present war has developed, there Is one,
now with the army of the Potomac, whose
history deserves to be made conspicuous, fully
justifying, as it does, that truth is stranger
than felton," and furnishing an example be-
lieved TO be without parallel in the history
of the sex.
Anna Etheridge, OF Minnesota, was born in
Detroit, Michigan, and is now twenty three
years of age. Her father was once man OF
wealth; aud her early youth was passed in the
lap of luxury, with no wish ungratified and no
want uncared for. But misfortune came and
swept away his property. and, broken in for
tune and depressed in spirit, he removed to
Minnesota, where he died, leaving our heroine,
at the age OF IL years, in comparative power
~ and want On the breaking out Of the re-
belion, she was visiting her friends at Detroit.
Col. Richardson was then engaged in raising
the Second Michigan volunteers, and she aud
nineteen other females volunteered to accom-
pany the regiment as nurses. Every other has
returned home or been discharged. but she has
accompanied the regiment through all its for
tunes, and declares her determination to re-
main with it through its entire term of service.
She has for her use horse, furnished with
side-saddie, saddle-bags, &c. At the com
mencement Of battle, she fills her saddle
bags with lint and bandages, mounts her
horse, and gallops 10 the front, passes under
fire, aud, regardless of shot and she'll, engages
10 the work OF staunching and binding up the
wounds of our soldiers. In this manner she
has passed through every battle in which the
regiment has been engaged commencing with
the battle Of Blackburn Ford, preceding the
first battle Of 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 dis
tinguished 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 Ia pieces
BY a 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 fragments of shell, yet she has new
er fiinched and never been wounded. Her re-
giment belongs TO the brigade commanded by
the lalnented Gen. Kearney till his death, and
In consideration Of her dauntless courage and
invaluable services In saving the lives of his
men, Gen. Kearney commissioned her regi-
mental sergeant. When not actively engaged
on the battlefield or in the hospital. she SUI
perintends the cooking at the headquarters
Of the brigade. When the brigade moves, she
mounts her horse and marches with ambulan-
ces and surgeons, administering TO the wants
Of the sick and wounded. at the bivouac she
wraps herself In her blanket. and sleeps upon
-
soldier.
Anna is OF Dutch descent, about five feet
three inches in hight, fair complexion, lnow
somewhat Drowned by exposure) brown hair,
vigorous constitution, and decidedly good
looking. Her dress, on entering into battle,
is 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 correct and exemplary;
vet the battlefield she apnq N hp
possessed and animated with desire to save
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
esteem 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 sac
rifice In her behalf She takes the deepest in
terest In the result Of this contest, eagerly
reading all the papers to which she can obtain
access. and keeping thoroughly posted rs to
the progress of the war. She says she feels as
II she stood alone in the world, as it were. and
desires to do good She knows that she is the
instrument of saving many lives and allevia-
ting much suffering in her present position,
and feels II her duty TO continue in so doing.
These facts can be su5stantiated by testmo-
ny Of the highest character, and they des rye
70 go forth to the world to show that If Eng
land can boast Of the achievements of Flor
ence Nightingale, we of America can present
still higher example of female heroism and
exalted acts of humanity in the person of An
ma Bangor Wing and Courier