The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1863-03-17
Anna Ether;dge.
o m the Detroit Tribune, 10Th.

Etheridge, formerly OF this city, and who
is well known to many of our readers
She is now with the army Of the Poto.
mac, and her history deserves to be con-
spicuous, fully jusifying, as it does, that
truth is stranger than fiction" while it
furnishes an example believed to be with
out 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 tie lap of luxury,
with no wish ungratiied, and no want
uncared for But misfortune came and
swept away his property, and, broken in
fortune and depressed in spirit, he re-
moved to Minnesota, where he died
leaving our heroine, at the age oftwelve
wears, 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 ed Michigan volunteers, and
she and nineteen other females volunteer
ed to accompany the regiment as nurses.
Every other has returned home or been
discharged but she has accompanied
the regiment through all its fortunes, and
declares her determination 10 remain
with i. during its entire term Of service.
She has for her use horse, furnished
with side-saddle, saddle bags, DC. At
the commencement OF battle, she fills
her saddle bags with lint and bandages,
mounts her horse and gallops to the
front, passes under fire, and, regardless
Of shot and shell, engages in the work OF
staunching and binding the wounds OF
our soldiers In this manner she has
passed through every battle in which
the regiment has been engaged, com
mencing with the battle of Blackburn s
Ford, preceding the first battle Of Bull
Run, including The battles Of the PENN
sula, and terminating with the battle o
Fredericksburg. Gen, Berry, the pres
ent commander Of the brigade to which
her regiment is attached, and who high
ly distinguished himself for bravery anG
gallantry in all these fights, declares tina
she has been under as hot a fire of thu
enemy as himself. On one occasion Z
soldier was torn in pieces by shell
while she was in the act OF binding III
his wounds previously received, and or
many occasions her dress has been pier
eed by bullets and fragments of shell
yet she has never flinched and never
been wounded Her regiment belongs
TO the brigade commanded by the la
men'ed Gen Kearney till his death, and
in consideration of her dauntless courage
and invaluable services in saving the
lives Of his men, Gen. Kearney commits,
stoned her as a regimental sergeant
When not actively engaged on the bat.
tie field or in the hospitals, she superin
tends the cooking at the headquarters Of
the brigade. When the brigade moves,
she mounts her horse and marches with
the ambulances and surgeons, admins
tering to the wants of the sick and woun
ded, and at the bivouac she wraps her
eeifin her blanket and sleeps upon the
ground with all the hardihood Of a true
soldier.
Anna is Of Dutch descent, about five
feet three inches in height, fair complex
ion, (now somewhat Drowned by expo
sure, brown hair. vigorous constitution,
and decidedly good 10 liking. Her dress,
on entering into battle, is riding dress,
go arranged as to be Topped up when she
dismounts. Her demeanor is perfectly
modest, quiet and retiring, and her hab
its and conduct are correct and exempla
ry; yet on the battle field she seems to
be alone possessed and animated with a
desire 10 be effective in saving the lives
Of the wounded soldiers. No vulgar
word was ever known 10 be uttered BY
her, and she is held in the highest ven
Grafton 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 sacrifice in
her behalf. She takes the deepest inter
est in tie result OF this contest, eagerly
reading all the papers to which she can
obtain access, and keeping thoroughly
posted as TO the progress Of the war.
She says she feels as if she stood alone in
the worlI, as il were, and desires to do
good. She knows lhat she is the instru
ment of saving many lives and allevia
ting much suffering in her present posi-
ton, and feels il her duty to continue in
SO doing.
These facts can be substantiated BY
testimony Of the highest character, and
they deserve to 90 forth to the world TO