The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1863-03-27
NUMBER Is.
One Of the wars ITerOins.

3 - sA4C ~ "a > IACAOAAos
We learn through Washington cor
respondent Of the Bangor Me. Wing,
OF the exploits Of heroine, Miss Anna
Etheridge, formerly Of Detroit. She is
now with the Army Of the Potomac, and
her history deserves to be conspicuous
fully justifying, as 1t does, that truth Is
stranger than fiction !" whileit furnishes
an example believed to be without q
parallel in the history Of her sex. She
was born in Detroit, and is now twenty
three years of age. Her father was
once man Of wealth, and her early
youth was passed in the lap Of luxury,
with no wish ungratifed, and no wants
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 Ieav-
ing our heroine, at the age Of twelve
years, in comparative povertyand want.
On the breaking out of the rebellion,
she was visiting her'friends in Detroit.
Colonel Richardson's was then engaged !.
in raising the Second Michigan volun-
teers, and she and thirteen other females
volunteered to accompany the regiment
as nurses. Every other has returned
home or been discharged, hut She has
accompanied the regiment through all
its fortunes, and declares her determine
tion to remain with it during its entire
term of service. ~ 80
She has for her use q horse furnished
with side saddle, saddls-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 under fire, and regardless Of
shot and shell, engages in the work in
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 first battle of Blackburn's Ford,
preceding the first battle of Bull Run,
including the. battle Of the Peninsula,
and terminating with the battle of Fred
ericksburg. 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 q 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 never finehed and never been
wounded. ft
Her regiment belongs to the brigade
commanded by the lameuted Kearny till
his death, and in consideration Of her
dauntless courage and invaluable SER
vice in saving the lives of bis men, Gen.
Kearney commissioned her as sergeant.
When not actively engaged ont6e battle
field or in the hospital she superintends
the cooking at the headquarters of the
brigade. When the brigade moves, she
mounts her horse and marches with the
ambulances and surgeons, administering
to the sick and wounded, and at the BIZ
vouac 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 complex
ion, (now somewhat Drowned by expo
Sure,) brown hair, vigorous constitution,
and decidedly good looking, Her dress,
on entering into battle, is a riding dress,
so arranged as to belooped up when she
dismounts. Her demeanor is perfectly
modest, quiet and retiring, and her hsb-
its and conduct are correct and exemp-
larry; yet on the battlefield she seems to
be alone possessed and animated 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 vener.
alton 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 al
most any sacrifice in her behalf. She
takes the deepest interest in the result
of this contest, eagerly reading all the
papers, to which she can gain access.
and keeping thoroughly posted in the
progress of the war. She says she feels
as if she stood alone in the world, as it
were, and desires to do good, She
knows that she is the instrument Of saw
ing many lives. and alleviating much suf-
feripg in her present position, and feels
it her duty to continue in SO doing.
These facts can be substantiated BY
testimony Of the highest character, and
they deserve to go forth TO the world to
show that If England eau boast of the
achievements Of q Florence Nighting-
ale, we of America can present asstill
! higherexarnple Of female heroism and
exalted acts Of humanity in the person.
n of Anna Etheridge. - ga