Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-04
LIZZIE COMPTON, THE SOL.
DIER GIRL.
Strange Story Of Adventure.
From the Rochester Union. ]

cavalry, turns out to be Lizzie Compton, the
young soldier girl whose career has been
noticed by the Western and Southern pa
pers. She Is certainly remarkable speci-
men of the race to which she belongs. Her
character is strange one, and worthy of
the attention of those philosophers who
study and affect to understand the peculiar
tiles of mankind. At the age Of sixteen
years she stands unsexed so far as rosolute
will can go, resolved to be man, despising
woman, engaging in the pursuits and pas
times of boyish youth, and eschewing its
vices.
This girl was taken to the Police station
yesterday by Chief Mudgett, who was di-
rected by the magistrate to bring her inn
1t was supposed that she was an adventurer
like many who have appeared in a similar
disguise, and was therefore regarded as a
disorderly person. The chief found her in
Worden's saloon talking with young man,
and told her that she was wanted by the
Police magistrate. She replied that she
would go to him, but begged that she might
be permitted to go out of the saloon unat-
tended that she might not appear to be un-
der arrest. Her wish was complied with
and Lizzie, in q few minutes, stood before
the magistrates fine specimen of young
soldier-ready to give an account of herself
That account was interesting. Half dozen
gentlemen, including some physicians, who
we're invited in, listened to her statements,
and she was interrogated closely as to her
history, answering promptly all Questions
put in a conversation of two hours. The
unanimous conclusion of all was that the
girl had not lost her self-respect in the try
ing ordeal through which she had passed.
She stated that she was about sixteen
years of age, assuming that she had been
correctly informed as to the date of her
birth. Her parents died in her infancy,
near Nashville, Tenn, and She was left. as
too many children are, to the tender mer-
cies of unfeeling wretches. She was put
into the field to work at an early age and
was never taught any duties of the house
hold. When a child she wore a frock-a
sort of female dress, but really never was
fully clad in the apparel of her sex. Atthe
age of 13 when the rebellion commenced,
she put on the clothes of boy and worked
about the steamboats, ON the western rivers.
AT length she sought place in the army as
a bugler, on which instrument she soon
excelled. While many In her path Joined
the rebels she turned to the Union army
and cast her lot there, and now hates rebel
with an intensity rarely equalled. Dislike
OF woman-kind'is one of her peculiarities,
but detestation of rebel women is her spe-
ciality.
Lizzie has been eighteen months in the
service and in seven or eight regiments
She got into the ranks by fraud-taking the
place Of some person who had passed mus
ter-and was discharged as soon as her sex
was discovered. Among the regiments in
which she served were the 10th New York,
9th, 18th and 18th Michigan, and ID Min
nesota. Her first engagement was at Mill
Springs, and she relates infinitely the details
pr the fall of Zollicoffer. She was captured
with her company and paroled by the
guerrilla Margan near Gallatin, Tennessee.
She fought at Fort Donaldson, Shiloh and
several other places in the west. Finally,
she went to the Army of the Potomac, and
got into the 10Th New York. At the battle
of fredericksburg, early in July, she was
Wounded by piece of shell in the side, and
She surgeon discovered and disclosed her
sex, which led to her dismissal after re-
covering in the hospital. Her secret was
twice. betrayed by surgeons. While in
western regiment she undertook to ride
horse which none of her companions dare
mount, and, being without saddle, she
was thrown and injured, which led to be-
trayal.
This girl, familiar with the use of a mus
ket, understands the manual perfectly, has
performed picket and other duties of camp
and field, and delights in the service. She
recltes camp incidents and scenes with the
ardor of youth of twelve, and longs to be
with her old companions in arms. When
asked If she had no fears, she replied that
she was some ssskeered" in the first battle,
but never since, and she added that as she
had done nothing to lead her to believe that
she would go to a bad place in the next
world, she was not afraid to die.
This girl has no educatiOn-can do no
more than recite the letters of the alphabet.
Nor has she had religious instruction, except
what she has accidently received. Yet her
notions of morality are such as do her credit.
She refers to the degraded females who fol-
low the camp and who mingle with the
soldiers with language of loathing and con-
tempt. Indeed she appears to think that if
she consents to assume the habiliments of
her sex and become woman that she is
liable to become like one of these. She wants
to be companion of the soldiers, enjoy
their pastimes, fight the rebels, jawhawk
among the rebel women-as soldier, not
as woman. She has not become boy for
love of adventure-to create sensation--or
to chase lover-nothing of the sort. She
has the instincts of boy-loves boyish
pursuits and is bound to be man. She
declares that she may yet be gentleman,
but that she can never be lady. She
solemnly affirms that she is innocent of
crime and her affirmation will be taken by
any one who hears her narrative.
Lizzie Is five feet one inch in height, and
weighs 155 pounds, and is of course of rath-
er stout build. She has light hair, fair COM
plexion, and, in her half military suit, with
high boots, and pants tucked In the tops,
she has the appearance of rosy soldier boy
of fifteen years. She carries with her pa
per from the Chief of Police of Louisville,
Mr.. Priest, stating who she is, and COM
mending her to the faver of the railroad
superintendent. She came to this city
few days since, and went to New York to
see Barnum, who had written to her. He
was not then In the city, and, after spend
ing day or two there, she became dis
gusted and started westward. She arrived
here without money, and sought to enlist to
provide for herself. She was not discour-
aged at her failure. She declared that she
would work at any business boy could do,
and would earn her living if permitted to
do SO. She was told that the statute for
bade o woman wearing mans clothing,
and that she must abandon the practice
She would not promise to make any change
indeed she insisted that she would prefer
any punishment -even death--rather than
be compelled to act the part of a woman.
Bail was given for the good behavior Of
the soldier girl, and she took the cars to 60
where we know. not. She will no doubt
appear soon IN some other locality. F