The Shasta courier., 1866-10-06
Kady Brownell.

l
Accustomed to arms and soldiers from in.
fancy, she learned to love the camp and it
was not strange, years laters, when she had
come to America and married a Young me-
chanic in Providence. that the recollections
| of the campfire in front of her fathers
| tent, as well as the devotion of a newly
married wife, aud loyalty to the Union.
prompted her to follow her husband. stand
beside him in battle, and share all his
hardships
Her husband, Robert S. Brownell was
made orderly sergeant of company in the
First Rhode Island Infantry, one of the
earliest regiments of three months men who
responded to the first call for troops. the
dav after national colors were run down the
flag mast at Fort Sumter.
The First Rhode Island Infantry was
soon full to overaowing. 1t had eleven fuR
companies of hundred each and as ten
were enough for complete organization,
the eleventh was formed into company of
carbineers or sharpshooters, and the brave
Young wife of the orderly was made the
color-bea of the company.
When the regiment went into camp in
MARYLAND. early in the Summer of 1861.
this Daughter of the Regiment was resolved
not to be a mere ter-carrier, nor an or
namental appendage She would be effec-
tive against the enemy, as well grace
full figure on parade, and applied herself
to learn all the arts and accomplishments
of the soldier When the company went
out to practice daily at the target, she car.
ried her rifle, as we'll as the colors and
when her turn came, the men seldom re-
stricted her to the three shots which were
allowed to each. So pleased were they at
her skill and GOODNESS with the weapon, that
she was allowed as many shots as she chose,
and thus became one of the quickest and
most accurate marksman in the regiment
Nor was the sergeant's straight sword. which
hung at her belt, worn as an idle form.-
She practiced daily with her husband and
his friends in camp, till she felt herself as
familiar with its uses as with the carbine.
When the regiment moved, she sought no
indulgences on account of her sex, but
marched in line beside her husband, wear
ing her sword and carrying the flag.
The middle of July came, and the Union
army was at length moving southwark from
the Potomac, its face set towards Richmond
She marched with her company, and car
ried her flag. On the day of the general
action she was separated from her husband,
the carbineers with whom she was con-
nected being deployed as skirmishers in the
skirt of pine woods to the left of the line
About one O'Clock on that eventfui day the
company was brought under fire. She did
not carry her carbine that day, but acted
simply as color bearer. The men, accord
ing to skirmish tactics, were taken out by
fours, and advanced towards the enemy
She remained in the line, guarding the colors,
and thus giving a definite point on which
the men could rally. as the skirmsh deep
ened into a general engagement There
| she stood, unmoved and dauntess, under the
whitening heat, and amid the roar and
blood and dust of that terrible July day
Shells went screaming over her with the
howl of an avenging demon, and the air
was thick and hot with deadly singing of
the MIME balls About four O'clock far
away on the right, where the roar had been
loudest, a sudden and marvellous change
came over the scene. The Union line was
broken, and what was & few moments before
firm and resolute army, worn and bleeding,
but pressing to victory, became confused
and panic-stricken rout.
The confusion now ran down the line,
from right to left, and the sharpshooters of
the First Rhode Island, seeing the battle
lost and the enemy advancing, made the
best retreat they could in the direction of
Centreville. But so rapidly spread the
panic, that they did not rally on their colors
and retreat in order. She knew her duty
better, and remained in position till the ad
vancing batteries of the enemy opened with
in a few hundred yards of where she stood,
and were pouring shells into the retreating
mass. Just then soldier in Pennsylvan.
ia regiment, who was running past, seized
her by, the hand, and said, Come, sis
there's no use to stay here Just to be kill
ed; let's get into the woods" She start
ed down the slope with him towards pine
thicket... They had run hardly twenty steps,
when a cannon ball struck him full on the
head, and in an instant he was sinking
beside her, a shapeless and mutilated
corpse. His shattered skull rested a mo-
ment on her shoulder, and streams of blood
ran over her uniform.
She kept on to the woods, where she
found some of the company, and before long
chanced upon the ambulance, into which
she jumped but the balls were flying too
thick through the cover. She sprang out,
and soon after found stray horse, on
which she jumped and rode to Centerville.
Here and at Arlington Heights for more
than thirty hours she tortured by the
most harassing stories about her husband.
One had seen him fall dead. Another
had helped him into an ambulance, badly
wounded Another had carried him to
hospital and the enemy had fired the build
ing, and all within had perished. Then,
ag lin, she learned that his dead body was
left in the skirt of pine woods in front of
where she stood. So fully did she believe
this at one time, that she had mounted a
horse, and was starting back from Alexan-
dria, in hope of getting through the lines
and finding him, when she was met by
Colonel Burnside, who assured her that
Robert was unhurt, and she should see him
in few hours.
The first was three months regiment,
and its time expired on the LIST of August.
She returned with it to Providence,
where she received a regular discharge !;
but it was only to re-enlist with her hus.
band in the Fifth Rhode Island. Women