Weekly Trinity journal., 1866-10-13
kndy BrOynell.

Accustomed to arms and soldiers from in
fancy, she learned to love the camp and it was
not strange, years later, when she had come to
America and married young mechanic in
Providence, that the recollections of the camp
fire in front of her fathers tent, rs we'll as the
devotion of a newly married wife, and loyalty to
the Union, prompted her to follow her husband,
stand beside him in BATTLE and share all his
hafdships.
Her husband, Robert 5. Brownell, was made
orderly sergeant of a company in the First Rhode
Island Infantry, of the earliest reg giments of
three months men who responded to the first
call for troops, the day after national coors were
run down the tlag-mast at Fort Sumter.
The First Rhode Island Infantry was soon full
to overnowing. 1t had eleven full companies Of
n hundred each and as ten were enough for
complete organization, the eleventh was formed
into a company of carbineers or sharpshooters,
and the brave Young wife of the orderly was
made the coor-bearcr Of the company
When the regiment went into camp IN Mary
land earlv in the Summer of 1861, this Daughter
of the Regiment resolved not to be mere
water-carrier nor an ornamental appendage.-
She would be effective against the enemy, as
well as n graceful figure on parade, and applied
herself to the soldier. When the company went
out to practice daily at the target, she carried
her rifle, as well as the colors ; and when her
turn came the men seldom restricted her to the
three shots which were allowed to each. SO
pleased 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 sergent' straight sword, which hung
at her belt, worn as an idle form. She practced
daily with her own husband and his friends in
camp. till she felt herself familiar with its
uses as with the carbine.
When the regiment moved, she sought no in
dulgences on account of her sex, but marched in
line beside her husband, wearing her sword and
carrying the flag.
The middle of July came, and the Union army
was at length moving southward from the Poto-
mac, its face set towards Richmond. She
marched with her company, and carried her
flag On the dav of the general action she was
separated from her husband, the carbneers with
whom she was connected being deployed
skirmishers in the skirt of pine woods TO the left
of the line About one o'clock on that eventful
dav the company was brought under fire. She
did not carry her carbine that day, but acted
simply as color-bearcr. The men, according to
skirmish tactics, taken out by fours, and
advanced towards the enemy. She remained in
the line guarding the coors, and thus giving a
definite point on which the men could rally, as
the skirmish deepened into a general engage
ment There she stood, unmoved and dauntless,
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
avenoinp demon, and the air was thick and hot
with deadly singing of the Mimic balls. About
four o'clock far away on the right, where the
roar had been loudcst, a sudden and marvellous
change came over the scene. The Union line
was broken. and what was few moments before
a firm and resolute army, worn and bleeding, but
pressing to victory, became cohiuSeu anu
panic-stricken rout.
The confusion now ran down the line, from
right to left, and the sharpshooters OF the flrst
Rhode Island, seeing the battle lost and and the
enemy advancing, made the best retreat they
couId in the direction of Centerville. But so
rapdlv 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
advancing batteries Of the enemy opened within
q few hundred yards of where she stood, ana
vcre nourinp shells into the retreating mass
Inst then a soldier in a Pennsylvania regiment,
who was running past, seized her by the hand
and said. Come sis there's no use to stay
here lust to be killed let's get into the woods
She started down the slope with him towards
nine thicket They had hardly run twenty steps
when n cannon ball struck him full on the head,
and in an instant be was sinking beside her, a
shapeless and mutiated corpse. HIS shattered
skull rested a moment her shoulder, ana
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 when she Ju"p.u
but the balls were flying too thick through tne
cover. The sprang out, and soon after found a
stray horse which she jumped ana nanht IUae
Centeryille Here and at Arlington Heignts iof
moro than thirty hours she was tortured Dy Tue
most most barassing stories about her husband.
'"V1u One had seen him fall dead. Another had
beIned him into an ambulance, badly wounu.u
mother had carried him to hospital. ana tue
enemy had fred the building and earasd all Tth9 tbaa h
Perisueu -rasIeft in the skirt of pine woods
in ae4u 'front.' Dt Of where she stood So fully did she
this at one time ha baek sns om nnd
~ hone Of getting through the lines and hnding
him When She met by Colonel Burnside VINO VINO
assured her that Robert was nnhurt' A"u '""'
sbs sbould see him in few hours.
The First was a three months regiment ana It's
time expired on the lst of August, She return
sd with it to Providence, where she received
,Iar .u discharge but it was only to re-enhst
witb vi her husband in the Fifth Rhode Island
Women Of the Var
AGED SANTA Norwegian woman 100 years