New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-27
A Curious Career.


Cathie Williams is curious colored
character in Trinidad. The town people
call her Kate. She resides alone in an
adobe shanty of one room. IN when the
onlv furniture consists Of stove, ped
stesd. one chair and some dishes. Kate ls
tall and powerfully built, black as night,
and notwithstanding, and has very lnde-
pendent air both in conversation and action.
Dressed in male attire she would resaily
pass for man. Her face is marked with
smallpox. She appears hard and slneWy,
az if her life I'D been one of exposure. She
is thirty or thirty-tive years of age.
A correspondent who called upon her re-
Gently got her own story, as follows
INV father was free man, but my
mother was slave, belonging to William
johnson, wealthy farmer, who lived, at
the time was born, near Independence.
jackson county, Missouri. When l was
small girl nv master and family moved to
Jefferson City. My master died there, and
when the war broke out and the United
States soldiers came to Jefferson City they
took me and other colored folks with them
TO Little Rock. Colonel Benton, OF the
Thirteenth Army Corps, was the officer that
carried US of; I did not want to 60 de
wanted me to cook for the officers, but l
had always been house girl and did not
know bow to cook. learned to after going
the battle OF Pea Ridge. Afterward the
command moved over the various portions OF
Arkansas and Louisiana. l saw the soldiers
burn lots o: Gotten. and was at SnrevepOr.
when the rebel gunboats were captured and
burned on Red river. We afterward went
to New Orleans, then by way OF the Cult
to Savannah, Georgia, then to Macon. and
other places in the South. Finally was
sent to Washington city, and at the time
General Sheridan made his raids in the
Shenandoah valley, was cook and washer.
woman for his staff. l was sent from Viz
ginia to some place in Iowa, and afterward
to Jefferson Barracks, where l remained
some time. You will see By this paper that
on the fifteenth day of November 1866,
/ enlisted in the United States army
at St. Louis, in the Thirty eighth
United States Infantry, Company A,
Captain Charles E. Clarke commanding.
The regiment 1 joined wore 1.-THE Zouave
uniform, and only two persons. q
cousin and . particular friend, members of
the regiment, knew that [ was woman.
Thew never bowed on me. They were
partly the cause of my joining the army.
Another reason was l wanted to make my
own living, and not be dependent on rela-
lions or friends. Soon after l joined the
army l was taken with the smallpox, and
was elCk ~ q uOeHA|oA GA WV 49, $3.50
St. Louis, but az s0on as got well joined
nv company in New Mexico. Twas good
soldier, as that paper says; l was never put
in the guardhOuse, no bay0net was ever
put to nv back. carried my musket and
did guard and other duties while in the
army, but finally got tired and wanted to
get of. played sick, complained of pains
in nv sides and rheumatism in my knees.
The post surgeon found out l was a woman,
and got my discharge. The men all want:
ed to get rid of me after they found out
was q woman Some of them acted real
bad to me. After leaving the army went
| to Pueblo. where made money by cooking
and washing. got married while there
| but nv husband was no account He stole
nv watch and chain. 800 in money and my
team of horses and wagon. had him ar
rested and put in Jail, and then | came
! here. l like the town. l know all the
| good people here, and expect to get rich
vet. l have not got my land warrant.
thought would wait till the railroad came
and then take my land near the depot
| Grant owns all the land around here, anC
! it won't cost me anything. l shall nevel
| live in the States again. You SEQ I've go
a good sewing machine. and get washing
to do and clothes to make. l want to ge
along and not be burden to my friends
and relatives. NcUs.