Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1884-04-10
A FEMALE SOLDIER.
Her Career i'm the Union Army-Writ-
ing a KoOk of RemimiscenceS.

Her Career i'm the Union Army-writ-
ing Rook of Remimiscences.
81 think the most peculiar incident
that ever came under nv notice. said
Captain William R. Morse. of Cincinnati.
"was that of Franklin Thompson. She
was born in Newfoundland, and her
mother died when she was quite Young
At the age of sixteen her father married
again. The second mother did not make
home paradise, and Franklin deter
mined to go out in the world and sup
port herself by her own exertions.
Having conceived the idea that the
world shed its favors unequally, favoring
the males more than the females. she
adopted the costume of the former and
proceeded to Boston. Here she obtained
employment with a publishing house as a
canvasser, in which position she was very
successful. In 1859 she made a tour
through Canada. and landed at Flint,
Mich, in the early part Of 1860.
On the 18th day of April of the same
year, she enlisted in Company F Of the
Second Michigan infantry, and was mus
tered in at Detroit on the Goth Of May.
She followed that regiment through hard
fought battles, never fiinched from duty,
and was never suspected Of being else
than that she seemed. BY close applica-
tion to duty and remarkable department,
she was appointed brigade postmaster,
which position aided her in many in
stances to conceal her identity.
In the early part Of November, 1868,
she was attacked with malarial fever,
and fearing she would be sent to the
hospital and that exposure would follow,
she deserted. Franklin was known by
every man in the regiment, and her de-
sertion was the topic of every campfire.
The beardless boy was universal favor
ite, and much anxiety was expressed for
her safety. We never heard Of her again
during the war, and never could account
for the desertion.
About year after this 1 received sew
eral books from home. Among them was
one which attracted my attention, and 1
became convinced that the author was no
other than Franklin Thompson, the boy
soldier, who had deserted US at Green
River bridge. The book was "The
Nurse and Spy"
After the war learned that Franklin
Thompson was a woman, and that she
was married to man by the name Of
Seelye. While at Fort Scott, Kan, a
short time ago, heard the name, and
Immediately thought there was a clew to
the long lost Franklin Thompson. I
called at the house; little girl met me
at the door. I told her to tell her moth
er that gentleman wished to see her,
but did not send in my name. l was
shown into neat but plain little parlor
In few minutes the lady made her ap-
pearance and recognized me. 1 spent a
very pleasant hour in talking over old
times, and in listening to the history of
her life. She said that when she desert
ed she made her way to Louisville and re-
sumed the habiIiments Of her sex. She
entered the Christian commission and
served until the close Of the war. Dur
ing this time she published her book and
devoted So, 1000 Of the proceeds to the
commission. She afterward married and
removed to Fort Scott, where she still
resides.
"The story was called to my mind
again, " continued the captain, "by read
ing in the report of Congress that a bill
was introduced by Congressman from
Michigan, asking that the disability of
dcsertion be removed from the record Of
Franklin Thompson, and that she be
granted a pension and receive her hack
pay. She certainly deserves it, and l
hope she may get it,"