Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-03-26
A disappearing Musketeer.

from the Kansas City Times.l
ct think the most peculiar incident
that ever came under my notice" said
Capt. William R. Morse, of Cincin-
natl, to Times reporter at Independ-
ence yesterday, ''was that Of Franklin
Thompson. She was born In New
foundland, and her mother died while
she was quite young. At the age of Is
years her father married again. The
second mother did not make home a
paradise, and Franklin determined to go
out into the world and support herself
by her own exertions. Having conceived
the idea that the world shed its favors
unequally, favoring the male more than
the female, she adopted the costume OF
the former and proceeded to Boston.
Here she obtained employment with a
publishing house as 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 10Th day
of April of the same year she enlisted IN
Company f of the second Michigan In
fantry, and was mustered In at Detroit
on the Goth of May. She followed that
regiment through hard fought battles,
never hinched from duty, and was never
suspected of being else than that she
seemed. By close application to duty
and remarkable department, she was
appointed brigade postmaster, which
position aided her in many instances to
conceal her indemnity. 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 desertion was the
topic of every campfire. The beardless
boy was universal favorite, and much
anxiety was expressed for her safety.
We never heard of her again during the
war and could never account for the de-
sertion. About q year after this [ re-
ceived several books from home. Among
them was one which attrtcted my atten-
ton, and became convinced that the
author was no other than Franklin
Thompson, the boy soldier, who had de-
serted us at Green River bridge. The
book was the ''Nurse and Spy" After
the war I learned that Franklin Thomp-
son was woman, and that she was mar
ried to man by the name of Seelye.
While at Fort Scott, Kan, short time
ago [ heard the name, and Immediately
thought here was clew to The long lost
Franklin Thompson. [ called at the
house; little girl met me at the door.
I told her to tell her mother that gen.
tleman wished to see her, but did not
send in my name. I was shown into a
neat but plain little parlor. In q few
minutes the lady made her appearance
and recognized me. spent very
pleasant hour in talking over old times
and in listening to the history of her life.
She said that when she deserted she
made her way to Louisville and resumed
the habiliments of her sex. she en-
tered the Christian Commission and
served until the close of the war. Dur
ing this time she published her book
and devoted $4,000 of the proceeds to
the commission. She atterward mar
ried and removed to Fort Scott, where
she still resides.
''The story was called to my mind
again to-day" continued the Captain,
"by reading in the report of Congress
that bill was introduced by congress
man from Michigan, asking that the dis
| ability of desertion be removed from the
record of Franklin Thompson, and that
she be granted q pension and receive
her back pay. She certainly deserves
it, and I hope she may get it.