The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1891-04-25
SHE CARRIED A GUN.
And That is Why Mrs. Hooker Has APP
Piled for Pension.

And That is why Mrs. Hooker Has Ap.
Piled for Pension.
One of the finest bits OF romance ever
brought TO light is the story of Mrs.
Mary +. Hooker, of Elkhart, who has
applied for a pension on the grounds
that she served throughout the war
disguised as Il man and under an alias,
and that at the battle of Antietam she
received Il wound in the left leg from Il
mimic ball which has since resulted III
her diSablement. She appeared before
the Pension Board here, says a Goshen
Ind. Special, and when approached by
the correspondent at first was unwilling
to make public any facts relating to her
case, but tinallp told her story.
AT the time | entered the service,
said Mrs. Hooker II was 20 years old,
and living with my widowed mother at
Titfin. O.. where | am yet quite we'll
acquainted. | was a slight girl, but yet
of sturdy frame, for Twas great Tom
boy and much given 10 going OF on
larks with my brothers. For two years
previous To the breaking out OF the war
Benjamin b. Brown and myself had
been going together were engaged and
shortly To he married. When the war
broke out nv lover seemed determined
to 20. pleaded with him 10 stay with
me, but he said he WAS ashamed To stay
al home while 50 many men not as good
az he were going To the front and finally
enlisted i'll Company +. 9Th Regiment,
Ohio Volunteers. | endured the Sepa-
ration for awhile, but hearing that
Charles +. Drury, who had enlisted III
the same company and regiment, de
sired substitute, | offered myself. first
assuming male attire. My offer was
readily accepted. he agreeing 10 pay me
$50, 500 of which | never received, tor
he died while | was in the service. l
Joined the regiment and was soon serV-
inc alongside my lover. | had assumed
the name of Charles Drury, and was SO
known till the close of the war. My sex
wis undiscovered all the while | was III
the service, except by Brown, who, OF
course. recognized me as soon as he saw
me | had no trouble in learning the
tactics. for my Younger brother had be-
lungcd to militia company and | had
always taken even more interest III the
drilling, etc, than he.
Our regiment left Camp Denison
shortly after | Joined ii for Washington,
and from there we went TO the battle OF
Bull Run | remained with the regi-
ment till | was wounded III the leg by a
mimic ball ut the battle of Antietam,
when | was transferred to an ambulance,
the same which Brown had occupied
couple of weeks before, and in which he
died. After Brown : death Twas leftwith-
out a friend in the regiment who knew
the circumstances of my enlistment.
As soon as ! was again able to march,
however, determined To stick to the
service. | was wounded on the breast
bone by the bursting of a shell at
Mission Ridge. where ! was captured
and taken along with 4 lot of other
prisoners To Libby Prison. This was
during the worst condition of its man
agemcnt, and what, with the poor food
and my wound, | despaired of ever
coming out alive. After three weeks,
though, an exchange of prisoners was
made and | returned to my home in
Titiin, Il shadow of my former self.
"A few wears after the close of the
war was married to Richard Ireland,
veteran of the war. He died within
wear, and up L. my marriage To Mr.
Hooker, which occurred about five years
ago. received a pension as Mr..
Ireland's widow.
Il cniovcd soldier life, all but the
tircsomc marches and was hardly ever
frightened during an engagement
think | could carly Il musket now and
drill. too, if necessary, but ut the time
when | served in the war | was slender
and had no trouble i'll the passing as Il
man; in fact no one knew was wom-
an. with the exception of my lover. |
had some narrow escapes, tcough, once
when IA lot of the boys of our company
were determined should 90 in bathing
with them, and also when the company
was one night holding Il mock initiation
of some kind. This time Il call to arms
WAS the only thing that saved me-