The Washington times., 1895-05-26
Disguised H6r Sex
To Go 10 War
SARAH E. E. SEELYE FOUGHT
In THE CIVIL WAR.
When She Was Discovered
She Deserted and Later
Rejoined Until Peace.

Many stories are told of women who
served as folders during tie civil war
but records of the edepartmenta at Washington
are silent concerning most of them. There
are two cases well authenticated, and
only two, of women onmissioned 10y the
government who served disguised as men.
In Michigan in the War" a historical
sketch of tie Michigan regiments which
served, carefully compiled by the adjutaut
general, there is an allusion to Frank
Thompson, which says: 'In Company F,
Second Michigan, there enlisted, at Flint,
Franklin Thompson COR Frank, as usually
calledl, aged twenty, ascertained after
ward and about the tine he left the regi-
ment to have been female, and good
looking one at that she succeeded in
couceaIing her sex most admirably, serving
in various campaigns and battles of the
regiment as a soldier. She remained with
her command until April, 1868, when, it
is supposed, she appreheuded a disclosure
Of her sex and deserted"
A GIRL SOLDIER.
Such in brief is the history which is at
tached TO the record of Sarah E. E. seelye.
born Edmonds, in the War Department
She was able to serve two years as man
before she was forced to desert in order to
conceal her sex But she found her way
back into the service in another capacity
and served through the entire war.
She shared all the trials and privations
which befell her regiment; participated in
the first battle OF Bull Run; followed Nc
Clellan through the PeDinsular campaign,
and was never absent from duty While
wearing the blue. Her captain said years
after the war that she was sdriven from tiome
bya stepmother when only sixteen years old,
and that she adopted male attire and was a
publishing house canvasser. He also says
she made a tour of CANADA reaching Flint,
Michigan, in time to enlist. Her Sex was
never suspected and her deSertion W as the
topic of every camp fire, for Franklin was
a great favorite. This desertion was never
satisfactorily accounted for. She claims
she was constrained to dress as man and
become a soldier through a strong impulse
which she could not resist. She says Of
that period:
HER EXPLANATION OF HER ACTION
s'I had no other motive in enlisting than
love to God and love for suffering humani-
ty. felt called to go and do what / could
for the defense of the right; if could not
fight / could take the place of some one
who could and thus add more soldiers to
the ranks. had no desire to be promoted
to any office; went with 90 other ambi-
tion than to Nurse the sick and care for the
wounded had inherited from my mother
a rare gift of nursing, and when not too
weary and exhausted, there was magnetic
power in my hands to soothe delirium."
Actuated only by such motives, she en-
listed under the name of Franklin Thomp-
son, as a private soldier in Company F,
SecoU I'D Mi Micbigan Infantry Volunteers,
about the 25th or May, lo6 L, aud WAS mus
tered into the service by Lieutenant Colonel
J. r. Smith, U. S. A. AT first she enlisted
for three months, and afterwards for three
years, ,orduring the war.
Her first duty was at Fort Wayne De-
troit, Mich, where she drilled, did fatigue
duty, aud performed all the necessary duties
of a soldier in camp. When off duty she
assisted in caring for the sick, and she did
this so well that she was often detailed for