Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-07-10

The civil war bequeathed to us list
of nearly 400Awomen who, during those
four years of dnternecine strife served
the Federal government either as SOL
diers or as scouts or spies. In the rec
Ords of the war department in Wash
ington there are preserved the dry
bones of many romances that sprang
from a womans love of her country,
love of some one of its brave defend
ers, Of love of rowing and adventure
and an overmastering desire to be a
part Of the stirring events of the time
instead Of a acre looker-on.
Many woman fought bravely under
the Union flag and only returned to the
ways Of peace when the war was over,
or when wound sent her to the hospi-
tai and betrayed her secret And
doubtless where so many are on record
there must have been some who were
fortunate enough to carry out their
deception without detection, so that
the names handed down to us probably
by no means represents the entire fem
mime fighting force of the Northern
army.
The spirit that could impel woman
to leave her usual place in the world
and her ordinary avocations for the
hard fare of a soldier, the rough life
of the camp, and the horrors and dan
gers of the battlefield, was brave one,
no matter what the underlying motive
may have been. But it was a Drawer
spirit still that led not few feminine
patriots to take up a branch of service
in which all the perils of war are in
CURED without the hope of gaining any
of it's glory-a service which is as nee
essary to the army as it is hazardous
to the individual performing it.
Of the small band of women who
were of material assistance in the sec
ret" branch of governmental work
there were none more faithful, more
efficient and more worthy of the CRATE
full remembrances of her countrymen
than one who sleeps, undisturbed by
the war alarm of the present, in the
Grand Army plot of the City Cemetery
in San Francisco.
pauline Cushman" this heroine liked
to be called, even in the latter days
when another name was hers by right;
for it was as Pauline Cushman that she
won popularity in her youth. and al
terward distinguished herself by her
devotion to her country IN Its hour OF
need. And best of all did she like 10
be addressed by her right title OF ma
Tor. since she earned her commission
signed by the martyred Lincoln MN
self-by deeds of daring whlcn gained
her at the time not only the admira-
ton of the army of the cumberland,
- which she was attached, puS VI ING
Entire country as well.
Quite against the wishes OF ner
rightful guardians, who snranK from
the idea of public career LOT thelf
ldolized daughter, Miss Cusnman III
sisted upon entering the theatrlcai pro-
fession, for which she felt herseiI par
ticularly gifted. When war was ae-
clared Miss Cushman was Playing
successful engagement through the
Middle and Western States, Dut went
South the next year, playing IN tnose
cities which had not as yet ranged
themselves openly and boldly on Inc
eide of the Confederacy.
In, March, 1868, came the turning
point in Pauline Cushman's life. There
are those alive to-day who remember
the night when Pauline Cushman made
her dramatic exit from the scene OF
her many triumphs She had been
playing a long engagement in Woods
Theatre, Louisville and had had q brill
liantly successful season, both socially
and professionally The city was full
of carefully depressed secession senti-
fment, and Pauline was the centre Of
|attraction to the large contingent Of