The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1899-01-07
AMAZONS.
Women Who Have Won Renown
on the Battlefield.
History Repeata Itself-Ths Fenale voa-
unteer Corps Not the Only Enmple
OF Feminine Soldierlng-Masque-
rade ~ Mon

rade - Men.
During the recent campaign in NADIA
gascar we heard a good deal about the
Dahomey Amazons and their prowess
in war; and q few months ago daily
paper asserted that female volunteer,
corps was in the process of being
formed, to be offcered, of course, by some
extreme disciples of the "New Woman"
cult. In the latter instance the idea OF
a woman usurping mans place on the
battlefield was looked upon as being
something quite original; whereas it
would simply be case of history re-
peating itself, for that there have been
many such heroines the following par
ticulars will prove: Mrs. Christine
Davies, commonly called Mother Ross, :"
is q well-known example, she having
served as foot soldier and dragoon in
several campaigns under William III.
and the duke of Marlborough, acting as
squadron leader of the Scots greys at
Blenheim and Families. She died July
9, 1899. Hannah Smell was another fe-
male worthy, who, having been deserted
by her husband, adopted male attire,
and travelled to Coventry in search OF the
runaway. She there enlisted in Col.
Guise's regiment of foot, and marched
with them to Carlisle at .he time of the
Scotch rebellion of 1745. She afterward
enlisted in Fraser's regiment OF ma
rines, and proceeded to Portsmouth,
whence she sailed in Admiral Eosca-
wen's squadron for the East Indies.
There she assisted at the siege OF
Pondicherry, when she received II
wounds. Through all her adventures,
including a couple of foggings, she
managed to preserve the secret OF her
sex, and concerning the application OF
the "cat' it was said:
'sHannah In breeks behav'd 80 well.
That none her softer sex could tell.
At the close of her military life, how
ever, she revealed her secret, and was
awarded a pension of s18 IS. per an
mum. Later on she started public
house under the sign of ssThe Widow
in Masquerade" and did such roaring
trade that comfortable old age wai
assured to her.
There is Mary Anne Talbot, fine
| comely young woman, to judge by ar
extant portrait, who served four years
as a soldier and sailor in the name OF
John Taylor, and took part in Lord
Howe's glorious victory on June l. She
| died February 4, 1903, aged 80 years
| One print represents her holding cut
lass in one hand, and Frenchman':
| head in the other; another in which she
| is representing press gang. Coupled
| with the memory of Fontenoy, 1745
| there is that of Phobe Hessel, whose
| monument in q Brighton churchyard
| states that she was born at Chelsea ir
| 1713; that she served for many years a.
a private soldier in the Fifth regiment
of foot in different parts of Europe, ant
| received bayonet wound in the arm a.
the above engagement. Living al
1 Brighton, her case became known tx
George w., then prince regent, whe
sent to ask her what sum of none,
/ would render her comfortable. "Hal
guinea a week." replied old Phoebe
4 twill make me as happy as princess.
4 This, therefore, by his majesty's com
mand was regularly paid her. till tht
/ day of her death, which took place De
cember 12, 1921, when she attained ths
/ age of 1OS years.
! Again, there is Mary Dixon, who wa
| nearly 16 years in the army, and tough
1 at Waterloo. She was still living in 1865
| when she was described as "a strong
/ powerful old woman" Above all, ther'
is the remarkable, if not unique case o
! DR.. Barry, who died at Corfu in July
1865. Thislady, said to have been the legit
/ innate granddaughter of Scotch earl
is surnised to have adopted male attir'
and the medical profession from attach
nent to an army surgeon. Neverin be
lifetime had anyone the slightest sus
picion of her sex. While staff surgeon
70 the cape garrison, she most succ
essfully treated the governor, Lor'
Charles Somerset, fought duel, ant
was considered to be of most quarrel
come disposition. The doctor was FIRE
1 uuently guilty of fragrant breaches o
discipline, and on more than one occa
sion was sent home under arrest, bu
| somehow or other, the offenses were al
ways condoned at headquarters Tn
late earl of Albemarle relates in hi
"reminiscences, that on sitting next t
her at mess, he noticed "a certain e1
feminacy in his manner, which h
seemed to be always striving to over
come, while his style of conversation
was greatly superior to that one usual,
heard at mess-table in the days of nor
competitive examinations. In Hart
Army List for 1865, the name of Jane
Berry, NJ D., stands at the head of tn
list of inspectors general of hospital.
| In the July OF the same year. her deaf
was announced, and the next day it wa
officially reported to the horse guard
that the doctor was woman. 1t
singular that neither the landlady o
her lodging, nor the black valet. VIII
had lived with her for years. had 'th
vaguext notion OF her secret Admiral
ty and Horse Guards Gazette.
EXPENSIVE LUXURY.
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