Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-06
WENT IN MALE ATTIRE
Women Who Participated in
the Civil War.
SOME STRANGE CASES
THEY WERE, IN TIE MAIN,
WIVES AND SWEETHEARTS.
Sooner or Later Sex Was Discovered
Brave Mary Owens and
Her Record.

A greater number Of women than one
would suppose served as men in the civil
war, hiding their sex by wearing male ap-
parel. Records Of the War Department dis
close quite a large number Of cases. but
there are still others which never reached
the record-making point. There were many
instances where women served throughout
the entire war without their sex being dis
covered by officers or comrades.
Perhaps no woman who took part in the
conflict has received more publicity than
has DR.. Mary e. Walker, the only commits
stoned assistant surgeon Of the gentler sex.
That DR.. Walker rendered valuable services
but few have ever questioned. and her rec
ord 10 clear at the War Department.
One female who started in to be soldier
had brief but entirely satisfactory career.
This young girl enlisted at Blue Licks,
KY, and was sworn into service. The physi-
cal examination amounted to practically
nothing, there being such demand for re-
cruits that almost anything In the shape of
q man was readily and speedily accepted.
Although logged out in boys clothes, there
was something about the new recruit which
convinced the surgeon on the following day
that "he" was a deuced good-looking fe-
male.
The surgeon soon found his suspicious
wished to enlist. She frankly told him that
the youth she loved was in the army and
that she proposed to be as near him as
possible. The colonel was made acquainted
with the facts. The woman-like bearing Of
the devoted young girl-sold1er had SO i'm
pressed him that he discharged the young
Romeo. The same day the pair became
man and wife. The husband re-enlisted
later and made good soldier.
Sister Enlisted With Brother.
A story is told to the effect that while
the army was at and near Chattanooga,
Col Burke Of the 10th Ohio exchanged
large number Of prisoners with the "rebs."
The colonel noticed a particularly natty
young soldier in the lot he received, and
who gave the name Of Frank Henderson Of
the 10Th Illinois. 1t developed that this
soldier was a young girl and that She and
her brother had enlisted at the breaking
out OF the war in the 18th Illinois.
The pair were orphans and were devoted
to each other. and she could not bear the
thought Of being separated from the
brother who had been her only companion
from babyhood. At the expiration of her
enlistment for three months In this regi-
ment she was mustered out and next en-
listed In the Sd Illinois, where her sex was
not discovered. and in which regiment she
made a most excellent record. being wound
ed In one Of the engagements
She was again discharged and sent home,
only to re-enlist in the 18th Illinois. serving
in all the battles Of Col. O'Mara's regiment
Springs. The girl-solder was taken to At
lanta. Ga. where. in attempting to escape,
she was shot in the leg. During her con-
inement in the prison hospital her sex was
not discovered. After recovering from the
wound inflicted by the prison guard she
was sent to Graysville. where she was ex-
changed and sent to her Illinois home.
Brave Mary Owens.
Perhaps in all the tales Of. war there
could not be found a more devoted Incl
dent than that Of the enlistment Of Mary
Owens at Danville. Pa. This woman want
ed to accompany her husband to the war
and share with him its hardships and its
victories When she had fully made UP
her mind she went to the enlisting officer,
pa ssed the examination and gave the name
of John Evans.
In the same company the brave little wo-
man marched to the front with the man
she loved and whom she had married
against the wishes Of her parents Side by
side the faithful pair fought until a ball
from the enemy killed the husband. Even
here the heroic woman did not forget her
self and the part she was playing in the
service. After the husband had been buried
the sOldierwife took up her musket and
marched with her comrades. But it was
only until the next battle, for in this she
was severely wounded.
When she was able to be sent home she
was discharged, and on the papers was
written. "A more faithful soldier never
snouldered musket:" Back to the desc
none too soon. for after a few weeks there
came to comfort her handsome little boy.
To this day the people in that Pennsylva-
ma town know and respect the Mary Owens
who went to the war.
Another girl who enlisted in a Pennsylva-
MIA regiment was Charles Martin" scarce
ly more than thirteen. She went to the
'front.' as drummer boy. and was univer-
sal fayortte with officers and men. Not one
OF them ever suspected her sex, and 1t was
not until after many months, when she was
stricken with fever and sent to a hospital
IN fhlladeiphia. that 1t was known that the
falr drummer boy was In truth and in fact
a girl Even when the discovery was made
and the regiment notified every effort was
made to have her come back and take up
her drum, but relatives interfered and she
was forced to remain home.
Strange Case Of Devotion.
One OF the strangest cases of devotion to
country was brought out in the enlistment
OF young girl at Brooklyn, NJ Y, and
her death on the field Of battle 1t ap-
pears from all the circumstances that the
girl believed she was called by Providence
to go to the front and see that the Union
forces were led to victory. The parents of
the girl were cognizant Of all the beliefs
or Authorizations Of the girl and tried to
prevail upon her to put them aside, but
this she steadfastly refused TO do.
As last resort they had her sent to a
town In Michigan. where, II was believed
that by change of climate ana scenes she
would recover This. however proved the
worst thing that the parents, could have
done, for she succeeded in making her es-
cape from the nurses, and, going to De-
troit, enlisted with Michigan regiment
as a drummer boy. 'With,the Army Of the
Cumberland she endured ali the hardships
through which that brave body Of fighters
went At the battle of Lookout Mountain
a ball OF the enemy wounded her in the
side, and when the surgeon made an ex-
animation of the wound her sex was dis
covered. -
The surgeon realized that the wound
would prove fatal and told her that she
must give her right name and address, so
that her father and mother could be COM
municated with. This the poor girl fought
against almost to the very last, but final
ly yielded and told ALL She, had the sur
geon write her father a letter In which
she said that she did not regret the course
she had taken. but did hatelto die before
she had accomplished her purpose and
to lead the federal army to certain
victory.
Miss Major Pauline Cushman.
Miss Major Pauline Cushman was one OF