Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-22
WOMEN In CIVIL WAR
Many Feminine Soldiers Serve as
Men in Army.
SEX UNDISCOVERED In MANY CASES

Husband and Wife Fought Side by
Side-Many Tales of Faithful De-
votion-Dr. Mary Walker Served as
Assistant Surgeon.
Although Ottumwa did not furnish
any feminine soldiers, yet a greater
number of women than one would sup
pose served as men in the civil war,
hiding their sex by wearing male ap
parel. Records of the war depart
ment disclose quite 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 publ
city than has DR.. Mary E. Walker, the
only commissioned assistant surgeon
of the gentler sex. That DR.. Walker
rendered valuable services but few
have ever questioned, and her record
is clear at the war department.
| One female who started to be a
soldier had a brief but entirely salts
factory career. This young girl en-
listed at Blue Licks, KY, and was
sworn into service. The physical eX-
animation amounted to practically
nothing, there being such demand
for recruits that almost anything in
the shape of man was readily and
speedily accepted. Although logged
out in boys clothes, there was some
thing about the new recruit which
convinced the surgeon on the follow
ing day that he was a deuced good
| looking female.
| The surgeon soon found his suspi-
cions well founded He asked the girl
why she 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 colo
mel was made acquainted with the
facts. The womanilke bearing of the
devoted young girl soldier had so i'm
pressed hin, that he discharged the
young Romeo. The same day the pair
became man and wife. The husband
re-enlisted later and made a good sol
der.
Brother and Sister Enlist.
A story is told to the effect that
while the army was at and near Chat
tanooga, Colonel Burke of the Tenth
Ohio exchanged a large number of
prisoners with the "rebs." The colo
mel noticed particularly natty young
soldier in the lot he received and who
gave the name of Frank Henderson
of the Nineteenth Illinois. II devel-
oped that this soldier was a young
girl and that she and her brother had
enlisted at the breaking out CT the
war in the Eleventh Illinois.
The pair were orphans and were de
voted to each other and she could not
, bear the thought of being separated
| from her brother who had been hel
, only companion from babyhood. Al
the expiration of her enlistment fol-
, three months in this regiment she was
mustered out and next enlisted in the
Third Illinois. where her sex was moi
: discovered. and in which regiment she
: made most excellent record, being
: wounded in one of the engagements.
: She was again discharged and sem
home only to re-enlist in the Nine
2 teenth Illinois, serving in all the bat
. ties of Col. O'Mara's regiment and fin
e ally being taken prisoner at Holl!
0 Springs. The girl soldier was taker
e to Atlanta, Ca. where, in attempting
: to escape she was shot in the leg. Dur
3 ing her confinement in tn,
d prison her sex was not discovered. Aft
er recovering from the wound inflict
ed by the prison guard, she was sen
to Graysville, where she was exchang
ed and sent to her Illinois home.
Two Brave Girls.
J. Perhaps in all the tales of war Their
t could not be found a more devoted in
l. cident than that of the enlistment O
l. Mary Owens at Danville, Pa. Thi
II woman wanted to accompany her hus
C band to the war and to share wit
e him its hardships and victories. Whe,
: she had fully made up her mind sh
n went to the enlisting officer,passed tn
examination and gave the name @
John Evans.
In. the same company the brave Iii
tie woman marched to the front wit
: the man she loved and whom she ma
ried against the wishes of her parent!
i, Side by side the faithful pair tough
r. until ball from the enemy killed he
= husband. Even here the heroic won
y and did not forget the part she wa
II playing in the service After the hui
v. band had been buried the soldier-wif
d took up her musket and marched wit
c. her comrades. But it was only unit
ell the next battle, for in this she wa
r. severely wounded.
When she was able to be sent HON
she was discharged and on the paper
was written, "a more faithful soldie
!. never shouldered a musket." Back
- the desolate home the brave littl
woman went, and none to soon, fc
: after few weeks there came to con
e fort her a handsome little boy. 7
* this day, the people in that Pennsy
Is vania town know and respect til
u Mary Owens who went to the war.
"a A Drummer Boy.
"a Another girl who enlisted in PEN
n sylvania regiment was Charles Ma
p tin scarcely more than 13. She wei
to the front as a drummer boy an
was a universal favorite with Officer
and men. Not one of them ever SUI
KS pected her sex and it was not unit
m after many months when she WE
st stricken with fever and sent to til
hospital in PHILADELPHIA. that it WE