Year: 1863

who suspected me attacked me in an out
ofthe way place, when had to defend
myself, and after giving warning, shot
him with four shooter. / meant to dis
able his arm, but he stepped so quick
that the ball entered his face and found
its way under his skull cap. ! attended
him for two weeks till he was ont of dan
ger, but would not let him speak to me.
When he attempted l told him l should
leave unless he desisted, and then he
would not. Others wondered much, but
did not understand and said was fool
ish boy. After i left him he sent me a
written apology, very humble, and beg
ging forgivness in such manner that l
lorgave him.


remained, with few Interruptions or
difficulties, as Orderly for the Major, but
by and by he was taken sick, and took
the Louisia4a fever, and had the erysip-
elias, and was very homesick. This was
last January. The Major got turloughs
for us both. l accompanied him to
Northern ILL.,, his home, and then went to
Michigan. On the way my health be-
came good again. assumed female
dress when l came TO the place where l
had lived with my husband-Pleasant
Valley, near Detroit. I stayed about four
weeks, then started out again, and took
male dress. Meantime the Major resign
ed.


l had resolved to join my brother
again at New Orleans. He was my on
ly stay in the world. l travelled by rail
to Cairo, and thence to Memphis on the
steamer Belle Memphis, and from Mem
phis on another boat to Lake Providence.
l heard of the illness of college mate Of
my dead brother, and found him (the col
lege friend) in the hospital at Lake Prov
idence. He was also our cousin on moth
er's side. went to the hospital and
STAYED two weeks, nursing him till he died.
Then took boat to Cairo, in order to
60 to New York, and from thence by
ship to New Orleans, but on the way, not
getting my trunk checked, / lost it with
500 in gold and some greenbacks, re-
volyer that cost $50, and an ivory hand
led stiletto.


The trunk was to heavy fof me TO car
ry to the statoroom, and the porter neg
lected to do it, and next morning il was
missing. Then l had left only money
enough to take me to St. Louis, where l
concluded | must 90 and try to get work.
| got here about the goth of March or
lst part of April, and went first to the
Taylor House, but stayed only short
time, when [ got work az the Everett
House as dining room boy. I was all
the time anxious and nearly distracted
about my only remaining brother, from
whom could hear nothing, and after
writing to him in vain, l wrote homo and
received letter that be had died of fe.
yer. So | was left all alone. At the
Everett House / succeeded rs waiter ,and
my sex was not discovered though / had
to sleep with a boy. could not knead
bread, but conld make pastry, having
learned it as pastime. | had to be
among the boys as one of them, and they
urged me to go to the Bowery and Vari-
eties, till at last / consented, and went
one night with Jimmy to the Bowery.-
We were followed by two fellows of the
house, who accused US both of being girls
which l denied; but Jimmy said he was
one. One of them went of with him and
the other stayed by me and l could not
get rid Of him, but would not go back to
the hotel for fear of trouble. AT last l
told him he must leave or l would call n
@atchmah; he refused, and the alteration
drew the attention of whtchman across
the street who called us TO come to him.
/ told him to come to us. Then l said,
"what shall l do? for l really am a
girl" Ny companion told me to run up