Occasionally, I see period images of women soldiers and letters written by male soldiers about them come up for auction. These items often involve previously undocumented women soldiers or contain valuable information that adds to the narratives of the women researchers like me have already written about. Regardless, these pieces are tangible and exciting connections to the stories that comprise a small and intriguing part of Civil War history.
Named after Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr., a businessman and philanthropist based in Oregon, Pamplin Park is a site of of what has been typically referred to as "the Breakthrough." The Federals were able to successfully break the Confederate lines during this attack occurring April 2nd, 1865. This concluded the nearly year-long Petersburg Campaign and ultimately the end of the war as Confederates evacuated the capital at Richmond. Today, Pamplin Park encompasses over 400 acres and multiple museums, trails, and historic homes. Also today, the park has been in financial trouble, which has led to closures, cancellations, and limited visits to appointment only. But a month ago, the park announced that walk-in visits would be allowed on the weekends. I have been to Pamplin Park a couple of times and enjoyed my time. So the American Battlefield Trust's announcement recently that they were attempting to acquire the campus was welcome news.
There are no woman soldier connection to this site that I am currently aware of. But back in 2019, Mark gifted me a plaque placed on a bench there in my name. Here is a picture of it. I haven't been back, so I don't know if it is even still there. I certainly hope so! I also hope the Trust can save this property not only for history's sake but also for the preservation of this thoughtful gift that Mark gave me memorializing the brave women soldiers I have been researching for nearly fifteen years now.
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The Battlefield Trust announced recently an opportunity to purchase over 1,000 acres at Chickasaw Bayou. This was the North's first major attempt to take the vital city of Vicksburg. Previous expeditions had failed without truly threatening the city with Holly Springs being the most notable.
I've dabbled with AI to animate photos of woman soldiers, which you can see on my YouTube channel. I've got others I have not publicized yet but will at some point. I want to go back and re-work some of them. But they're neat, and I've used some in my presentations to add to the attendees' experience. AI is controversial today, but it can certainly serve as a positive tool. In the case of historical topics, these enhanced photos and videos can humanize the individuals we study and bring them closer to us.
You can find various AI videos on YouTube. Some are great. Others are goofy. I came across this video I found especially intriguing because it contains a couple of Civil War women soldiers.
My latest venture into using AI to try to bring women soldiers of the Civil War to life involves working with Almeda Butler Hart who served as a mounted courier for General David Stuart's brigade during the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou. Almeda and Henry were newlyweds, and she didn't want to be separated from him when he enlisted.
The audio and video are not perfectly synched. But I think it's still effective in giving life to this extraordinary woman. The picture I used is of a younger Almeda when she was a teenager before the war. She was actually around 25 at the time of Chickasaw Bayou. At the end of the video, I included a picture of her as she was closer to her time of service. I didn't use it in the video throughout because the quality is rather poor.
In this video, Mark and I talk about Federal efforts to dig canals to facilitate their goal of investing the city of Vicksburg, deemed to be the "key" to a Union victory by President Abraham Lincoln. A camp was established at Lake Providence to serve as a base while these operations were going on. Among the soldiers there were at least two women soldiers. In this video, we talk about this location and the women there.
For more, read this previous blog post [HERE].
I have been to Grand Gulf multiple times. The last time was three years before I even considered writing a book. But regardless of how many times you visit a place, it seems you always learn something or notice things that had eluded your attention previously. Or your research yields new information that has connections to artifacts or locations already familiar to you. Such revelations then render the milieu of that space fresh and exciting. Almost like an awakening. This certainly happened during this latest visit to Grand Gulf. A port on the Mississippi River, it was named for a whirlpool and incorporated in 1833.
Jennie Hodgers, an illiterate Irish immigrant, enlisted in Co. G of the 95th Illinois Infantry in August 1862. She was 19 years old, 5'3" with red hair and blue eyes. She was a veteran of such battles and campaigns as Vicksburg, Nashville, Red River, Brice's Crossroads, and Mobile. Upon the conclusion of her three-year-enlistment, she mustered out with her secret intact, which she preserved until 1911 when state senator Ira Lish accidentally backed over her with his car, breaking her hip. A doctor discovered her true sex, but those close to her agreed to keep her secret, which was maintained until 1913 when her story was leaked to the press. Soon, people from all over the world would read about Pvt. Albert Cashier of the 95th Illinois Infantry. Hodgers died of an infection from a broken hip in 1915 and is buried in Saunemin, Illinois. She was given a full military funeral and was interred in her uniform. She had been a member of her local GAR post and received a pension for her military service.
Search my blog for multiple articles I have written about her.
Animation made by My Heritage using an actual photo of Hodgers. The result is interesting because it shows a softness and femininity to her face.
It has been an honor to give women soldiers of the Civil War a voice
through my research. And now, I am excited to be able to give them life
through AI. This short video highlights the story of Rosetta Wakeman.
I wrote the script myself and included some of her own words from her
letters. I made the video with Deep Story by My Heritage using the actual photo of her. I didn't
like the voice generated from the website, so I extracted it and used
another AI voice found on Narakeet. Consequently, the sound
and animation are not perfectly synched. But I tried my best. This
voice isn't perfect either, and if I find one I like better, I'll redo
the video. This will suffice for now. If you search my blog, you will find multiple posts I have written about her.
Meet Private Lyons Wakeman
Part of the Federal spring offensive in 1864 involved launching a campaign to capture Atlanta, a major manufacturing and railroad hub for the Confederacy. The first major clash between Union forces led by William T. Sherman and the defensive-minded Joseph E. Johnston occurred at Resaca.
