Early War Alabama Woman Soldier?

 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. 

Video: Animated Almeda Hart, alias "James Strong," 127th Illinois Infantry

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.

Video: Women Soldiers at Lake Providence, Louisiana

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].

Charmed, I'm Sure

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.              

Animated Jennie Hodgers, alias Pvt. Albert Cashier of the 95th Illinois Infantry

 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.

 

 

Animated Rosetta Wakeman, "Pvt. Lyons Wakeman," 153rd New York Infantry

 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

A German Immigrant Lost Her Life at Resaca 160 Years Ago Today

 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.

Video: The Grave of Fanny Wilson, Private of the 3rd Illinois Cavalry

Review of "Guts for Glory: The Story of Civil War Soldier Rosetta Wakeman"

 There are a few books about women soldiers geared towards young readers.  Courageous Women of the Civil War by Melinda Cordell comes to mind, as does  I'll Pass for Your Comrade by Anita Silvey.   Both books are suitable for youngsters around ten to twelve years old, and I thought both were well done and include information that adults would find interesting and useful.

Finding Mary Dennis

 

Mary Dennis - the tall, saucy lieutenant of Company B, 1st Minnesota Infantry.  After her discovery in 1861, newspapers carried her brief entrance into history all over the country, like this one.