"Miriam Rivers" - A Civil War Novel (1865)

Published by Barclay & Co. from Philadelphia, this 1865 novel, Miriam Rivers, The Lady Soldier or General Grant's Spy, is set in an unnamed Midwestern town.  From the beginning, readers will note contradictions in reality and that things aren't what they seem.  For instance, the furniture of Miriam's cottage appears costly but isn't.  Miriam's sister, Edith, is wearing a plain dress when the author introduces the reader to the family.  Yet, there is nothing plain about her beauty.  Miriam is slightly above medium height, but doesn't appear to be that tall.  She isn't stout but yet her appearance exudes "strength and endurance."  The author is using these contradictions to foreshadow things to come with Miriam.  And while Rivers defies societal norms, her actions show that she is nevertheless able to remain within the sphere of Victorian womanhood.

The war has just begun, and a reader first sees Miriam, Edith, and their mother in their cottage sewing a flag for the regiment just about to leave for the front.  Miriam gazes out of the window at the men from the town enthusiastically enlisting in the service.  Patriotism permeates the air, and the girl finds herself stirred.  Her father would have gone to fight if he were alive.  And Miriam laments that she wasn't a man so she could go to war.

Instead of a soldier, however, Miriam initially plans to serve as a nurse and actually recruited a company of two dozen others who desired to follow suit.  But the government refused to accept them.  So Miriam and the ladies resorted to preparing bandages and other medical supplies.   She also began to teach.  But as time slipped away, so too did her resignation to endure "woman's work."  And finally after the Battle of Manassas Junction (Bull Run), Miriam made her decision.  "I have no father, no brother, no lover to send, so I shall go myself."

How did Edith and their invalid mother react to Miriam's decision?  Did they accept her plans?  Did they disown her?  Or did they even know what she was about to do?  You'll have to read the novel to find out!

But she had indeed hopped a train to another city where nobody would recognize her.  There, she enlisted as "Marion Somerville." in Captain Eugene Sutherland's company.  However, her size was of a concern, and Sutherland hired her as his clerk instead of allowing her to serve in the ranks as a private soldier.  This is somewhat confusing because she ended up participating in drill and served picket duty.  If the captain had indeed hired her, she was not technically an enlisted soldier and would not have performed the duties a soldier would.  I wrote an article about servants and orderlies, which you can read by clicking [HERE].

Time passed, and Miriam came down with a fever.  As a result, a protective and concerned Sutherland forbade her from serving picket duty or the like and detailed her as a nurse in a hospital.  Remember, in the beginning of the war, nurses were men .  It was socially unacceptable for a woman to care for a man who was not her husband.  Of course, things changed as the war progressed and women were eventually allowed to serve as nurses.

At any rate, it was Sutherland who nursed Miriam while she burned with fever, and a reader begins to see a different kind of burn within her - the flickering of deep feelings for her captain.    But she can't let him know!   Besides, he loves another.

After working in the hospital, Rivers found herself promoted first to orderly sergeant and then to lieutenant after those ranks became vacant after the men who had been in those positions either died or was discharged due to illness.  She was certainly liked and well respected by the men of her company.

Days went by and still Miriam and her comrades had not yet met the enemy in combat.  And then, she was chosen to deliver secret and important information to General Grant at Cairo.  The messenger turned spy, however, as Rivers volunteered for the mission outlined in the information she presented to Grant.  The general expressed his doubts as to her capabilities though.  The "young lad" standing in front of him was very small and obviously inexperienced.  Yet, he relented when the lieutenant moved him by a show of patriotism and deep devotion to cause and country.

What was her mission?  What did she experience?  Was she successful?   You'll have to read the novel. 

After the mission was over, the general granted Miriam a furlough, which she took advantage of to return home.  Did her mother and sister recognize her?

But soon it was time to return to the war, and the female lieutenant and her secret love found themselves embroiled in such hot contests as Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Murfreesboro.  Through it all, Miriam encountered men from back home.  Did they recognize her?  What were their experiences?  Did they escape the murderous affairs?   Follow the adventures of Miriam Rivers and her male companions across battlefields and in POW camps by reading the novel.

The author, who is only known by the initials "M.C.P.,"  concludes with the following:

If I have succeeded in explaining and interesting you in the feelings which have prompted noble women in all ages to do heroic acts, I am amply repaid. 'Who can tell how many JOANs OF ARC our great republic contains? We know that many of our women have laid their lives upon the altar of our country, as well on the battle-field as in the hospitals.

His words show that even novel writers of the time were aware of - and respected - women soldiers and the sacrifices they made on the battlefield.

The novel, Miriam Rivers, the Lady Soldier, is available to read or download for free by clicking [HERE].


Other period novels containing a woman soldier as the central character that I have posted about before are:

Dora, the Heroine of the Cumberland

The Lady Lieutenant and Castine

Until next formation...rest.