Someone shared this interesting video with me showing a photograph of Confederates captured around Fairfax Courhouse, Virginia in June 1863. The gentleman in the video believes that one of the prisoners is a woman. I'm assuming the reason is because of the seemingly bulging chest.
What do you think?
Lots of other interesting information in this video beyond just the possible woman soldier part.
Today marks the 160th anniversary of the landing of William T. Sherman's squadron just north of Vicksburg in an early attempt to capture the important river city. It was a dismal failure for the Federals. Among Sherman's soldiers was Almeda Hart. She was disguised as "James Strong" so that she could accompany her husband, Henry, in the 127th Illinois Infantry. Here is a short video I made showing viewers where Almeda an Henry landed and the area where she was riding as she delivered messages during the Battle of Chickasaw Bayou for David Stuart's brigade of Morgan Smith's division. You can read more about Almeda and other women soldiers in my book Behind the Rifle: Women Soldiers in Civil War Mississippi. Also, if you attend my presentations, I open with a reading of the letter Almeda sent to her mother.
In a previous post [click here], I shared a part of a letter written by Sgt. William Henry Austin of the 109th New York Infantry. He knew Rosetta Wakeman from back home and mentioned that he encountered her at Soldiers Rest in Alexandria, Virginia. What is interesting is that at the time, she was serving as Pvt. Lyons Wakeman in the 153rd New York Infantry and sported an "insipid moustache." Despite the disguise, Austin nevertheless recognized her. In this post, I wanted to share images and information of Soldiers Rest where he encountered her prior to the 153rd New York's assignment to the western theater where Wakeman and her regiment participated in the ill-fated Red River Campaign. Rosetta ultimately would not live to see the end of the war as she succumbed to dysentery in June 1864.
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| Rosetta Wakeman sans "insipid moustache" |
I got my author's copies of the paperback version of my book in the mail today. It wasn't supposed to be out until next month. Rather, it will ship next week!
I'm so glad they kept the cover the same!
You can order the hardback, paperback, or ebook at the University of Press website by clicking [HERE]. Fake plant not included.
Until next formation.....rest.
A reader sent me a link to an auction house that sold a letter written by Sgt. William Henry Austin of the 109th New York Infantry. He was a childhood friend of Rosetta Wakeman and was a bit surprised to see her in the uniform of a soldier when her regiment, the 153rd New York Infantry, was passing through Alexandria, Virginia. Austin says her unit was bound for Texas, but they ended up in Louisiana and participated in the ill-fated Red River Campaign. What I found especially intriguing about Austin's letter is the fact that he observed that she sported "an insipid moustache, highly colored."
The amazing account of Pvt. Jennie Jenkins has been documented previously in secondary sources. Apparently, she enlisted openly as a woman in the Butternut Valley Guards. This was in 1862, and I began to wonder if this is the first instance of a female serving under her true identity as a documented soldier in the ranks in our country's history.
This article will detail my adventure in researching Jennie Jenkins, which will serve as another installment in my Finding series. Other women soldiers I have previously included in the series include Elizabeth Quinn (Frances Hook), "William Bradley," and Sophronia Hunt Smith.
My publisher has announced that my book, Behind the Rifle, Women Soldiers in Civil War Mississippi, will be offered in paperback form beginning this fall. The estimated ship date is currently September, which means you would have your order in time for Christmas!
Click the link for more details: https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/B/Behind-the-Rifle
Recently, I came across a movie called The Confederate (2018). Based on the novel, Perfect Disguise (2005) by Linda Hawke, the film depicts events in Georgia and centers around a female soldier named Willa Randall. See a link at the bottom for the full length video on YouTube.
