A New Image of Jennie Hodgers ("Albert Cashier") Re-Emerges

 Jennie Hodgers, who served in Co. G of the 95th Illinois Infantry as Albert DJ Cashier, is perhaps one of the of the most recognizable women to have served as a soldier of the Civil War. I've written about her a number of times on this blog.  She continued to live in male disguise until 1913 when her secret succumbed to an accident with a vehicle and newspapers that shared the sensational event all over the world.  The men with whom she served soon began sharing their thoughts of "Albert."  One of whom was Robert Horan, who served as a corporal in Co. G.  In one of his letters recounting events of the 1913 veterans reunion to Robert Ives, who served as a sergeant in Co. G, Horan mentioned listening to a letter written by another comrade in the unit describing an event when 

Gleason & Cashier got under the Pup Tent so that Gen McArthur & Col Humphrey could see them

A pup tent, also called a dog tent, was a small shelter that resembled a dog house.  They were small and open at both ends, 

 

 

Gleason was Charles H. Gleason.  According to the descriptive roll, he was 6'3 3/4".  You might as well just say 6'4".  This was huge for the time.  And Hodgers was 5'3".  So, my friend, Gloria, believes that this incident was a stunt to show the tallest and smallest soldiers in the unit. 

Horan went on to say that after the letter was read, he rose from his seat and

held in hand a photo of the long & short.  I allso showed them a photo [of] Cashier taken in 64.  I allso showed a photo of him as he looks to day at Quinsey. 

One of the Comrades took all 3 & passed them around so all could see them. 

Quincy was the location of a soldiers home where Hodgers was sent in her aging state.  Mark and I visited the location a number of years ago.  You can read more by clicking [here].  

The photos Horan referred to are readily viewable online.

 

 

But wait.  There's more!  My friend, Gloria, who has been doggedly researching Jennie Hodgers/Albert Cashier, excitedly contacted me last week with a previously unseen photo she found in a modern newspaper article.  The piece recounted a woman who was going through her great grandfather's memorabilia from his service in the 95th Illinois Infantry and saw a photo of Hodgers in his album along with a yellowed article detailing her military service in her great grandfather's regiment.

 Here is the image:

"Cashier & Gleason"

Given that this photo was printed in a modern newspaper, it is not "new," which is why I used the term "re-emerges" in the title of this post.  It is publicly documented.  But it seems to have largely been forgotten.  Where is it today?  Has it remained in the woman's family?  Is it being preserved in an institution somewhere?  And here are more questions.  Horan mentioned three photos.  The pictures above of Hodgers by herself taken in 1864 and the one of her in the soldiers' home were separate.  So there should really be four.  Is this photo of Hodgers and Gleason standing the "long & short" Horan referred to?

The tall man is identified by the writing at the bottom of the photo as Gleason, who would be Charles Gleason.  And this is undoubtedly the same man sitting next to Hodgers in one of the previous images.  The difference in height is lessened due to them being seated versus standing.

The disparity is a bit humorous but illustrates the diversity in not only the size of Civil War soldiers but who made up the soldierly.  The long and short of it indeed.  

 Many thanks to Gloria for sending me this photo and allowing me to share it. 

 Until next formation....rest.