They Fought in the Mexican War, too!

Even though my blog centers around women who fought during the Civil War, I have occasionally strayed from this focus to highlight women combatants of other conflicts.  See my previous post about female fighters in the American Revolution (HERE)  and, more recently, the women of Waterloo (HERE).  In this post, I am going to discuss the women soldiers who fought in the Mexican War, 1846-1848.

Signed frontpiece of Allen's memoirs; New York Public Library

Eliza Allen Billings wrote about her experiences as "George Mead" in her 1851 autobiography, The Female Volunteer:  Or the Life and Wonderful Adventures of Miss Eliza Allen, A Young Lady of Eastport, Maine.  Eliza fell in love with William Billings who worked for her father, George Allen.  Since the Billings family was poor, he did not approve of the romance and forbade the couple to see each other.  Thinking military service would gain him respect, William enlisted to fight in the Mexican War.  Eliza soon followed him disguised as "George Mead."  Her adventures as a soldier took her to the battlefields of Monterey and  Cerro Gordo where she was wounded but remained undiscovered.  Both mustered out and their adventures continued in the gold fields of California.  Later, Eliza saved William from a shipwreck.  In 1849, both returned to Eastport, Maine having achieved some success in prospecting.  Eliza's parents, relieved to be reunited with their daughter, finally allowed her to marry William.