Jane Perkins Buried in Hollywood Cemetery is NOT the Soldier Jane Perkins - Here's Why

Like so many women soldiers, Jane Perkins exited the stage of history leaving an impression on soldiers she encountered.  Indeed, a number of men wrote about her, either as fellow prisoners of war at Point Lookout or her Federal captors who described the Irish woman as unruly.  She appears to have been quite an interesting character, one whose story is incomplete as she seems to have disappeared from the records after she was released from military prison.  Some modern researchers have attempted to fill in the blanks, which I greatly appreciate the effort.  It is quite a chore to document people of the past who didn't want to be found.  I speak from twenty-years experience.  But there are mistakes that have crept into Jane Perkins's story, and I wanted to address them with my most current research.

Women Soldiers at Old Capitol Prison

My friend, Aaron, recently pointed me to a website which includes a virtual recreation of the Old Capitol Prison.  He recalled me mentioning that women soldiers were held there and thought I would be interested in seeing these images.   Indeed I would.  And you probably would, too.  First, let's start with a period photograph.

Old Capitol Prison, Library of Congress

Old Capitol Prison, virtually recreated

Supplement to My Article "Hidden in Plain Sight" (Military Images, Spring 2019): JANE PERKINS

In a previous blog post, I shared a teaser video in which I revealed that I had discovered an individual in a photograph who may have been a woman.  Based upon my research of military documents, newspapers, and soldiers' letters and diaries, I developed a theory as to who this person possibly was, if she were indeed a woman.  And so Mark and I tag teamed on an article about this photograph and the possible woman soldier it contained.  It has been been published in Military Images magazine (Spring 2019).  Visit the Military Images magazine website by clicking [HERE] to learn how to purchase this magazine.

Cover for the Spring 2019 Edition of Military Images Magazine

From Books to Battlefields: Women Soldiers as Students and Teachers

And just like that, my summer is over, and it's time to go back to school.   While I love my job as a college instructor and have been blessed to have taught with some of the most amazing people throughout my career at all levels, I defy you to find a teacher who rues the end of summer vacation.

Rising Tides and Fallen Heroines at Alton

What was to become the military prison at Alton, Illinois began as a state penitentiary in 1833.  However, Dorthea Dix declared the facility unfit to house inmates due to its dirt floors and unsanitary conditions.  It closed in 1860, and the prisoners were then transferred to a new facility located in Joliet outside Chicago. It reopened two years later as a military prison with the first Confederate prisoners arriving by steamer from the overcrowded Gratiot Street Military Prison in St. Louis, a little over 20 miles south of Alton.

http://madison.illinoisgenweb.org/prison.html