My Talks in Newark, Ohio and Fort Donelson, Tennessee, 7/14 and 7/16/15

Unlike the last time I traveled by train to speak, I actually showed up at the station on the correct day.  Mark picked me up in Illinois and off we went to Newark, Ohio where I would speak at the Licking County Library.  Doug Stout, who is Head of Circulation and Building Service was waiting for us and was wonderful with everything.  I met Doug last year when I saw him post on the Facebook page of Petersburg National Battlefield.  He was putting on a program at his library about the battle and was looking for interesting stories to share.  I responded to him with the account of the woman soldier unearthed at the Crater in 1866,  which I wrote about (HERE).  The next thing I know, we became friends and he invited me to speak at his library!  Of course, I was very honored.

Elizabeth Finnern

Grave of Elizabeth Finnern in the military section of South Park Cemetery, Greensburg, Indiana. She was a German immigrant who enlisted in the 81st Ohio Infantry with her husband, John.  Their last name was spelled in a variety of ways on muster rolls and newspaper articles.  The inscription at the bottom says "She served in male attire until her sex was detected when she was detailed as a nurse serving 3 years."

Photo by Mark Hidlebaugh

 Though she is commonly cited as a woman soldier, the author of this blog points out that it is doubtful as to whether she actually saw combat:

 http://decaturcountyhistory.blogspot.com/2012/03/elizabeth-finnern-woman-in-civil-war.html


Her service records confirm that she was mustered in as a laundress and not a soldier.

Fold3

However, her obituary records that "In times of danger she carried a musket just as did the soldiers and in all respects shared the rough life of the men about her.”  She also wore male clothing.  So she may have intended to serve as a soldier with her husband, but perhaps she was discovered early on and decided to enlist as a laundress instead.

In addition to serving as a laundress, she also assisted the surgeons.  Though she was not on the firing line, she did face danger while performing her duties and ended up suffering an injury when a mule kicked her while she was caring for a wounded soldier at Shiloh.  It was an ailment from which she never fully recovered. 

Until next formation...rest.