Women in the Civil War

by Larry G. Eggleston

  The reason she gave for enlisting was to avenge the deaths of her father and brother. She was discharged from the 10th Ohio Cavalry and sent home. It is not known if she enlisted in another regiment to continue her quest for revenge.

  Hatty Robinson—Woman Soldier

  The Baltimore provost marshal’s office arrested a young female dressed as a Union soldier on Saturday October 15, 1861. Her name was Hatty Robinson, and this is her story as she related it to the provost police.

  Hatty Robinson was born in Auburn, New York, in 1842. She reported that she was married to Lieutenant Fuller of the 46th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment, Company F. Her statement to the provost marshal that her husband was a lieutenant may have been made to impress him. Records do show that a Charles D. Fuller was a private in Company D of the 46th Pennsylvania Infantry but do not show a Lieutenant Fuller.

  She had been disguised as a man for several months and joined the 46th Pennsylvania as Pvt. Charles D. Fuller. She stated that all the officers of the regiment were aware of her sex, including the surgeon and assistant. When she enlisted, a doctor at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, examined her. The examination was held in private. She did not recall the doctor’s name, only that he was tall and portly with black hair, whiskers, and dark eyes.

  She stated that her guardian was W. H. Pickett of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Her only relative was an uncle who was a clerk at the Franklin Hotel in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His name was George Whitney.

  Hatty was arrested at the hotel near the Northern Central Railroad depot in Baltimore, Maryland. She stated that she was on her way from Washington, D. C., to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and stopped over in Baltimore for the night. She gave her disguise away after drinking four glasses of ale in the hotel bar. After four drinks it became hard for her to maintain her disguise and an alert provost marshal spotted her and she was promptly arrested.

  She stated that Colonel Joseph Farmer Knipe, the commander of the 46th Pennsylvania, had induced her to accompany him to Washington and that he had bought her train tickets. She further stated that she was traveling under the name Charles D. Knipe on her way to Harrisburg. When she arrived home in Harrisburg, she was planning to change back into female attire and rejoin the regiment as a female nurse.

  One wonders if the entire story she relates was a fabrication because the 46th Pennsylvania Infantry was not mustered into Federal service until October 31, 1861, and she was arrested on October 5, 1861, at which time the 46th was still being formed and trained. If her account is true, then she may have been a recruit in training and after discovery was being sent home to Harrisburg where she planned to become a nurse and return to the 46th Regiment.

  It is not known if she re-enlisted in another regiment as a soldier under an assumed name or if she served as a nurse during the war.

  Louisa Hoffman—Woman Soldier

  Being a heroine to both the Union and the Confederate armies was quite a feat. This was the case of a young woman from New York City who enlisted in the Confederate army when the Civil War began. Her name was Louisa Hoffman.

  When the Civil War broke out, she left New York and headed south where she enlisted in the 1st Virginia Confederate Cavalry. While serving with the 1st Virginia Cavalry, she fought in both battles of Manassas/Bull Run and many battles in between. After the second Battle of Manassas/Bull Run in August 1862, she had a change of heart and realized that she was on the wrong side— being a northern girl, her loyalties were with the Union.

  She switched sides and enlisted in the 1st Ohio Infantry Regiment as a cook. After a period of time she became bored with this assignment and longed for the excitement of the soldier in the field. On August 22, 1864, she enlisted in Battery C of the 1st Tennessee Artillery as Pvt. John Hoffman. Her desire for excitement had been fulfilled, but it was short lived. The next day, August 23, 1864, she made a fatal mistake and her sex was discovered. She was promptly arrested by Lieutenant Fletcher of the 1st Tennessee Artillery Regiment and taken to the provost marshal’s office in Nashville.

  While being questioned by the provost marshal, Private John Hoffman revealed her real name to be Louisa Hoffman and told her story. She was discharged and sent home.

  Elizabeth A. Niles—Woman Soldier

  It is rare indeed to find a woman soldier who fought for three full years with the same regiment without her gender being discovered. Elizabeth Niles was such a woman, who, at the side of her husband, Martin, fought most of the major battles of the Civil War without an injury or sickness.

  Elizabeth and her husband Martin Niles were on their honeymoon in mid-April 1861 when the Civil War began. After a few months, it was obvious that the war was not going to be over in the short period originally forecast. Martin Niles, being a patriotic American, decided to enlist and do his part in preserving the Union.

  When Elizabeth heard of his plans she decided that she wanted to stay with her husband and enlist in the same regiment disguised as a man. Martin agreed to this plan and Elizabeth cut her hair short, donned men’s clothing and in August 1861, they both enlisted in the 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment for a three-year tour of duty.

  The 4th New Jersey Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Olden, Trenton, New Jersey, and mustered into Federal service on August 19, 1861.

  During the three years Elizabeth spent with the 4th New Jersey Infantry, she participated in many major battles, including: Siege of Yorktown, April 5—May 4, 1862; Battle of Gaines’s Mill, June 27, 1862; Battle of Second Manassas/Bull Run, August 28–30, 1862; Battle of Crampton’s Pass/South Mountain, September 14, 1862; Battle of Antietam, September 16–17, 1862; Battle of Fredericksburg, December 11–13, 1862; Battle of Chancelorsville, May 1–4, 1863; Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3, 1863; Battle of the Wilderness, May 5–6, 1864; Battle of Spotsylvania Court House, May 4–8, 1864; Battle of Bloody Angle, May 12, 1864; Battle of Cold Harbor, June 1–12, 1864; Battle of Petersburg, June 16–18, 1864.

  Elizabeth and her husband were mustered out at Trenton, New Jersey, with the rest of the non-veterans on September 7, 1864, at the end of their three-year enlistment. The remainder of the regiment was then consolidated with the 7th New Jersey Infantry Regiment on November 6, 1864.

  During the three years the 4th New Jersey Infantry Battalion was in existence, it lost a total of 223 men; 12 officers and 126 enlisted men were killed and 85 enlisted men died from disease.

  Martin Niles died a few years after the war ended. Elizabeth lived the rest of her life in Raritan, New Jersey, where on October 1, 1920, she died at the age of 92.

  The Raritan newspaper printed this account of her death:

  Mrs. Elizabeth A. Niles who with close cropped hair and wearing a uniform, concealed her sex and is said to have fought beside her husband during the Civil War is dead here today, aged 92.

  To have participated in so many major battles and endured all the horrors of war along with the other soldiers demonstrates the true heroism of Elizabeth Niles. Knowing that she could have walked away from the war at any time, she stood firm and continued to do her duty. This clearly makes her an extraordinary woman and a true American heroine.

  Mary Seaberry—Woman Soldier

  It was July 1862 and the Civil War had been raging for 16 months when a 17-year-old Columbus, Ohio, girl decided to enlist in the army as a man. Her name was Mary Seaberry. She felt a patriotic duty to serve her country. She also had a strong desire for the adventure and excitement of being in an army during wartime.

  Mary began her adventure by cutting her hair short and getting used to wearing men’s clothing. She practiced walking and talking like a man and when she felt she was prepared, she enlisted in Company F of the newly formed 52nd Ohio Infantry Regiment as Private Charles Freeman.

  The 52nd Ohio Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Dennison, Ohio, in June 1862. They were mustered into Federal service in August 1862.

  During the time she was with the 52nd Ohio Infantry Private Freeman participated in the following battles: B
attle of Richmond, Kentucky, August 29–30, 1862; Skirmish at Lexington, Kentucky, September 2, 1862; Pursuit of General Bragg to Crab Orchard, Kentucky, October 3–15, 1862; Battle of Perryville, Kentucky, October 8, 1862.

  Mary Seaberry as Private Freeman performed her duties as a soldier and adapted to army life very well. Her disguise and manner never gave anyone in her regiment even the slightest hint that she was not a man.

  On November 7, 1862, she was admitted to General Hospital in Lebanon, Kentucky, suffering from a severe fever. She was transferred from the Lebanon hospital to a hospital in Louisville, Kentucky, for treatment. On November 10, 1862, the Louisville hospital personnel discovered that Private Charles Freeman was a woman. Upon regaining her health she was discharged on December 13, 1862, on the basis of sexual incompatibility.

  Mary served only five months with the 52nd Ohio Infantry. In that short period of service she distinguished herself as a brave, loyal Union soldier, and a credit to her country.

  It is not known if she re-enlisted in another regiment under a different alias. If she did, she did so undetected.

  Pvt. Charley—Woman Soldier

  Little is known about Pvt. Charley. Only brief accounts of her life in the Civil War and her tragic death have been recorded.

  Charley enlisted in Company H of the 14th Iowa Infantry at the age of eighteen, with her friend Leroy A. Crane. She enlisted as Pvt. Charley (last name unknown) to be with Captain Crane who was assigned as Commander of Company H. Captain Crane assigned Charley to be his personal aide.

  The 14th Iowa Infantry was formed and mustered into Federal service in Davenport, Iowa, on November 6, 1861. They fought at Ft. Henry on February 2–6, 1862, Ft. Donelson on February 16, 1862, and at Shiloh on April 6–7, 1862. At Shiloh, the 14th Iowa Infantry held center at the “Hornet’s Nest,” the Confederate nickname for a position in a wooded area on the left center of the Union line on the first day of battle. During the Battle of Shiloh, most of the 14th Iowa Regiment were captured by Confederate troops. They were exchanged on November 19, 1862.

  On April 12, 1863, the 14th Iowa Infantry Regiment arrived in Cairo, Illinois, for some rest and relaxation. Charley, accompanied by several other soldiers, attended the local theater that Saturday night. She was noticed by the local provost marshal and suspected to be a woman in uniform. The provost marshal had her arrested and taken to his office. Captain Leroy A. Crane, commander of Company H, came to her rescue and got her released into his custody on the promise that she would dress in proper woman’s clothing and resume her normal life.

  The news of this event quickly leaked out and spread through the camp like wildfire. The soldiers in the camp became very curious. A large group of men soon gathered outside of Captain Crane’s quarters hoping for a chance to see her.

  The regimental commander was informed about the incident and the gathering of men at Captain Crane’s quarters. He sent his adjutant to investigate the situation.

  Realizing that her secret was out and that she was the talk of the camp was devastating to her. Considering all she had been through in the eighteen months she fought with the regiment, the embarrassment and ensuing discharge were too much for her to bear.

  She took Captain Crane’s revolver from his room, stepped out of his quarters onto the parade ground in front of the men, placed the muzzle of the pistol to her heart and fired. She fell dead without a groan or exclamation of any kind.

  No one could find out her true name or her reasons for following Captain Crane into the war. Captain Crane kept her secret and was mustered out of the regiment at the end of his enlistment on November 16, 1864.

  Charley fought bravely and proved to be as good a soldier as her comrades. She stood tall in some of the fiercest fighting of the Civil War. She loved the regiment and army life and could not bear being separated from Captain Crane or the regiment, the two loves of her life.

  Mary Owens Jenkins—Woman Soldier

  “A more faithful soldier never shouldered a musket” was the comment written on the medical file of a wounded woman soldier during her treatment. This brave woman was Mary Owens Jenkins, who distinguished herself as a fighting soldier during the Civil War.

  Mary Owens, a native of Danville, Pennsylvania, was just a schoolgirl when the Civil War began. She fell in love with a young man named William Evans and upon hearing that he was going to enlist in the Union army was determined to go with him. She discussed her plans with William, who agreed for her to go along. They also decided to get married prior to enlisting. They were soon married and, after a short honeymoon, put their plan into action.

  Mary cut her hair, dressed as a man and with her new husband enlisted in Company K of the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry. She enlisted under the name John Evans.

  Pvt. John Evans adapted well to army life and became a very reliable soldier. Her secret was safe and no one in the regiment even suspected that Pvt. Evans was anything but an excellent soldier.

  Mary and her husband fought side by side in several battles. During one of the battles Mary was wounded. The wound was not life threatening and her gender was not discovered during treatment. She was able to continue with the regiment and fought in the next battle.

  During the third battle in which she and her husband fought together, he was killed. Devastated by the loss of her husband, her resolve grew stronger and she wanted more than ever to continue fighting the Rebels. She stayed in the army and continued fighting with the regiment for the next 18 months.

  Her career as a fighting soldier came to an end when, during a fierce battle, she was struck in the chest by a minié ball. This wound was serious and required immediate medical attention. The surgeon attending her wound discovered that Pvt. John Evans was a woman. The surgeon noted on the hospital record, “A more faithful soldier never shouldered a musket.”

  Upon recovering from her wound she was discharged from the 9th Pennsylvania Cavalry. She had served undetected for 18 months and had been wounded twice.

  After the war she married a coal miner named Abraham Jenkins. She lived the rest of her life in Ohio. She died in 1881 and was buried in her village cemetery in Ohio. The local veterans decorated her grave to honor her for her courageous service.

  Frances Day—Woman Soldier

  Many women soldiers were killed in battle without their identity being discovered. Some who died in battle lived long enough after being wounded to reveal their story. Such was the case of Frances Day, a 19-year-old Pennsylvania girl.

  Frances Day was born in 1844 and was a native of Mifflin, Pennsylvania, 40 miles northwest of Harrisburg in Juniata County. She fell in love with a young man named William Fitzpatrick. William, in response to President Lincoln’s call for 75,000 volunteers to put down the rebellion, decided to enlist in the infantry and do his part. Upon hearing his plans Frances decided to disguise herself as a man and accompany him into the army. Her motive was to be near her lover.

  She disguised herself and with William at her side, enlisted as a nine-month recruit in Company F of the 126th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment. She enlisted at Mifflin, Pennsylvania, on August 5, 1862 and was officially mustered in on August 9, 1862 at Harrisburg. She enlisted under the name Frank Mayne. She was described as having light brown hair, being of average height, and having a light complexion and bright eyes.

  The 126th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment was mustered into Federal service on August 9, 1862, at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They left Harrisburg on August 15, 1862, for duty in Washington, D.C., where they served until September 12. The regimental camp was at Cloud Mills, Virginia.

  Frances adjusted well. She adapted to army life and displayed sound judgement and leadership qualities and was rapidly promoted to sergeant to fill the needs of the regiment. With only three weeks of training she had come a long way and was quickly becoming an asset to the regiment.

  Pvt. William Fitzpatrick became ill after three weeks with the regiment and was placed in an Alexandria, Virginia, hospital for treatment. He died
on August 24, 1862. The same day that William died, Sgt. Frank Mayne decided to desert. On August 30, 1862, she deserted the regimental camp at Cloud Mills, Virginia. She deserted because she was grief stricken by the loss of her lover, but did not consider herself a deserter and wanted to continue her service to her country.

  Within a short period of time she enlisted in another unit that was fighting in the western theater. Her alias is unknown. She was mortally wounded in a fierce battle and while being treated, her gender was discovered. She survived long enough to make a deathbed confession about who she was and her reasons for being in the army.

  The men of the 126th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment were stunned when they heard the news. Her disguise was so complete that they never suspected that Sgt. Mayne was a woman.

  After a taste of the realities of war, her motives changed from following a lover to a feeling of patriotic duty to her country. Frances Day distinguished herself as a brave American woman.

  Mary Ellen Wise—Woman Soldier

  In many cases, the young female adventurers who disguised themselves as men and enlisted in the army soon changed their motives after a taste of the horror of battle, and became completely dedicated to their cause.

  Mary Ellen Wise was one of these women. She was living in rural Indiana near Anderson when the Civil War began. In September 1861, she cut her hair short, disguised herself as a man and enlisted in company I of the 34th Indiana Infantry Regiment as Pvt. James Wise.