Women in the Civil War

by Larry G. Eggleston

  Upon arrival at Andersonville Prison, they located an isolated spot in the southwest corner of the stockade and set up their makeshift campsite. The isolated campsite would keep them out of the main stream of the prison population and help Janie in concealing her identity from the other inmates, a task which became more difficult as time passed because Janie was already four months pregnant when she arrived at Andersonville Prison in February 1864.

  In July 1864, Janie gave birth to a son whom they named Harry Jr. “Little Harry” was born in their tent at the corner of the stockade. She wrapped the baby in rags, which she had torn from her own clothes. Four days after the baby was born, a Confederate doctor named Dr. W. J. W. Kerr made a surprise visit to their tent and found Mrs. Hunt and the baby.

  Originally from Corsicana, Texas, Dr. Kerr was sent to Andersonville Prison to take charge of the dispensary and to superintend the building of a hospital and all other buildings associated with the prison. Upon his arrival, he set up his office in the “Star Fort” directly outside the southwest corner of the stockade. While sitting quietly in his office on the evening of his first day of duty, he thought he heard the faint cry of a baby. His inquiry resulted in one of the guards informing him that it was the baby of Captain Hunt and his wife. The next morning, Dr. Kerr went into the stockade to locate Mrs. Hunt and the baby.

  Recognizing that living conditions in the prison would put the lives of the mother and baby at risk, Dr. Kerr decided to request help for the family. He rallied the rest of the medical staff to sign a petition, which would allow the mother and baby to be placed in a nearby home for the remainder of the war. Dr. Kerr presented this petition to General Winder and, after some persuasion, it was approved. Janie and the baby were boarded on a farm, less than two miles from the prison. Mr. and Mrs. Smith, owners of the farm, reluctantly agreed to the arrangement. Janie and baby remained with Mr. and Mrs. Smith until the end of the war. Dr. Kerr also provided Janie with material to make clothing for herself and the baby.

  Dr. Kerr was also successful in getting Captain Hunt paroled to his custody. He placed the captain as a ward master in one of the wings of the hospital where he remained for the rest of the war. Dr. Kerr was responsible for survival of this entire family.

  The sacrifices, hardships, and suffering which Janie Hunt endured as well as the loyalty and dedication she displayed during these trying times indicate that she was willing to and did give the greatest measure of devotion for her family and her beliefs.

  Florena Budwin

  Very little data is available on the second woman at Andersonville Prison. Her name was Florena Budwin from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is reported to have disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the Union army with her husband, Captain Budwin.

  The young couple supposedly fought side by side in many battles. According to a statement made by Florena at the prison camp at Florence, South Carolina, her husband was killed and Florena was captured during the same battle by the Confederate forces. Some reports state that Captain Budwin was killed at Andersonville Prison, after being captured along with Florena. However, there is no record that Captain Budwin ever arrived, and there is no one named Budwin buried in the Andersonville National Cemetery. Records indicate that Florena did arrive at the prison still disguised as a man. The exact date of his death and her capture is unknown, but it was in mid-1864.

  After her capture, Florena was imprisoned at Andersonville, Georgia. The alias she was using is unknown. She was held at Andersonville until late 1864, when she was transferred with many other prisoners to the new prison being constructed at Florence, South Carolina.

  The Confederate government began construction of the stockade at Florence, South Carolina, on September 17, 1864. While construction was underway the Confederate government transferred 6,000 prisoners from Charleston to Florence. These prisoners were all sick or diseased. They suffered from small pox, yellow fever, and exhaustion, among many other illnesses.

  In late 1864, Florena Budwin, along with many other prisoners, was transferred to Florence to help relieve some of the extreme overcrowding at Andersonville. During her short time in Florence stockade, Florena helped care for the many sick and diseased soldiers. While serving in this role, she was stricken with pneumonia and required medical attention. The Confederate doctor treating her discovered her gender. Upon making this discovery the doctor moved her to a private room where she could get special treatment. When questioned by the doctor, she stated that her name was Florena Budwin. She revealed that she disguised herself as a man and joined the army to be near her husband, Captain Budwin. She further stated that he was killed in the same battle in which she was captured.

  When word spread that there was a woman in the prison, the ladies of Florence donated food and clothing for her. However, despite receiving better treatment, she died on January 25, 1865, at the age of 20. Her death was only one month before all sick prisoners were released to the Union army.

  Florena Budwin Tombstone. National Cemetery—Florence, South Carolina. (Photograph by L.G. Eggleston.)

  Between September 17, 1864, and the end of February 1865, when the prison closed, 2,322 prisoners had died. Florena is buried with the others in the National Cemetery at Florence, South Carolina. She is buried under her own name in grave number D-2480. She was the first known woman soldier to be buried in a national cemetery. Each year since her death she has been honored on May 30, the National Memorial Day, as flowers are placed on her grave in tribute to her sacrifice.

  The reasons prompting this young couple to enlist in the army after being married for such a short time are unknown. The greater mystery is why Florena stayed at Andersonville Prison and why she let the Confederate authorities transfer her to yet another prison. Since, as she reported, her husband was dead, she seemed to have no reason to continue to suffer the hardship of prison life. She could have revealed her gender to her captors and been set free.

  Perhaps she stayed to continue doing her duty for her country and to honor the memory of her husband, or maybe she felt a duty toward the sick to help ease the suffering and pain of the war. Whatever her reasons, she stayed true to these beliefs even at the cost of her own life.

  Unknown

  Even less is known about the third woman discovered at Andersonville Prison. She is buried in the National Cemetery at Andersonville under a tombstone marked “Unknown.” Her sex was not discovered until she died in captivity. Possibly her clothing was removed to be given to another needy prisoner. No one knew her real name, so instead of using her alias the grave was marked “Unknown.” The only bit of information about this unknown woman comes from the recorded events of another woman soldier named Madame Collier.

  Madame Collier was a Federal soldier disguised as a man who was captured and sent to Belle Isle Prison in Richmond, Virginia. Her gender was later discovered and she was taken back to the Union lines under a flag of truce. Once released, she turned to the Confederate soldiers and defiantly stated that there was still a woman at Belle Isle Prison. She refused to give the name of the woman, and only said that she was disguised as a man.

  On March 1, 1864, General Judson Kilpatrick, under orders from President Lincoln, led 3,500 mounted raiders on Richmond with the objective of capturing Richmond and releasing the prisoners held at Belle Isle and Libby prisons. The raid on Richmond failed but it made the Confederate government realize that Belle Isle was not a secure place to keep prisoners. The prison was closed and all the prisoners were transferred to the new prison at Andersonville, Georgia.

  If Madame Collier’s account was accurate, the woman from Belle Isle Prison was among those transferred to Andersonville in early 1864. She very well may be the woman buried in the grave marked “Unknown.”

  Hopefully, some day, when more information is discovered, a name will be put on her tombstone and she will be given the recognition she rightfully deserves.

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  Sarah Rosetta Wakeman: Woman Soldier

  Of a
ll the women who became soldiers disguised as men, Sarah Rosetta Wakeman’s army career as Pvt. Lyons Wakeman is one of the best documented. It is documented not only in the official records of the Civil War, but in the many letters she sent home which described her life with the 153rd New York Infantry Volunteers.

  Sarah Rosetta Wakeman was born on January 16, 1843, on a farm near Afton, New York. She was the eldest of nine children (seven girls and two boys), born to Harvey Anable and Emily Hale Wakeman. The family was poor and despite the hard work they did, the farm could barely support such a large family.

  When Sarah was 17 years old, she took a job at a neighboring home as a domestic servant in order to make extra money to help her family. She remained at this job for two years, during which time she concluded that if she wanted to earn better wages and have better jobs available to her, it would be in her best interest to disguise herself as a man and leave home. Later, in a letter to her family, she explained her reasons for leaving.

  In August 1862, she changed her name to Lyons Wakeman, cut her hair short, disguised herself as a man, and left home. She traveled to Binghamton, New York, where she took a job for two weeks for $4. She then signed on with a river barge for four trips to carry coal up the Chenango Canal from Binghamton to Utica, New York. However, on the first trip, much to Sarah’s surprise, the river barge did not stop in Utica but proceeded eastward down the Mohawk River to Canajoharie, New York. She was angry when she found that she would receive no additional pay for the extra trip.

  While at Canajoharie she met several soldiers from the 153rd New York State Volunteers. This new regiment was being formed at Fonda, New York, just 12 miles east of Canajoharie on the river. The idea of joining this regiment sounded good to Sarah because it offered good steady pay and an enlistment bounty of $152.

  On August 30, 1862, Sarah, using her assumed name of Lyons Wakeman, upped her age to 21 and enlisted in Company G, later Company H, of the newly formed regiment. Her enlistment was for a period of three years or the duration of the war. Pvt. Wakeman was described as five feet tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. Sarah adopted the habit of chewing tobacco because it was believed this practice would fight off illness and thus keep her healthy.

  The 153rd Regiment remained in Fonda until it had filled its ranks. The regiment was mustered into the United States Service on October 17, 1862, at Fonda, New York, and ordered to depart for Washington the next day. Private Wakeman’s official enlistment date into the United States service is recorded as October 17, 1862, even though she enlisted in the regiment on August 30, 1862.

  The regiment arrived in Washington on October 22. They were assigned provost martial and guard duty in Alexandria, Virginia. They formed part of the extensive defenses of Washington. The regiment had held this post for nine months when on July 20, 1863, they were transferred from Alexandria to Washington and quartered on Capitol Hill. The new regimental duties were to patrol the city, guard the B & O Railroad depot, convey troops to the front, escort prisoners of war to the prison at Point Lookout, Maryland, guard the “contraband” ex-slave refugee camp, guard Carroll Prison, and guard Old Capitol Prison.

  The regiment performed these duties until February 17, 1864, when it was transferred to field duty with Major General Nathaniel P. Banks, to participate in the ill-fated Red River Campaign in Louisiana. The goal of the Red River Campaign was to capture Shreveport, Louisiana, and open a route for a federal assault on Texas.

  Up to this point Pvt. Wakeman had not seen nor participated in any action against the enemy. However, the regiment had continually trained for battle while stationed in Washington and spirits were high. It embarked on February 20, 1864, aboard the steamship Mississippi. The regiment disembarked upon arrival in Algiers, Louisiana, which is across the river from New Orleans. They then boarded a train to Brasher City where they formed up and marched the final 53 miles to Franklin. The regiment planned to march from Franklin through Alexandria and Natchitochis directly into Shreveport.

  The regiment did not reach Shreveport as planned because Confederate troops were waiting for them at Sabine Crossroads, approximately 40 miles south of Shreveport. The 153rd New York Volunteers were assigned to stay back several miles from the battle and guard the wagons and supplies. The regiment was still untested in the field. The battle was a defeat for the Federal troops and caused them to withdraw about 20 miles south to a place called Pleasant Hill where, on April 9, 1864, the 153rd New York Volunteers finally faced the enemy in battle.

  Pvt. Wakeman described the battle in a letter home. She had stood firm with the regiment which repelled six desperate charges by the Confederate troops under Major General Dick Taylor. Pvt. Wakeman wrote that they had “layed” all night on the battlefield among the wounded and dead. The first battle for the 153rd Regiment was successful and they now had a taste of the horrible realities of war.

  Sarah Rosetta Wakeman. Photograph from An Uncommon Soldier. Courtesy of the MINERVA Center, Pasadena, Maryland.

  The battle at Pleasant Hill was a victory for General Banks. Most of the Union weapons and supplies which had been seized by Confederate troops at Sabine Crossroads were recovered during this battle.

  Even though this battle was a victory, the Union army did not advance further up the Red River but returned to Grand Encore to rest and re-evaluate its position. While Rosetta’s regiment was camped at Grand Encore with the rest of General Banks’ forces, they learned that part of General Taylor’s Confederate forces had circled around their rear farther down the river.

  This alarming news caused General Banks to strike camp late that evening and set out on a 70-mile forced march to Alexandria. They marched from ten o’clock the evening of April 21 until midnight on April 22 and covered only 35 miles, stopping only once for a meal. Those who could not keep up were left behind. One soldier died from exhaustion during the march. They reached Monett’s Bluff and the Cane River Crossing on the morning of April 23. They found the Confederate troops strongly entrenched on the opposite bank of the river with battery well located on the high bluff overlooking the crossing.

  Pvt. Lyons Wakeman headstone. Courtesy of Chalmette National Cemetery, Louisiana.

  Rosetta’s brigade was ordered to lie down in the woods on the Union side of the river and wait for General Banks’ Third Brigade to cross the river three miles north and attack the Confederate troops on their left flank. They lay in the woods all day under constant bombardment from the Confederate cannon. Finally, at four o’clock in the afternoon, while the left flank of the Confederate troops was being attacked, Rosetta’s brigade was ordered to cross the river and make a frontal attack. This maneuver was successful and the assault was a victory. This victory allowed the march to Alexandria to continue. Thus, on April 25, the army finally reached Alexandria.

  On May 3, while still encamped at Alexandria, Pvt. Wakeman complained of chronic diarrhea and reported to the regimental hospital. On May 7, she was transferred to the Marine USA General Hospital in New Orleans. This trip usually took only five days but she did not arrive there until May 22. The delay in getting to the hospital was due to the river being under siege by the Confederate troops. When Pvt. Wakeman arrived in New Orleans, her condition was listed as acute. After almost a month in the hospital Pvt. Wakeman died on June 19, 1864. She was 20 years and five months old. There is no record that her gender was ever discovered.

  Sarah Rosetta Wakeman was buried south of New Orleans at the Chalmette National Cemetery as Lyons Wakeman, marker number 4066. The 153 New York Volunteers lost 200 soldiers during the Civil War. They reported 1 officer and 38 enlisted men were killed in battle and 1 officer and 160 soldiers died of disease. Among those was Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.

  Although she did not survive the war, she displayed exceptional loyalty to her family and her country. Her bravery, loyalty, and dedication rank her among the great American women of the time.

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  Jennie Hodgers: Woman Soldier

  Many of t
he heroic women who disguised themselves and fought as men actually served throughout the entire Civil War without having their gender discovered. Such is the story of a young Irish girl named Jennie Hodgers.

  Jennie Hodgers was born in Clogher Head Parish, south of Belfast, Ireland, on December 25, 1843. She was the daughter of Denis and Catherine Hodgers. In her early years, she and her twin brother would herd sheep on their father’s farm. She always wore boys’ clothing while tending the sheep and doing farm chores because it made the work much easier.

  For some reason which is not known, she left Ireland in her late teens, and headed for the United States. She stowed away, dressed as a man, on a ship bound for New York. She made the journey safely and worked her way to Belvidere, Illinois, where she was living when the Civil War began.

  On August 3, 1862, at the age of 18, Jennie Hodgers, using the assumed name of Albert D. J. Cashier, enlisted in Company G of the 95th Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Captain Elliot N. Bush, who was the commanding officer of Company G, enlisted her at Belvidere, Illinois. Jennie is described in the company records as having a light complexion, blue eyes, and light (auburn) hair. One of the soldiers in her company described her as the shortest person in the company. She was only 5’ 3” tall and weighed 110 pounds.

  The 95th Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment was formed in Rockford, Illinois, at Camp Fuller on August 3,1862, under the command of Colonel Lawrence S. Church. The regiment was mustered into Federal service on September 4, 1862.