Secrets of the American Civil War

   Are you aware that the American Civil War began 150 years ago? Hostilities began on April 12, 1861. Some people argue that 150 years later, deep resentments over why the war was fought still persist, especially in the South. The sad fact is that more than half a million people died during the conflict.

Reading about the commemorations and reenactments of the war’s anniversary reminded me of one of the most fascinating chapters I’ve read in a magazine called “Secrets of the Civil War”, the story of Sarah Emma Edmonds. I think we can say she was the first known CROSS-DRESSER in the history of the United States.

This is a woman who at age 17 escaped, ran away from her family. Her tyrannical father had arranged a marriage for her with an older widower without consulting her, so she escaped. She was so determined to make a living that soon afterwards she answered an advertisement for traveling booksellers, she had no choice but to disguise herself as “Franklin Thompson”.

Remember, in the early 1800’s women were considered second class citizens, passive, submissive, and domestic. Back in those years, society required women to accept their positions in life “willingly and obediently”.

Apparently, she had made such an amazing “cross-dressing” job transformation that after witnessing the horrors of slavery, she decided to join the Union army and help their cause. Surprisingly she passed the only obstacle to her goal, the “physical exam”, it consisted only of a hands examination. Amazing.

She basically lucked out because her commander considered “Franklin Thomson” to have “effeminate qualities”, so she was assigned nurse’s duty. The commander didn’t want to use a “valuable” soldier from the ranks for that duty. According to history, as a soldier she went voluntarily in many clandestine missions behind the enemy lines disguised as an Irish woman and also as an older black woman hauling goods. She used “silver nitrate” which she rubbed onto her face and hands to give her the dark look. According to her memoirs, she conducted her spying activities, while maintaining the “Frank Thomson” identity. In other words, she fooled everyone, North and South, by pretending to be a man who was pretending to be a woman.

Unfortunately for her, in 1863 during the war, “Franklin Thompson” contracted Malaria. She disappeared/deserted the Union army because getting hospitalized would jeopardize her to be “discovered or outed ”. Once she found herself in the “deserter list” and facing court martial, Emma had no choice but to allow “Frank Thompson” to “die” for good. According to her memoirs, she spent the rest of her war years as a female nurse.

It was refreshing to read about such a strong, resilient and courageous woman who played such an important role during the conflict. I cannot imagine the societal pressure she must have had to endure most of her adult life keeping her gender a secret, especially during the civil war.

Imagine, in the mid 1800’s a woman for years successfully fooled everyone, and played the role of a male soldier during the Civil War. With so much espionage technology available today, the sky is the limit.

Comments

[Publicado por: Myriam]

My only response is....WOW!

[Publicado por: Kofla Olivieri]

Myriam, wow indeed! Thanks for stopping by!

[Publicado por: Prometeo]

An american version of Mulan. When will Disney make a movie out of this? Oh! Right. That part about the resentments, they are playing political correctness.

[Publicado por: Kofla Olivieri]

Prometeo, political correctness is alive and well in the U.S. lol

[Publicado por: Pedro Vilca Ybana]

A lot of people take pride in any cases both, if the side was Union or Confederation. Don't forget the courage and the good reasons showed by the soldiers in side both. No hates, no resentment.
Here, some references about my relative ancestor soldier Francisco Ybana:
Rank: Private
State served: California
Side served: Union, Abraham Lincoln period
Regiment: First Battalion of Native Cavalry, Company A
Place of enrollment: San José, California
Date of: April 2, 1863
Date of muster: April 23, 1863
Remarks: Deserted at Presidio, San Francisco, California, September 29, 1865
From: "Records of California Men in the War of the Rebellion -American Civil War- 1861 to 1867" by Brig.-Gen. Richard H. Orton, published 1890, and "California Civil War Rosters"

Thanks,
God bless us,
Pedro Vilca Ybana

Long live California!
and Lima-Ica, Perú, where a Ybana family's member has also immigrated almost 150 years ago

[Publicado por: Kofla Olivieri]

Thank you for sharing that information Pedro! Saludos!

[Publicado por: Raul]

Kofia,

I love history and had saved this link to review a bit later.

Excellent story on how as human being we can overcome many obstacles even as those that Sarah overcame.

She sacrificed many things but used her talent to disguise herself to make the best out of what she could get.

Thanks for sharing such a great story.

[Publicado por: Kofla Olivieri]

Thank you Raul! History has always been one of my favorite subjects. I thought the article about her story was fascinating! Thanks for reading!