Catherine E. Davidson lived in the United States during the Civil War Era. Davidson dressed up like a man to join the Union Army and stay close to her fiancé. She fought in the

Battle of Antietam The Battle of Antietam (), or Battle of Sharpsburg particularly in the Southern United States, was a battle of the American Civil War fought on September 17, 1862, between Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and Union G ...

and was seriously wounded. Because of this injury, she did not go back into the army. Soon after she was found out to be a woman.

Joining the Union Army

Catherine E. Davidson lived in Sheffield, Ohio, with her fiancé. While in Ohio, her husband enlisted to fight in the Union Army. To stay close to her fiancé, she joined too. Because she could not enlist as a woman, she dressed up like a man. In disguise, she was able to enlist in the army. The two enlisted into

28th Ohio Infantry The 28th Ohio Infantry Regiment was an infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was frequently referred to as the 2nd German Ohio Regiment. Service The 28th Ohio Infantry Regiment was organized at Camp Dennison near ...

The Battle of Antietam

While in the 28th Ohio Infantry, Davidson and her fiancé fought in the Battle of Antietam in the year 1862. During the battle, Catherine Davidson's fiancé was killed on the battlefield. Davidson was shot in the right arm, however the injury was not fatal. She was rescued by

Pennsylvania governor The governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is the head of state and head of government of the U.S. state, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as commander-in-chief of the Commonwealth's military forces. The governor has a duty to enforc ...

Andrew Curtin.

Interaction with Andrew Curtin

Pennsylvania governor Andrew Curtin was one of many who came to the battlefield to help take care of wounded soldiers. Andrew Curtin carried Catherine E. Davidson to the ambulance, when she was shot in the right arm. Davidson ended up surviving the shot, however doctors had to

amputate Amputation is the removal of a limb by trauma, medical illness, or surgery. As a surgical measure, it is used to control pain or a disease process in the affected limb, such as malignancy or gangrene. In some cases, it is carried out on indi ...

her arm halfway between her shoulder and elbow. Because of her amputation, and the revelation of her

sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones (ova, oft ...

, Catherine E. Davidson was not able to go back to fight. Davidson felt she had to thank Pennsylvania governor Andrew Curtin in person for saving her life out on the battlefield. Curtin had no idea that Davidson was a woman. When Davidson visited Curtin, he was shocked to see her as a woman and alive. Curtin also offered to return the ring Davidson gave to him on the battlefield on the way to the ambulance. Davidson refused to take the ring back and she said, "The finger that used to wear that ring will never wear it again. The hand is dead but the soldier lives on."

References

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Catherine Women in the American Civil War Union Army soldiers People from Lorain County, Ohio Female wartime cross-dressers in the American Civil War

Joining the Union Army

The Battle of Antietam

Interaction with Andrew Curtin

See also

References