Numerous women enlisted and fought as men in the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

. Historian

Elizabeth D. Leonard Elizabeth D. Leonard is an American historian and the John J. and Cornelia V. Gibson Professor of History at Colby College in Maine. Her areas of specialty include American women and the Civil War era. Education She earned an M.A. in U.S. His ...

writes that, according to various estimates, between five hundred and one thousand women enlisted as soldiers on both sides of the war, disguised as men.

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Mollie Bean Mollie Bean was a North Carolinian woman who, pretending to be a man, joined the 47th North Carolina Infantry, a regiment of the Confederate army in the American Civil War. Civil War service Mollie Bean took on the name of Melvin Bean and was cap ...

served with the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

under the name Melvin Bean. She was captured by the Union Army in February 1865 near Richmond, Virginia. * Mary and Molly Bell, cousins who both served with the Confederate Army. *

Malinda Blalock Sarah Malinda Pritchard Blalock (March 10, 1839, or 1842 – March 9, 1901, or 1903) was a female soldier during the American Civil War. Despite originally being a sympathizer for the right of secession, she fought bravely on both sides. She follo ...

(1842 – 1901 or 1903) was a female soldier who fought on both sides during the Civil War. She followed her husband and joined the 26th North Carolina Regiment of the

, disguising herself as a young man and calling herself Samuel Blalock. The couple eventually escaped across Confederate lines and joined the Union partisans in the Appalachian mountains of western North Carolina. * Disguised as a man,

Florena Budwin Florena Budwin (or Florina Budwin) ( – January 25, 1865) was a Union Army soldier from Philadelphia who, disguised as a man, enlisted with her husband, an artillery captain, in the Civil War in order to stay with him. After being captured, she ...

(1844–1865) enlisted in the Union Army in Philadelphia with her husband, an artillery captain. Captured by the Confederacy in 1864, she was confined at the notoriously brutal Andersonville Prison, and the transferred to

Florence Stockade The Florence Stockade, also known as The Stockade or the Confederate States Military Prison at Florence, was a Confederate States of America, Confederate prisoner-of-war camp located on the outskirts of Florence, South Carolina, during the Ameri ...

. Her status was discovered while under treatment for pneumonia, and she died, age 20. *

Mary Burns Mary Burns (29 September 1821 – 7 January 1863)Whitfield, Roy (1988) ''Friedrich Engels in Manchester'', Working Class Movement Library, was a working-class Irish woman, best known as the lifelong partner of Friedrich Engels. Burns lived in ...

(1821–1863), or John Burns, was an American woman who disguised herself as a man in order to fight in the war. She enlisted in the

7th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry Regiment The 7th Michigan Cavalry Regiment was a cavalry regiment that served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was a part of the famed Michigan Brigade, commanded for a time by Brigadier General George Armstrong Custer. Service The 7th ...

in order not to be parted from her lover, who was in the same regiment.

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Albert Cashier Albert D. J. Cashier (December 25, 1843 – October 10, 1915), born Jennie Irene Hodgers, was an American soldier who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Cashier adopted the identity of a man before enlisting, and maintained ...

(1843–1915) was Irish-born and served three years in the Union Army as a male soldier. Cashier lived the next fifty years as a man. Cashier's regiment was part of the Army of the Tennessee under

Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822July 23, 1885) was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. As Commanding General, he led the Union Ar ...

and fought in approximately forty battles, including the Siege of Vicksburg. During this campaign, Cashier was captured while performing reconnaissance, but managed to escape and return to the regiment. *

Frances Clayton Frances Louisa Clayton (c. 1830 – after 1863), also recorded as Frances Clalin, was an American woman who purportedly disguised herself as a man to fight for the Union Army in the American Civil war, though many historians now believe her story ...

(c. 1830–after 1863) enlisted in the Union Army under the name Jack Williams, along with her husband. Clayton's exploits became known after the war, and there is some contradictory information in reports but most accounts say they enlisted in a Missouri unit, despite being from Minnesota. Clayton is said to have fought in 18 battles including Shiloh, Stones River, and Fort Donelson where she was wounded. * was a 16-year-old schoolgirl from

Lake Mills, Wisconsin Lake Mills is a city in Jefferson County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 6,211 at the 2020 census. The city is located partially within the Town of Lake Mills. History Lake Mills occupies the east shore of Rock Lake. The area was ...

who enlisted as a soldier in a Wisconsin regiment with her brother. Although she disguised herself as a man by cutting off her hair and donned men's clothing, her sex was suspected because of how she put on her shoes and socks. She was discovered to be female before her regiment left for the front. * At the age of fourteen,

Lizzie Compton Elizabeth Compton (born c.1848) was a woman soldier fighting for the Union in the American Civil War. She enlisted at the age of 14, and served in seven different regiments until the conclusion of the war, thus holding the record for reenlisting in ...

enlisted in the army, falsifying her age and changing her name. Compton saw considerable action during the war, serving in seven different

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation. In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...

s, holding the record for the most reenlistments. While being treated for injuries after a riding incident, the doctor revealed her status as a woman, and she was discharged. In her eighteen months in the army, she served in three cavalry units and two infantry. She fought at 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 wounded, and at the

Battle of Gettysburg The Battle of Gettysburg () was fought July 1–3, 1863, in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, by Union and Confederate forces during the American Civil War. In the battle, Union Major General George Meade's Army of the Po ...

, where she was wounded again and discharged, and fought several other battles as well. *

Pauline Cushman Pauline Cushman (born Harriet Wood; June 10, 1833 – December 2, 1893) was an American actress and a spy for the Union Army during the American Civil War. She is considered one of the most successful Civil War spies. Early life Harriet Woo ...

(1833–1893) was an American actress and

spy Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...

for the Union Army. She is considered one of the most successful Civil War spies. She fraternized with Confederate officials and managed to conceal battle plans and drawings in her shoes, but was caught twice in 1864 and brought before Confederate General

Braxton Bragg Braxton Bragg (March 22, 1817 – September 27, 1876) was an American army officer during the Second Seminole War and Mexican–American War and Confederate general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War, serving in the Weste ...

, tried by a military court, and sentenced to death by hanging but was spared by the arrival of Union troops. * Catherine E. Davidson fought at Antietam, and saw her lover wounded in the battle. as quoted in

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Sarah Emma Edmonds Sarah Emma Edmonds (born Sarah Emma Evelyn Edmondson, married name Seelye, alias Franklin Flint Thompson; December 1841 – September 5, 1898) was a Canadian-born woman who claimed to have served as a man with the Union Army as a nurse and spy du ...

(1841–1898) served with the

Union Army During the American Civil War, the Union Army, also known as the Federal Army and the Northern Army, referring to the United States Army, was the land force that fought to preserve the Union (American Civil War), Union of the collective U.S. st ...

disguised as a man named Frank Thompson. * Nellie Graves was a female soldier who served in secret as a man in the Union Army alongside her close friend Fanny Wilson. Both saw action at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Their status as women was discovered while they were being treated for an illness, and both were discharged. *

Mary Jane Green Mary Jane Green was a Confederate spy and bushwhacker. Early life and education Not much is known about Mary Jane Green's early life. She claims to have been born in Sutton, Braxton County (currently known as West Virginia). Green's level ...

* Better known as "Mountain Charley",

Elsa Jane Forest Guerin Elsa Jane Forest Guerin, better known as Mountain Charley, is thought to have been a woman who dressed as a man for most of her life. She lived in the American frontier for most of her life, and served in the American Civil War. She first dresse ...

published a memoir about her life, purporting to relate her "thirteen years in male attire"; it was published in Iowa in 1861. She enlisted in the Union Army in Iowa as "Charles Hatfield", she spied on the Confederates and attained the rank of first lieutenant. *

Frances Hook Frances Hook (1847–March 17, 1908), claimed that she, disguised as a man, enlisted as a soldier in the Union Army during the U.S. Civil War. She stated her aliases were Pvt. Frank Miller, Frank Henderson, Frank Martin and Frank Fuller. However, ...

Sophronia Smith Hunt Sophronia Smith Hunt (; October 1846—August 1, 1928) was an American woman who disguised herself as a man and secretly served as a soldier in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Her first soldier husband died after he was wounded at the ...

(1846–1928) was an American woman who disguised herself as a man and secretly served as a soldier in the Union Army. Her first soldier husband died after he was wounded at the Battle of Jenkins' Ferry. They served in the 29th Iowa Infantry Regiment.

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Maria Lewis Maria Lewis is an author, screenwriter and pop culture commentator from Australia. Early life and education Lewis was born in New Zealand on the South Island before moving to the Gold Coast, Queensland. She started her journalism career as ...

, also known as George Harris, was a soldier in the Union army and former slave who gained distinction in the Eighth New York Cavalry. * Annie Lillybridge was from Detroit, and enlisted in the 21st Michigan Infantry Regiment to be near her fiancé. She hid her identity from everyone, including even him until she was wounded and discharged after being discovered. * Elizabeth A. Niles (1842 - 1920) served in the Union Army. After her husband enlisted in the

14th Vermont Infantry The 14th Vermont Infantry Regiment was a nine months' infantry regiment in the Union Army during the American Civil War. It served in the eastern theater, predominantly in the Defenses of Washington, from October 1862 to August 1863. It was a memb ...

she joined him, and participated in numerous battles, including First Battle of Bull Run, Antietam, and Gettysburg. She remained undetected, and mustered out in September 1864, with her husband. * Mary Owens enlisted with her husband in the 9th Cavalry in Pennsylvania, posing as his brother. After he died in combat, Owens remained for an additional eighteen months, fought three battles, and was wounded in each. *

Frances Elizabeth Quinn Frances Elizabeth Quinn was an Irish-born Union Civil War soldier who fought in both the infantry and cavalry. She enlisted over five separate times throughout the war and the country. Each time she was eventually discovered to be a woman and dis ...

was an Irish born Union Army soldier who fought in both the infantry and cavalry. She enlisted over five separate times throughout the war and the country, assuming the name Frank Miller, and other names. Each time she was eventually discovered to be a woman and discharged from the military. In Alabama, she was captured by the Confederate Army and force-marched to Atlanta, where she was shot during an escape attempt.

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* Loreta Janeta Velazquez a.k.a. "Lieutenant Harry Buford" (June 26, 1842 – c. 1897) – A Cuban woman who donned Confederate garb and served as a Confederate officer and spy during the war. * Sarah Rosetta Wakeman (1843-1864) served with the Union Army under the alias of Lyons Wakeman and Edwin R. Wakeman. Her letters remain one of the few surviving primary accounts of female soldiers in the American Civil War. * was a woman who disguised herself as a man and used the alias Lt. Henry Benford in order to raise and lead a company of Texas Confederates. She and the company participated in the Battle of Shiloh. * Fanny Wilson enlisted as a soldier in the Union Army along with her close friend Nellie Graves. They served in the defense of Washington, D.C. until December 1862, when they participated in the Battle of Fredericksburg. After being treated for an illness, their sex was discovered and they were discharged. After some time as a civilian, Wilson joined the 3rd Illinois Cavalry, and was wounded at the Battle of Vicksburg. She recovered and continued on with her regiment. She was discharged after being discovered in August 1863.

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External links

{{Authority control Female soldiers Civil War Soldiers *Soldiers *Civil War *Civil War *

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