Female Soldiers

The number of women soldiers who fought in the war will always be unclear. Nobody can know for sure how many were fighting because they were disguised as men.  Many women weren't found out until wounded or they announced it themselves and some went though the whole war without being discovered and then continued to act as a man after the war. They fought bravely and although they didn't alter the course of the war drastically it was the boldness and determination of the women that was a new concept to people at that time. To many they were an inspiration, to some they were a threat, and to others they were a disgrace to all other women.



The girls of Rhea County

In the summer of 1862, girls in Rhea County in eastern Tennessee created the only female cavalry company in the Civil War.  Frustrated and upset that their gender prevented them from joining the Confederate army and longing to fight for what they believed in, they created an army of their own.  Their army was made up of girls in their teen ages to young women in their late twenties, they called themselves the Rhea County Spartans. They visited the troops bringing food and clothing, held secret meetings, and even did a little spying. When Captain John Walker gained control of Rhea County one of his first orders was for their arrest, although some got away, sixteen girls were taken as prisoners of war.  After along journey the sixteen girls stood along the bank of Bell's Landing along the Tennessee River and were put on a boat to Chattanooga. There they were fed and forced to swear allegiance to the Union before being returned to their homes. After the war the Spartan girls went their own ways and were forgotten. 



From the Memphis Bulletin, August 18,1864:

Two females dressed in Federal uniform were brought to the Irving Block from the front on Tuesday . They were arrested in the camps of the 21st Missouri Infantry, in which they were serving, one as a drummer and the other as teamster, under the name of Charley Davis and Wm. Morris. The drummer's real name is Jane Short. Previous to joining the 21st Mo., she served for over a year as private in the 6th Illinois cavalry; into which regiment she enlisted from Shawneetown, Ill,. where she resided before the war.

She was at the Battle of Shiloh, and was there wounded in the hand by a musket ball. After recovering, she rejoined her regiment and participated in various conflicts, until prostrated by sickness and sent to the hospital, which led to her discharge. She then came to Memphis and lived, she does not say how for several months, when pining for the excitement of glorious war again, she joined the band of the 21st Missouri, in which she performed excellent service on the base drum until the time of her arrest.

In appearance she is thick set, full-faced, has short hair of a light color, and blue eyes. In uniform one would never suspect her to be a woman; she looks much like an unsophisticated country lad of twenty years.
 
Lou Morris, alias Bill Morris, the younger of the two, is much better looking than her companion, seems more active and sprightly, and, consequently, less modest. She formerly resided in St. Louis, from which place she enlisted in the "Red Rovers" of the 10th Missouri cavalry, eighteen months since, and served nine months, passing unhurt through several engagements.

She then deserted and coming to Memphis, lived as a woman until meeting with Jane Short, with whom she started off the wars again, as teamster in the 2d Missouri Infantry. They were never acquainted before meeting at a hotel in this city. They claim that they have not revealed their sex, nor was it discovered by any of their comrades since they entered the service, and that their enlistment was promoted by patriotic motives only.

They wanted to do a small share towards "licking the rebs" as Lou said. The cause of their arrest, Lou informed me, was that Jane became frightened at the report that the regiment was to be sent out, with others, to meet (Confederate General Nathan Bedford) Forrest, and revealed their sex to one of the officers, who reported them at headquarters, when they were sent to the Provost Marshal of the right wing of the 16th Army Corps, and thence to Memphis.

Lou said she was not frightened, and intends to join another regiment if she gets a chance. Jane is content to return to the paths of peace again. Lou, when dressed in uniform, looks as little like a woman as her companions, and presented the appearance of a hardy boy of eighteen. They are much tanned by exposure. It is the intention of the authorities to sent to their homes, if they have any.



Frances Clalin

Frances Clalin was tired of a dull life as a housewife and at the beginning of the civil war devised an ingenious plan. Frances disguised herself as a man and, using the pseudonym Jack Williams, enlisted in the Union Army with her husband during the fall of 1861. She enlisted into the Missouri regiment with her husband. She fought in the Battle of Fort Donelson and in the Battle of Stones River where her husband was shot only a few feet in front of her. Her husband’s death didn’t stop her and she continued to fight till wounded.  On January 2, 1863 she was discharged after she was discovered to be a woman at the hospital.