wounded Amazon warrior at Rome
We know that women disguised themselves as men so they could serve in the ranks during the war. Some even served while pregnant. But to the extent that this story is true, “Charley’s” wound at Manassas is interesting – if she needed to be examined, what was the surgeon thinking?
From the Richmond Daily Dispatch September 18, 1863:
More female Warriors.
–The female warrior business is not dead yet. A fine looking young woman was arrested in Mobile last week for wearing male apparel. The Tribune says:
She stated that she had been fighting and travelling under the cognomen of “Charley Green;”that her father and four brothers enlisted in March, 1861, in New Orleans. She joined the Tiger Rifles, Capt. White, and was with that company in the battle of Manassas, where she says she received a wound in her right side. She says, also, that she was in the battles around Richmond and other places, was taken prisoner, paroled in Illinois, and has since been strolling about from company to company, and was never stopped or interrogated before, which is another evidence of the efficient energy displayed by our Provost-Marshal, Major Dennis, who is determined not to allow anybody to pass without “coming to a showing.” “Charley Green” was taken in and cared for. Several Louisianian called to see her, and, after questioning her for some time, were fully satisfied that she was not a spy, nor disloyal to the country.
“wearing male apparel”
Jean-Pol GRANDMONT’s photo of the wounded Amazon is licensed by Creative Commons. Likewise for the image of the Amazon wearing trousers by Marie-Lan Nguyen.
