A civil war woman known as "The Major"

[jwillcox]

I do not have very much information about this, so I will share what I know. You are my last and final hope for finding information about this woman. There was a woman in the civil war (or so I'm told) who was known as "The Major" she carried 4 pistols and was instrumental in the battle of peachtree. This is just about all I know. She is supposed to be legendary. I need information about her, who she was, a history, any books which reference her etc. I may have some of the details wrong, but *nobody* knew who she was (I think she wore a mask).

Is there anybody out there who has bought the several books on Amazon about women of the civil war who remembers anything like this? She was also supposed to ride a horse and was very fierce. Help me please!

Thank you so much for any information you can give me. You can email me at jesse@webforever.com

[blue_zouave]

Jesse, right off the top of my head I don't recall this person, but this sounds like something Loretta Vasquez would have done (be fierce, carry 4 pistols.) An internet search about Loretta may bring up something.

Was this personage in blue or in gray?

And if masked, perhaps she was the mother of Zorro.
(Sorry, couldn't resist)

Zou

[thea_447]

If Zou is correct, perhaps this will help you.

1864 - The first Hispanic female spy in U.S. history was the Cuban-born woman who disguised herself as a Confederate soldier and served as Lieutenant Harry Buford. Loretta Janet Vasquez left her married domestic life in San Antonio, Texas, without her husband's knowledge and fought at such battles as Bull Run, Ball's Bluff and Fort Donelson. After her female identity had been detected and she was discharged, she began her life as a spy, for the Confederacy, working in male and female guise.
From: Hispanic Firsts (Ref E184 S75 K36 1997)

[johan_steele]

I thought a lot of what Loretta Vasquez had claimed doing was debunked later... I admit to not knowing one way or the other.

I took a quick look through my notes and found only a refernece to a nurse known only as "Marjorie" my notes reference her carrying a brace of pistols on her charger, a rather fine stallion particularly protective of her. My notes are incomplete but she is listed among my notes as being from the West and serving w/ the Union.

If you think that may be her let me know and I'll see if I can dig out the reference.

Good Luck

[gary]

Loretta Vazquez's book is available on-line so you don't even need to buy it. Dunno where I read it at though. It was fascinating among her claims was an opportunity to shoot Grant at Pittsburg Landing after the first day of the battle (Shiloh). That woman has bigger cajones that I've got and if what she wrote about is true, she's one tough muchacha.

[mobile_96]

And Gary, remember that "If what she wrote about is true"
The book in free HTML, lacated near the bottom of this page:
http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/texts.html on the
Documenting the American South site.
Chuck in Il.

[jwillcox]

Shane Shane Shane! Bullseye! That is the lead I need. You have identified the person I seek. Where did you or can you get information about Marjorie?

To give you some background, my grandfather is a strong believer in past lives, and he came to me (he is now 80) and told me that he used to be a woman. I thought he must be going *crazy*. In any case, you have just described what he was trying to tell me. He mentioned a flashy horse, multiple pistols and a name that was like the word Major.

Do you or anyone else have details about this mystery woman?

[johan_steele]

Another possobility is Pauline Cushman, she along w/ Nadine Turchin were the first women inh the US to be awarded Commisions. Paline Cushman was an honorary Cav Major while Ms Turchin was a Colonel of Illinois Volunteers.

I have to admit that is the oddest reason for information I have ever received.

Ok I'm going to have to start seriously digging in my notes I didn't include anything more than some notes I took for a research paper and as I was parusing diaries... "A Mrs Marjorie, rode behind Sherman's Army during the Atlanta campaign carrying vital medical supplies from hospital to hospital. She killed two guerillas who waylaid her shortly after the battle of Raseca while bringing precious anestetic to a Union Hospital near Chatanooga.

The diary entries referencing her are from an Iowa Cav Sgt. One entry mentions her as a splendid horsewoman who carries a brace of Colt pistols slung from her saddle. The other mentions her "...fine Stallion who is overly protective of her or just plain hates men." I remember getting the impression that she might have been an actress who rode the riverboats prior to the War. I don't know why.

I remember seeing the picture labeled only as "Marjorie a nurse w/ the Union Army." The Picture shows a striking woman in a Cav Shell jacket over skirt or dress and battered forage cap. She must have been a small woman as the 1860 Colt in her hand looked enormous.

I have done a good bit of research in the Wisconsin historical society in particular as well as a half dozen other across the country. My notes are from 1991 or so and I have no idea what book the photo was in.

That's the info I have, I wish there was more.

My wife recalls reading something along the same lines so you might try your local library, and I would suggest looking into the battle of Peachtree and see if there is any mention of her.

I have only a few solid references to women in the Civil War because at the time I was doing a research paper on women warriors throughout the ages and ended up concentrating more on women of the 21st century.

[blue_zouave]

All very interesting! Past life study is nothing new to me... in fact, one of my reenactor friends has done extensive research on the person whom she believes she is the reincarnation of.

Jesse, do you think your grandpa would submit to hypnosis? Some hypnotherapists do past life regressions.

Zou

[gary]

General Patton believed in it.

Admiral Togo (victor of Tsushima against the Russian Navy) believed that the spirit of Nelson flowed in his blood. Our own Admiral Nimitz felt the same towards Togo (and as CinCPac prohibited the bombing of the Togo's enshrined battleship, Mikasa. After the war, Nimitz dropped some bucks to preserve that old battleship and the Japanese have accordingly placed a memorial honoring Nimitz there).