Hidden, and Forgotten: Women Soldiers of the Civil War

Over the last few years, a friend of mine has become somewhat of a local celebrity.

Ms. Shelby Harriel has been instrumental in bringing the often overlooked topic of women fighting (disguised as men) to the general public. Shelby has been invited to speak at National Park Service events, Civil War Round Tables, and Historical Societies around the nation.

Shelby has uncovered many previously unknown women that posed as men . . . along with new details about the more famous cases that are well documented.

I invite everyone to visit her blog "Hidden, and Forgotten: Women Soldiers of the Civil War"

http://forbiddenhiddenforgotten.blogspot.com

BTW, when she's not sharing her research about this little known topic, she’s reenacting with her boyfriend. Her impression is, a woman posing as a man . . . she’s very good at that as well.

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Keith
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Malinda (Sam Blaylock)

S. M. Blalock disguised herself as a man and enlisted as " Sam " Blakock. Saying she was her husband's brother. She did this to be with her husband, Keith Blalock. She was discovered when she was wounded. They both were Unionists from the western North Carolina mountains. Keith had reluctantly enlisted with intentions of deserting and joining the Federal Army at the first opportunity. They later became well-known and feared Union partisans / bushwhackers, depending what side you were on
 

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7th Mississippi Infantry:

What is Shelby going to do with her research? Book?

Over the years much has been written about the WW II Female Agents of the British SOE. Nancy Wake, Violette Szabo, Noor Inayat Khan and others.

I had the great pleasure of knowing Nancy Wake.

 
7th Mississippi Infantry:
What is Shelby going to do with her research? Book?

I wouldn't be surprised at all.
However, she's only hinted at a possible book in the future.

Over the years much has been written about the WW II Female Agents of the British SOE. Nancy Wake, Violette Szabo, Noor Inayat Khan and others.

I had the great pleasure of knowing Nancy Wake.

Wow.

What an interesting lady.
You are very fortunate to have known Ms. Wake !
 
7th Mississippi Infantry:
What is Shelby going to do with her research? Book?

It looks like it's official.
Here's an interview with Shelby from a couple months ago:

Vassallo: The Civil War Women Who Fought
POSTED ON MAY 6, 2016 WITH 1 COMMENT
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Shelby Lynn Harriel will be arriving in Oxford on Saturday, May 21 to present her unique findings and research regarding a subject that only has been disclosed in recent years. The approximate 130 year secret is now out in the open.
HottyToddy.com: Shelby, please give us a little personal history before we go into battle.

Shelby Lynn Harriel: I was born and raised just south of Poplarville in Steep Hollow, Mississippi. I attended Pearl River Community College prior to graduating from University of Southern Mississippi.

HottyToddy.com: You have been invited to Oxford to discuss a most interesting subject. How did this come about?

Shelby Lynn Harriel: I was invited by the Oxford Newcomers Club to deliver a presentation about women who fought in the Civil War on the front lines. Reba Greer attended one of my presentations this past April in Olive Branch which led to the Oxford invitation.

HottyToddy.com: How did you become interested in this subject?


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Harriel during a Gettysburg reenactment, 2008

Shelby Lynn Harriel: In elementary school I developed a passion for Civil War history stemming from the history of Mississippi. I later began participating in reenactments as I have been athletic my entire life. During this process I learned about the women of the Civil War who were actually engaged in combat. This subject is a relatively new topic that was brought to the forefront as recently as 1997. In 2007 I discovered a book published in 2006 that highlighted the women soldiers.

HottyToddy.com: We understand you will be writing your own book very soon.

Shelby Lynn Harriel: That is correct. “Forbidden Hidden & Forgotten…Women Soldiers of the Civil War” will be released in the near future.


Read the rest of the article at:
http://hottytoddy.com/2016/05/06/vassallo-the-civil-war-women-who-fought/
 
SO cool, thanks very much for posting this!! The thing is, numbers on women thought to have fought keep fluctuating- everyone like Shelby going in ' deep ' to research the bejammers out of this topic comes up with astonishing stuff. It's crazy. Well, makes sense. There's the famous incident where two teamsters ( teamsters, for Heaven's sake ) got into a drunken brawl, fell into a river and had to be fished out. These soldiers had been around for awhile- two of the brawniest, cussingest, burlingest, most intimidating, teamsterest teamsters the Union army ever produced. Wet? Well, only way anyone was ever, ever going to discover their secret. ( and a shame, too, they were awfully happy in the army as teamsters, all reports being they were extremely good at their jobs, just drank some. ) Point being- without that stupid river no one would have known, probably would have finished their war, barring capture. If they were there, how is it possible to estimate numbers? I do not see how. There must be endless scope for this book- and endless unbelievably fascinating research.

I hope she has very understanding family and someone else to do laundry because I'd never come up for air. Can't wait to read it, and thanks very much, Shelby Lynn Harriel!
 
Loved Shelby's talk and all the information she provided. It's a fascinating topic, and I felt a real connection to these women and their stories. I've no doubt her book will be a great success, and I thank you so much for introducing her to us @7th Mississippi Infantry . There is always more to learn about the war ... especially, as she describes, these 'hidden' aspects.
 
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Over the last few years, a friend of mine has become somewhat of a local celebrity...Ms. Shelby Harriel ... http://forbiddenhiddenforgotten.blogspot.com ...when she's not sharing her research about this little known topic, she’s reenacting with her boyfriend. Her impression is, a woman posing as a man . . . she’s very good at that as well.

Her new book on the topic is out next month. I'm hesitant about her lead in for the book that: "hundreds, perhaps thousands of women..." became women soldiers, but let's let the book stand on it's own merit as she seems well qualified in writing it.
 
...This subject is indeed an overlooked aspect of the War.

To be accurate, was an overlooked aspect of the war, say in 1998. Anymore it's heavily covered, not only in magazines and books but at every reenactment and living history in the country. By reasonable measure it's over-covered, considering its actual significance compared to the contribution of women in the Civil War generally. It's a mere speck to that more significant aspect of the CW, imho.
 
Shelby does have a book that will be released this spring; see her website or blog.

In the meantime, here are 3 books I've read on female soldiers:

An Uncommon Soldier; the Civil War Letters of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, by Lauren Cook Burgess. Wakeman enlisted as Lyons Wakeman in the 153rd NY Vols. Burgess, the author, was a female reenactor and became involved in a battle with NPS in 1989 when a park official told her she could not participate in a reenactment. Here is an article with the results of the lawsuit, decided in 1993.
Woman Wins Fight Over Civil War 'Battle' Garb - latimes
articles.latimes.com › Collections

The Fought Like Demons; Women Soldiers in the American Civil War
, by DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M Cook.

Women on the Civil War Battlefront
by Richard H Hall.

Hope I'm not distracting from Shelby's work as her research has been very thorough and her presentations are well done. I look forward to her book in a few weeks.
 
Shelby does have a book that will be released this spring; see her website or blog.

In the meantime, here are 3 books I've read on female soldiers:

An Uncommon Soldier; the Civil War Letters of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, by Lauren Cook Burgess. Wakeman enlisted as Lyons Wakeman in the 153rd NY Vols. Burgess, the author, was a female reenactor and became involved in a battle with NPS in 1989 when a park official told her she could not participate in a reenactment. Here is an article with the results of the lawsuit, decided in 1993.
Woman Wins Fight Over Civil War 'Battle' Garb - latimes
articles.latimes.com › Collections

The Fought Like Demons; Women Soldiers in the American Civil War, by DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M Cook.

Women on the Civil War Battlefront by Richard H Hall.

Hope I'm not distracting from Shelby's work as her research has been very thorough and her presentations are well done. I look forward to her book in a few weeks.


No, of course you're not distracting. New research brings more History forward- have always had an idea there were far more female soldiers than we'll ever know. They tended to stop raising their hands about their stories post war because ridicule frequently followed. When you've survived an entire war, incredulity on the part of others would be tough to take.

Bet I have 50 or more clippings of women discovered, maybe more. If so many were discovered, how many more made it through, like Albert Cashier and Martha Parks Lindley we'll never know of? point being, there's never enough on the topic.
 
To be accurate, was an overlooked aspect of the war, say in 1998. Anymore it's heavily covered, not only in magazines and books but at every reenactment and living history in the country. By reasonable measure it's over-covered, considering its actual significance compared to the contribution of women in the Civil War generally. It's a mere speck to that more significant aspect of the CW, imho.


It can't be over covered and the significance is subjective. I admit a handful of female soldiers receive a lot of attention and it's understandable. They have incredible stories. Not drawing attention to the topic would be fatal to discovering more. The thing is, no one's forced to read articles, books, bios and web sites on them. It was a big war, plenty to discuss. Any topic someone doesn't care for, well, they'd be free to move on.
 
I'm looking forward to the book; knowing the woman peripherally she is putting a lot of research into the work including some of my own. IMHO women serving as men had more of an impact than Black Confederates and are more easily documented.
 
...I admit a handful of female soldiers receive a lot of attention...The thing is, no one's forced to read articles, books, bios and web sites on them.

Our experience with it differs then. In my circle, civic community reenactment venues and educational living histories in the Midwest, and some National events, the public and particularly school children are in a sense being "forced" to learn about "women soldiers" because those first person impressions and seated lectures are part of the venue and program.

What I know is, at events like these, kids are definitely leaving with the impression that to be a "woman soldier" was just another option for young women at the time, like sanitary commission or army nurse (which were at least actual real and common options). Presenters on women soldiers should be elaborating more on the context, the much more significant leadership roles women took on in the CW war, in providing for the soldiers and carrying the home fronts. That's thousands of women during all the years of the war vs. a few dozen in disguise for a few weeks or months.

Correct me as you find appropriate, but it sure seems that presenters - those mentioned here included - are as much in the mode of "empowering women and girls" as they are in mode of presenting straight-up history. What should be a very small topic has become a large topic of some priority. If so, I think that is misdirected and a disservice to young women in the long run. Why? Because as these young women mature it will eventually occur to them that there maybe wasn't enough actual history that would have elevated their gender, so an alternate history was exaggerated to fit the bill. Who then to be trusted? Girls and women are smart.

As a related aside, kids and the public are also being left with the impression that Vivandiers were an official paid army enlistment position instead of the occasional and elective civilian quasi-enlistments that they actually were. Vivandiers in most cases were literally camp-followers, something that anymore is "not to be said."

I am aware this could be considered a big over-reaction, but I'm only elaborating this much because this literally is a thread on the topic. I don't actually obsess over this, it's a minor concern only :smoke:
 
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Ms. Harriel has posted a very accurate and informative snapshot of most of the very wealthy Southern planters during the months leading up to the War.

And Natchez, Mississippi was ground zero of this mentality.


Prior to hostilities, these planters were not at all for succeeding from the Union.
They thought the United States would protect their wealth.
(Including their slaves)
 
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Vivandiers in most cases were literally camp-followers, something that anymore is "not to be said."


Sorry, only just saw this from months ago. I understand what you're saying in the rest of the post although don't quite agree. I'm sure it's clear being a female soldier wasn't an option for young women of the time- that so many would like to create their impression around them can't be helped. Vivandier were not prostitutes. Goodness knows camp followers included prostitutes, mostly displaced women who just wished to eat. They just were not Vivandier. Best example of a woman who really, really wasn't a prostitute would be Mary Tepe.

Female soldiers were frequently tossed in jail accused of being prostitutes however.
 
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