We Were Soldiers Too

[18thVirginia]

Went to a play that featured the voices of military wives this weekend. They told their stories of taking care of children, homes, working, sewing, praying, while their husbands were off serving or off in war.

It made me think of how little I know of the wives of the men in my family who served, from either the Confederacy or the Union and I thought a thread where we could share stories would be interesting. I'll start with the great-great grandmother I know the least about, Margaret Bennett. She was born in 1802 in Kentucky, moved at some point to the wilds of territorial Arkansas and live at the Mouth of the White River, where she would marry my great, great grandfather and where several of her sons were born. From family records, it seems that 4 of her children survived to adulthood, out of 9 born to her. The others died in infancy or early childhood. At some point, she moved back to Massachusetts, where her husband had been born, with her children, perhaps for their schooling.

By 1850, she was living in Fort Smith, Arkansas, where the family was in the mercantile business. They seem to have lived above the store. When the Union took over at Fort Smith, her 3 sons and husband fled to Mexico, where they smuggled goods across the border for the Confederacy. She died in 1864, while they were gone. Her husband's obituary says he was much saddened by her death while he was away. I imagine that being the ill wife of those who'd sold goods to the Confederacy in Union occupied Arkansas was pretty saddening, too.

I have no photograph of her, just this invoice from the Confederacy for uniforms.

 

[18thVirginia]

Do you have a story about how great grandmother survived during the long extended conflict?

Or perhaps a selection from the diary of an ordinary soldier's wife, on either side? Let's leave out the generals and wives that we've all heard a lot about.

 

[4th-MSM]

Here is a true story that I posted a few years back that you might find interesting- The Granny Short Story.

I have visited the Short Cemetery and seen the grave sites of Granny Short and her family, but have yet to have the opportunity to see the bushwhacker's grave.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Found the wonderful story of Arabella 'Belle' Macomber Reynolds recently. Her husband enlisted in the 17th Illinois Infantry in 1861 and at the tender age of 20 decided to go along with him. She became the adopted 'daughter' of the regiment. Belle devoted herself to caring for the sick and wounded men. She even treated men at the battle Shiloh on a ship in the Tennessee River while the battle raged on its shores. The governor of Illinois even awarded her the commission of major for her efforts during the battle.

I was sad to find out later in life she and her husband divorced in 1884, but she lived many years after in California dying in 1937 at the age of 96.

 

[18thVirginia]

Thanks. Another good story.

 

[Pat Young]

Great stories.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

I'm sure there are many- quite a few female soldier stories feature wives going with husbands to war. Sometimes it would be because the emotional attachment was so great but frequently the reason was she had no means of support with her husband away.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Wish we did know more. Out of our 3 grgrgrandfathers who served none were married during the war. Have a few uncles who were but cannot find information Really great family story 18th, thanks for sharing!