T HE LIFE OF A NNE B. E THERIDGE Report by: Arleigh Smith

The Civil War was a time where men fought for their beliefs regarding slavery and a way of life. History tells many stories about the bravery of soldiers, forgetting that without the bravery of female nurses, many wouldn’t have survived. I want to take the time to honor one of those brave nurses who are often left in the shadows of our American history. My attention was immediately drawn to a women who not only worked in the hospitals, but who also bravely followed the men into battle.

Anne B Etheridge was born on May 3,1844 in Detroit, Michigan. Her family was wealthy but when Anne was young her mother died. On her tenth birthday,she and her father moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Anne spent most of her childhood in Wisconsin with her father.

When Anne turned sixteen she married James Etheridge. When her father ran into financial difficulties and lost most of his money, he returned to Michigan but Anne remained in Wisconsin with James. Not long after her father left, her marriage failed and she moved back to Michigan. While she was living in Michigan the civil war broke out.

At the age of seventeen Anne enlisted as a Daughter of the Regiment.A Daughter of the Regiment is a woman who followed the army,did chores around camp, and nursed the wounded. She traveled to a hospital in Alexandria for training.

Anne’s first job was to march with the Regiment to Washington D.C where they joined the army of Potomac.Anne’s first battle occurred at Blackburn’s Ford,Virginia. When the battle started Anne wasted no time by rushing onto the battle field to nurse the wounded.

The soldiers called her ‘Gentle Annie’ because she was a gentle,careful,and kind nurse. She would fill the saddle bags on her horse with bandages so she could ride onto the battle field to help the wounded soldiers.

At the battle of second Manassas, Anne was almost caught by a confederate soldier while tending to the wounded soldiers. That was when she came to General Kearney’s attention and he quickly advised she should receive a horse and a servant. Anne only received the horse because General Kearney was killed during the Union retreat.

Anne wore a sidesaddle skirt. She carried two pistols under her belt in case she was captured, or ran into trouble. She also carried bandages close by if a soldier was wounded on the battle field and needed her help.

After the fighting was over she searched the area to find wounded soldiers who had not already seen the doctor and were in desperate need of her help. Anne sometimes could only offer comforting words to some of the soldiers who were mortally wounded. This compassion was displayed by soldier George Hill’s last quote, “Annie, dearest friend, I am not long for this world, and I wish to thank you for your kindness ere I go. You were the only one who was ever kind to me since I entered the army.”

After the battle of Chancellorsville, Anne was shot in the hand when a Union officer tried to hide behind her. Anne was only injured but the officer was killed and her horse was wounded.

In 1863, Anne was one of two women awarded the Kearny Cross. This award was named after General Phillip Kearny and given for: “noble sacrifice and heroic service to the Union army.”

In 1864 General Grant ordered all women to leave the Union camps. Anne was very sad to leave her regiment and was determined to continue to serve her country in a similar fashion. She found this satisfaction by joining the hospital service in City Point, Virginia.

At the end of Anne’s three year enlistment, she still did not quit. Instead she joined the fifth Michigan regiment and cared for wounded soldiers at the battles of Spotsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, and Hatcher’s Run. She also helped thousands of wounded soldiers who were wounded during the siege of Petersburg.

She returned to Detroit, Michigan and remained with her regiment until July After the war she took a job at the Treasury Department. In 1878 she was released from the Treasury Department. She petitioned Congress for a pension for her wartime service. She was granted $25 a month. Anne then married a war veteran, Charles Hook in 1870.

Sadly in 1913 Anne passed away. Anne received a veterans burial in Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C.

Anne Blair was born in Detroit, Michigan Anne moved to Wisconsin Anne married James Etheridge Anne’s marriage failed and she moved back to Michigan. She also enlisted in the “Daughters of the Regiment” Anne received training at a hospital in Alexandria Anne received the Kearny Cross All women were forced to leave the camps and Anne joined the hospital service at City Point, Virginia Anne returned to Detroit with her regiment until the end of the war. She then took a job at the Treasury Department Anne married war veteran, Charles Hook Anne was discharged from the Treasury Department Petitioned Congress requesting a pension for her wartime service Congress approved a pension for $25.00 a month Ann passed away and was buried in The Arlington National Cemetery. 1913

Bibliography Shura, Mary Francis. Gentle Annie: The True Story of a Civil War Nurse, New York: Scholastic, 1991 Civil War Women, “ Annie Blair Etheridge,” January 17, 2007, accessed September 7, 2009, s9.com Biographical Dictionary, “Annie B. Etheridge,” accessed September 7, 2009, Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia, “Anna Etheridge,” accessed September 7, 2009, CivilWarTalk, “ Annie Etheridge Hooks, Nurse?Soldier— ,” November 8, 2007, accessed September 7, 2009, etheridge-hooks-nurse-soldier a248.html