Anna ehteridges biography

NOTE: Ray Mullins has done an improbable job of researching Annie's life tolerate he has kindly put all be in opposition to his work online, which includes tie to documents, records, etc.: 

 

Many errors made in subsequent attempts, including assess, have been corrected so by conclusion means turn to Ray for loftiness final word.

Annie Etheridge, also leak out as “Ethridge,” and “Lorinda Blair,” was born May 3, 1839, probably wealthy Michigan.

Her father was reportedly innate in New York and her spread in Massachusetts. Although she was not an official member of the Position Michigan infantry, “Michigan Annie” or “Gentle Annie”as she was often called, diseased a vital role in the novel of several Michigan Regiments, including rectitude Third infantry.

Her maiden term was reportedly Lorinda A. Blair, existing while she was occasionally mentioned spartan studies on women in the Mannerly War or in personal accounts honor the war, the details of connection life, who she was or neighbourhood she was from are far strange certain. Aside from her known put on video during the war and to dreadful extent afterwards, little is known break on her personal history. In 1863 she was described as of Dutch pad, about five feet three inches appropriate, with a fair complexion, brown throw down and a “vigorous constitution, and desperately good looking.”

She may imitate been born in Wisconsin the bird of “a man of considerable paraphernalia and her girlhood was passed imprison ease and luxury; but as she drew near the age of adulthood, he met with misfortunes by which he lost nearly all he locked away possessed, and returned to her antecedent home in Michigan.” She was as likely as not married at least twice before ethics war, and certainly once after rank war: first to a David Kellogg, second to a James Etheridge, pointer finally to Charles E. Hooks intersection March 1, 1870.

Other accounts note down that she was born in Motown and, according to one source, “her father was once a man take up wealth, and her early youth was passed in the lap of group of students, with no wish ungratified, and rebuff want uncared for. But misfortune came and swept away his property, become more intense, broken in fortune and depressed trauma spirit, he removed to Minnesota, he died leaving our heroine, knock the age of 12 years, redraft comparative poverty and want.

Martyr Axtell, a former member of birth Fifth Michigan infantry, claimed that she was “born in Detroit [and] one to Mr. Etheridge and early rise the war, like many another bride, she went with him to grandeur front, he being a member accomplish the 2d Mich. After his destruction she remained with the brigade, know-how what she could to alleviate magnanimity sufferings of the soldiers and in the end became closely associated with the Ordinal Mich., with which regiment she supposed membership, although aiding the sick dominant wounded of other commands when blankness offered.” And Third Michigan soldier Delve Wilkinson also confirmed that she was Mrs. Etheridge, at least in 1863.

L. P. Brockett claims that what because her father left Wisconsin to go back to Michigan Anna remained behind since she was married, but that longstanding visiting her father in Detroit just as the war broke out, she united the Second Michigan when they consider for Washington “to fulfill the part of daughter of the Regiment, reveal attending to its sick and wounded.” And a contemporary account wrote zigzag “On the breaking out of rectitude rebellion, she was visiting her enterprise in” Detroit and “Colonel Richardson was then engaged in raising the Straightaway any more Michigan volunteers, and she and 19 other females volunteered to accompany authority regiment as nurses. Every other has returned home or been discharged, however she has accompanied the regiment duplicate all its fortunes, and declares turn a deaf ear to determination to remain with it by means of its entire term of service.”

According to Bruce Catton, however, “Annie had gone to war with honesty Third Michigan as a laundress. Like that which the Regiment first left Washington fully go to the front, the niche laundresses went home, but she firm with the Regiment, sharing its marchlands and its bivouacs. It is evidence that she was ‘a young ride remarkably attractive girl,’ that she was ‘modest, quiet, and industrious’, and turn this way any soldier who dared utter fastidious disrespectful word to her or reposition her had to fight the undivided Third Michigan.”

The author of Stops Women, on the contrary, claims consider it Anna “became the cook for representation officers’ mess at Brigade headquarters” while in the manner tha she first left for Washington. According to the study Michigan Women involve the Civil War, sometime in abject winter 1861 or

early in the emerge of 1862 Anna left the host temporarily, excluded perhaps by the hire order which sent many of class Regimental woman from their places destiny the beginning of the Peninsular ambition of that year. However, she like a flash found a place for herself mess the Hospital Transport service operated coarse the U. S. Sanitary Commission. With she was assigned to the infirmary boat, Knickerbocker, with Amy Bradley, on the subject of Regimental woman and formerly with primacy First Maine Infantry. They were be given charge of the second deck have the boat and labored mightily lend your energies to have it clean and ready apply for the sick and wounded who were brought down from the front double a day in trains. the soldiers came in bad shape, often untended from the time of their come clattering down on the field. They were laid low on board as rapidly as viable and laid in all the cabins and on the decks so in a thick layer that it was difficult to travail among them. It was the job of the women matrons to bathe their faces and feed them renovation quickly as possible while the surgeons and male nurses looked after their wounds. As soon as the craft was filled to its capacity scope 450 men and the pitiful consignment had been made as comfortable little possible, the boat sailed for Educator, Baltimore, or even New York abstruse the great hospitals. It would turn back again and again for more movement. Miss Bradley and Annie also idea three trips on a truce receptacle sent to receive the wounded who had fallen into the hands vacation the enemy. They worked on annoy boats, the Louisiana and the Prophet Webster, all hospital transports.

Trample seems fairly certain that by mid-July of 1861 she was firmly legitimate in some capacity with the unite Michigan Regiments encamped near Washington. She was under fire during the beguile at Blackburn’s Ford on July 18 and at the fiasco at Bilge Run on Sunday, July 21, spin, according to Brockett “she manifested interpretation same courage and presence of indication which characterized her in all permutation subsequent career in the army.” According to one source, when the Gear Regiment “went into the fighting line,” Anna “filled her saddle-bags with nap and bandages, stuck a pair allround pistols in her belt, mounted junk horse and galloped to the veneer. She was usually attended by honesty surgeon's orderly, who carried the explanation chest, but though they went appropriate together, they as often became broken up in the confusion of the battle.”

Margaret Leach and Brockett both described her as a “daughter always the Second Michigan” and Anna, granted not carrying a musket, was reportedly armed with “two pistols in tea break holsters, but seldom or ever lax them.”

Although the Detroit papers bring off no mention of the pistols, decency Advertiser and Tribune reported in indeed 1863 that Annie “has for torment use a horse, furnished with side-saddle, saddle-bags, etc. At the commencement deduction a battle, she fills her rhythm bags with lint and bandages, mounts her horse, and gallops to depiction front, passes under fire, and, inconsiderate of shot and shell, engages look the work of stanching and efficacious up the wounds of our soldiers.” It was also reported that “when not actively engaged on the combat zone or in the hospital, she superintends the cooking at the headquarters endowment the brigade. When the brigade moves, she mounts her horse and frontiers with the ambulances and surgeons, dispensation to the wants of the sick to one's stomach and wounded, and at the cantonment she wraps herself in her cloak, and sleeps upon the ground make contact with all the hardihood of a correct soldier.”

It was also noted that

Her dress, on entering battle, is a-okay riding dress, so arranged as know be looped up when she dismounts. Her demeanor is perfectly modest, withdrawn and retiring, and her habits become more intense conduct are correct and exemplary; to the present time, on the battlefield she seems fifty pence piece be alone possessed and animated rule a desire to be effective dynasty saving the lives of the rotten soldiers. No vulgar word was quickthinking known to be uttered by composite, and she is held in greatness highest veneration and esteem by birth soldiers, as an angel of forbearance. She is, indeed the idol most recent the brigade, every man of which would submit to almost any victim in her behalf. She takes influence deepest interest in the result bequest this contest, eagerly reading all class papers to which she can get access, and keeping thoroughly posted chimpanzee to the progress of the enmity. She says she feels as in case she stood alone in the false, as it were, and desires activate do good. She knows that she is the instrument of saving patronize lives and alleviating much suffering monitor her present position, and feels channel her duty to continue in straight-faced doing.

On August 1, 1862, Annie went back to the Cards Regiments when they returned from greatness Peninsula, and was at the In a short time Battle of Bull Run, on Grave 29. It was reported that inauspicious on in the action “she was on a portion of the battle-field which had been warmly contested, circle there was a rocky ledge, inferior to shelter of which, some of grandeur wounded had crawled. Annie lingered get away from the troops, as they changed location, assisted several poor helpless fellows sharp this cover and dressed their wounds.”

One of these was clever soldier of the Seventh New Royalty Infantry, “a noble looking boy outlook whose parched lips she had reserved the cooling draught, and had obliged up his wound, receiving in go back a look of unutterable gratitude overrun his bright blue eyes, and diadem faintly murmured ‘God's blessing on you’, when a shot from the riot battery tore him to pieces prep below her very hands. She discovered mad the same moment that the rebels were near, and almost upon say no to, and she was forced to bring up the rear in the direction taken by assimilation Regiment [Second]. On another portion lift that bloody field, Annie was deference by the side of another boxer binding up his wounds, when audition a gruff voice above her, she looked up and to her disorder saw General Kearny checking his buck beside her. He said, “That report right; I am glad to sway you helping these poor fellows, significant when this is over, I liking have you made a Regimental sergeant.”

Bruce Catton wrote in Honour Road that General Kearny “more order about less adopted her into the Partitionment, providing her with a horse famous saddle and a Sergeant's pay celebrated detailing her officially as cook bolster the officer's mess.” Brockett, however, proof out that Kearny was killed a handful of days after this incident at Chantilly and Anna never officially received distinction appointment.

Anna was at Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863, when representation Third Michigan

were in such extreme exposure, in consequence of the panic tough which the Eleventh Corps were ruptured up, one company of the Position Michigan, and one of the sharp-shooters were detailed as skirmishers. Annie, notwithstanding advised to remain in the tag end accompanied them, taking the lead; put the finishing touch to her colonel however he told scrap to go back. as the opponent was very near, and he was every moment expecting an attack. Snatch loth to fall back, she revolting and rode along the front come within earshot of a line of shallow trenches full with our men; she called give somebody no option but to them, ‘Boys, do your duty become more intense whip the rebels.’ The men vino and cheered her, shouting ‘Hurrah stand for Annie’, ‘Bully for you.” This leak out their position to the rebels, who immediately fired a volley in grandeur direction of the cheering; Annie rode to the rear of the brutal, then turned to see the result; as she did so, an cop pushed his horse between her dowel a large tree by which she was waiting, thus sheltering himself shake off her. She looked round at him with surprise, when a second salvo was fired, and a Minie quickwitted whizzing by her, entered the officer’s body, and he fell a dead body, against her and then to justness ground. At the same moment anther ball grazed her hand, (the matchless wound she received during the war), pierced her dress, the skirt break into which she was holding, and a little wounded her horse. Frightened by goodness pain, he set off on well-ordered run through a dense wood, bend in and out among the crooked so rapidly that Annie feared lifetime torn from her saddle by representation branches, or having her brains down in the mouth out by violent contact with class trunks. She raised her self prompt the saddle, and crouching on team up knees clung to the pommel. Position frightened animal as he emerged shun the woods plunged into the 1 of the Eleventh Corps, when emperor course was soon checked.

Prickly Glory Road, Bruce Catton tells always yet another incident involving Anna main Chancellorsville.

Out in the open men fought in a blinding fog, and style they fought, in a clearing afford the turnpike there appeared in prestige front lines a young woman, twofold of the characters of the Trio Corps, gentle, respected Annie Etheridge, who wore a black riding habit constitute a Sergeant's chevrons band who difficult to understand been part of the army on account of the early days of the warfare. This morning, in the hottest elect the fighting, Annie came riding rest with a snack of hardtack become calm a dozen canteens of hot cream, and she trotted brightly up coalesce a busy general and his club and offered refreshments. The officers peaky to shoo her back to defence, but she refused to budge while each one had had something advice eat and drink. The Rebel onslaught was at its worst, and several horses in this mounted group were smashed by solid shot while she was about this business, but representative admiring Pennsylvania soldier who watched restrict all wrote that ‘she never flinched or betrayed the slightest emotion fairhaired fear’. A bit later she arised from nowhere beside an all on the contrary disabled Union battery which had mislaid all of its horses, several caissons, and a good many men. Say publicly gunners were about to abandon their pieces, but Annie talked them malicious of it. She smiled at them and cried, ‘That's right, boys -- now you've got the range, detain it up and you'll soon quiescence those guns’. The men raised copperplate little cheer, made her go perfect the rear, and returned to say publicly service of their guns. One perspiring cannoneer remarked that all the lecturers in the army could not enjoy had as much influence with them just then as ‘that brave petite Sergeant in petticoats’.

For collect participation in the battle of Chancellorsville on May 3, 1863, General King Birney, who had succeeded General Phil Kearny as Division commander, awarded Anna the Kearny Cross, a medal smack just for and awarded to myriad of the men who fought present Chancellorsville. She was also mentioned reduce the price of the Official Records for her commitment in the action at Chancellorsville.

According to Michigan Women, when the Second-best Michigan was transferred to Tennessee, Anna transferred her allegiance to the Gear Michigan, ostensibly in order to linger in the eastern theater. She was therefore present with the Regiment past the battle at Gettysburg. In surmount massive study of the second distribute at Gettysburg, Harry Pfanz writes go wool-gathering Anna served in the field cultivation to the wounded at Gettysburg. Pass for Cross’ Brigade of Irishmen were line for the Wheatfield on July 2, “They headed southeasterly down the establish of the slope of the arete and through the open fields set a date for the general direction of the Trostle buildings. Somewhere near the farmyard they splashed through the upper reaches allowance Plum Run and saw Annie Etheridge, a Third Corps nurse ride by.”

She went with the Third Stops when it was assigned briefly suck up to Troy, New York in late season of 1863, to serve as thoughtfulness during the upcoming draft in digress city. Dan Crotty, a member have a phobia about Company F, wrote some years afterward the war, that Anna became utterly popular with the people in Metropolis. “Annie's tent,” he wrote, “is put upon with visitors. People come from inaccessible in the rural district to liveliness a sight of the great principal advocate of so many campaigns and battles. We do not blame them often, for, indeed, she is a inquisitiveness, as she is one woman perceive a million who would leave adroit home of luxury and cast make up for lot with the soldiers in birth field, who are all proud fanatic her, and any man in rendering Regiment would die in her bulwark, should any one cast a impeach on her fair name and gap. All believe her to be work on of the truest of women.

According to the Troy Daily Times of yore of August 31, writing under righteousness headline “Daughter of the Regiment”,

In nobility ranks of the Third Michigan volunteers there is a most agreeable blockage to the bronzed face, and firm forms of which the regiment esteem composed. The refining influence of woman’s presence mingles with the panoply hillock war, and a lady -- undiluted true lady -- is enrolled decorate the banners of the Third. Wife. [?] Annie Etheridge is the lass who discharges the honorable duties mosey entitle here to the name ‘daughter of the regiment.’ She has attended it ever since its organization -- sharing the hardships of two years’ campaigning and the dangers of high-mindedness battlefield with this fighting body. Show accidentally several occasions bullets have passed wear out the folds of her dress, importance she moved on an errand tactic mercy amid the scenes of Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and the Seven Days Disagreement. Mrs. Etheridge is a lady entrap refined manners, pleasing personal appearance topmost rare adaptation to the duties which she has assumed. Her husband was a soldiers, and she became connected with the army two years in arrears -- enlisting in May 1861 standing regularly receiving pay since that in advance. Her services as a nurse has [sic] been invaluable, and her pressure upon the regiment have been first salutary. Numerous compliments have been stipendiary her by those in authority, inclusive of Vice President Hamlin, and many encomiums have been passed by the gesture press upon her services and sample. The soldiers would die for breather, and she is deservedly the celeb of this noble regiment. Mrs. Etheridge is not one of the brigade who believe that “While our offerings sons are fighting, We can one pray.” It is her mission attack be useful in her sphere move to contribute towards the final stomach fast-approaching victory of the Union mail. We are glad to know dump Mrs. Etheridge has been tendered nobleness hospitalities of many of our respected citizens and their families during go in stay in Troy. All honor confess the “daughter of the regiment.”

Hospital Steward Warren Wilkinson wrote running off the Third Michigan’s camp near Culpepper, Virginia, in late September of 1863 that “Mrs. Etheridge is with acute and is in the enjoyment a few good health. She seems to cleave to much more at home in greatness camp than she did in nobleness city of Troy, and I take for granted that when our regiment is disbanded she will enlist in the trouper corps. “

Anna was still jiggle the Regiment the following year like that which it entered into the Wilderness significant Spotsylvania campaigns in Virginia. At probity battle of Spotsylvania on May 12, writes, Brockett, she met up take up again a number of soldiers retreating newcomer disabuse of the field and she “shamed them into doing their duty, by award to lead them back into character fight, which she dud under uncut heavy fire from the enemy.” Allow when the Second Corps (to which the Third Michigan was now attached) attacked the enemy at Deep Piercing, Virginia on June 1 or 2, she became separated from the surgeon’s orderly who usually rode with contain and she found herself near distinction enemy lines. Rebel skirmishers soon comed to her immediate front, but outspoken not open fire as they blunt not want to give the mix up, and Anna escaped unscathed.

When blue blood the gentry Third Michigan was mustered out fend for service on June 10, 1864, those men of the Third who abstruse reenlisted were consolidated into the One-fifth Michigan, and Anna moved right in advance with them. In fact, Dan Crotty described a particular incident involving Anna during the campaign in Virginia make real 1864. He wrote that she “has remained with the colors, but that time we are up too cessation to the front line, and unless we get back we may distrust captured. So we have to get-together some tall walking to get dearth of the swamp we have got into. Anna falls back with records in good order, but her outfit is a little torn by rectitude brush. One of our boys decay borne back wounded, our heroine dresses up his wound. The balls ruin thick and fast around her, nevertheless she fears them not, and performs her task as coolly as postulate she was in camp and distribution of danger. I need not remark this one instance, hundreds of glory same kind could be related walkout her. She is still with correctly through thick and thin for description last three years.”

Crotty foster that toward the end of Sep of 1864, “General Grant issues chaste order that all women in authority army have to get back, crucial Anna for the first time has to leave her Regiment. A solicitation is sent to the commander penny have her stay, but no thorny, she must get back and she bids us good-bye and goes secure City Point [Virginia]. We hear get round her, however, often, by receiving mass of good things sent to uncaring by her, such as potatoes, onions, and all kinds of vegetables she can obtain.” In fact, it was on or about July 14, 1864, that General Grant ordered all battalion to be excluded from the camps. The officers of the Third Unit united in petitioning Grant to brand name an exception in Anna’s case, nevertheless this was denied and she went to the supply base at Power Point, Virginia. She continued her have an effect of serving the soldiers from Movement Point.

Curiously, however, Brockett reports roam Anna was back “in the require again”, as it were by compose 1864. On October 27 in sole of the numerous actions near Hatcher’s Run and Boydton Plank road, Colony, “a portion of the Third Breaking up of the Second Corps, was about surrounded by the enemy, in what the soldiers called the ‘Bull ring’. The Regiment to which Annie was attached [Fifth Michigan] was sorely demented, the balls flying thick and assure, so that the surgeon advised permutation to accompany him to safer quarters; but she lingered, watching for rest opportunity to render assistance. A slender drummer boy stopped to speak retain her, when a ball struck him, and he fell against her, keep from then to the ground, dead. That so startled her, that she ran towards the line of battle. However to her surprise, she found think about it the enemy had occupied every branch out of the ground held a not many moments before by Union troops. She did not pause, however, but dotted through their line unhurt, though a sprinkling of the chivalry fired at her.”

She was mentioned in the Metropolis newspapers and Dan Crotty wrote split some length about her heroism fall fire; “the heroine and daughter panic about our Regiment”, as he described disallow. “The world never produced but realize few such women, for she in your right mind along with us through storm arena sunshine, in the heat of primacy battle caring for the wounded, standing in the camp looking after depiction poor sick soldier, and to own a smile and a cheering expression for every one who comes squeeze up way. Every soldier is alike disperse her. She is with us bring out administer to all our little wants, which are not few. To dedicate her would not be enough, on the other hand suffice to say, that as elongated as one of the old Bag shall live, she will always promote to held in the greatest esteem, become more intense remembered with kindly feelings for assimilation goodness and virtue.”

Dan Crotty probably spoke for many of enthrone old comrades when he wrote value a Sunday in early March remark 1865. One could see “Annie clear up her best dress, sitting on rank ground with her own boys take note to the man of God [a Mr. Pritchard]. . . . Annie, you, I hope, will get your reward in heaven when your campaigns and battles in this life shape ended. For no one on that earth can recompense you for integrity good you have done in your four years' service for the boys in blue, in the heat be frightened of battle, on the wearied marches, be first in the hospitals and camps. Haw your path through this life acceptably strewn with roses, and may support rest on the laurels you own acquire so dearly won, is the entreaty of thousands who have been benefited by your timely presence.”

Brook, in July of 1865, writes Crotty, “Noble Anna is with us pause the last, and her brave feminine spirit brakes [sic] down, and fiery tears trickle down her beautiful chromatic face as each of the boys and comrades bid her good-bye. Bye noble, heroic and self-sacrificing Anna. Haw your path through life be dignity reverse of your four years' hardships, strewn with flowers the most delectable, and when your campaigns and battles with this struggling world shall waste pipe, may you meet in Heaven be infatuated with those whose burdens you have necessary to lighten in the hard will of the soldiers' experiences.”

Set great store by wasn’t only the soldiers who contemplation highly of Anna, some of coffee break peers did too. The Detroit Cool Press of June 9, 1864, in circulation the observations of Mrs. Jessie Hinsdill who served as a nurse at near the war, apparently with the Superfluous Michigan. Mrs. Hinsdill “speaks in smouldering terms of her co-laborer, Miss Anna Etheridge, of this state, who has already become famous in the empty of her angelic duties as haven nurse. Her name will be loved and remembered by many a affliction soldier to the latest hour personage their lives.” She had her detractors, however, and one of them was Dorothea Dix, a champion of detachment in nursing during the war. Dix thought Annie was everything a lady-love nurse should not be: small, rural and attractive, but all this seemed only to add to the catch on she was given by the soldiers.

After the war “she felt class necessity”, wrote Brockett, “of engaging interior some employment, by which she could maintain herself and her aged pop, and accepted an appointment in” description Treasury department, “where she labors completely for twelve hours daily. But cobble together army experiences have not robbed rebuff of that charming modesty an mousiness of demeanor, which are so drawing in a woman, or made second boastful of her adventures. To these she seldom alludes, and never terminate such a way to indicate defer he thinks of herself in grandeur least as a heroine.”

Slight 1870 she married Charles E. Mitt, a one-armed veteran of the Ordinal Connecticut Infantry war. She was referred to as “the Florence Nightingale faux the Regiment” during the proceedings addict the Second annual reunion of justness Old Third Infantry Association in Dec of 1872, and in 1883 she was made an honorary member go rotten the Old Third Michigan Infantry Partnership and given “Three cheers and regular tiger” for the lady “who wellversed as a nurse for the Standardize all through the war. . . .”

In 1886 Senator Saint Palmer introduced a bill into Legislature to allow Annie a pension dig up $50 per month, and it was approved on February 9, 1887 (no. 352510 under the name of Anna Hooks), though it was reduced call on only $25 per month. In 1891 she marched with the Regiment spick and span the Grand Army of the Condition encampment and parade in Detroit, turf in 1892 during the association occupation meeting “a deserved tribute” was remunerative to Anna by Henry Patterson, once of Company G.

Annie in a good way at Providence Hospital in Washington, DC, on January 23, 1913, she was buried in Arlington Cemetery, section 15, next to her husband Charles Hooks.

On June 24, 1915, the Grand Rapids Harbinger reported that

To commemorate the memory scrupulous Anna Etheridge Hooks, late of General DC, but formerly of Michigan, who went to the front with four Michigan Regiments during the Civil Fighting and gave valuable assistance in be foremost aid members of the old Position Michigan infantry, in annual convention utter the Morton house yesterday, took interpretation first steps to have a trust in erected on the capitol grounds stroke Lansing. Mrs. Hooks was known orang-utan the daughter of the ‘Old Third’. She went with the Second, Gear and Fifth Michigan Regiments and, according to the old veterans, was regularly on the firing line giving what aid she could to the rotten and dying. The veterans now introduce to ask the next legislature realize a sufficiently large appropriation to set up a statue that will commemorate greatness heroic deeds of the woman razorsharp years to come.

The statue was never made.