--------------- Esteemed member Theresa Stimson
Excuse the tardiness of my response to Mark's post regarding the unknown female Confederate soldier at Gettysburg. Wouldn't you know that the week I've got the flu and can't even turn on my computer, one of my favorite topics (Women at Gettysburg) is resurrected!
The following comes from E.F. Conklin's 'Women at Getttysburg: 1863' (Thomas Publications, 1993, p. 134): "The unidentified body of a female Confederate soldier was discovered by a burial detail on the west side of the stone wall at the angle on Cemetary Ridge. A participant in Pickett's Charge, she was one of the 12,000 courageous souls that stepped off Seminary Ridge and marched across a mile of open ground through a hell of enemy fire. The fact that her body was found in such an advanced post is testimony to her bravery. However, except for an unverified story that the woman had enlisted in a Virginia regiment with her husband and was killed carrying the colors during the charge, Hays' notation (War of the Rebellion Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Vol. 27, Part 1, 378) is the extent of acknowledgement she received for having given her life for her country."
Two other sources for information on this same soldier include:
'Hearts of Fire...Soldier Women of the Civil War, Volume I' by Lee Middleton, 1993, Geneology Publishing Service, pages 89 and 122
'Patriots in Disguise: Women Warriors of the Civil War' by Richard Hall, 1993, Paragon House, page 158
There are numerous other sources (but alas, still not enough) available regarding the varied contributions of women to the Civil War, but I have chosen to exclude them here in the interest of brevity.
Hope this helps...