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FReeper Canteen ~ Part IX of Women Warriors: Women Soldiers and Sailors ~ March 16, 2004
GenderGap.com ^ | March 16, 2004 | LaDivaLoca

Posted on 03/16/2004 3:25:43 AM PST by LaDivaLoca

 
 
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Part IX: Women Soldiers & Sailors


 
In 1428 a 16 year old peasant girl named Jehanne la Pucelle convinced the Dauphin of France to put her in charge of his army by promising to reclaim Orleans from the English and have him crowned at Riems. In May 1429 she led the army in the battle that returned Orleans to the French and two months later watched the Dauphin crowned Charles VII of France in the Cathedral of Reims. In May 1430 the girl who became known to the world as Joan of Arc was captured by the Burgundians during her attack on Compiegne and sold to the English. She was charged in an ecclesiastical court with heresy, blasphemy, idolatry, and sorcery. In May 1431 she was burned at the stake in the market place of Rouen as a relapsed heretic. Her relapse consisted of donning the men's clothing she had worn throughout her career and which she had earlier agreed to abandon in order to save herself from the stake.

There are accounts, verified by multiple official sources, of more than 20 women who dressed as men and served in the British Royal Navy or Marines from the late 17th to the early 19th centuries. In 1690 Anne Chamberlyne joined her brother's ship and fought in the battle against the French off Beachy Head. A tablet to her memory was placed in the wall of the Chelsea Old Church, London, along with other Chamberlyne family memorials. The English translation of the original Latin read, "In an adjoining vault lies Anne, the only daughter of Edward Chamberlyne, Doctor of Laws, born in London, the 20th January 1667, who having long declined marriage and aspiring to great achievements unusual to her sex and age, on the 30th June 1690, on board a fireship in man's clothing, as a second Pallas, chaste and fearless fought valiantly six hours against the French ...".

It was also not unusual for the wives of crewmen to live aboard both English and French warships. During battles they would deliver water and carry gun powder from the magazine to the cannons as well as assisting the ships' surgeon.

John Nichols, a seaman aboard the HMS Goliath wrote of the women aboard during the Battle of the Nile on Aug. 1, 1798, "There were some of the women wounded, and one woman belonging to Leith died of her wounds and was buried on a small island in the bay. One woman bore a son in the heat of the action; she belonged to Edinburgh." The names of four of the women aboard the Goliath during the battle were listed in the ship's muster book which stated they were "victualed at two-thirds allowance in consideration of their assistance in dressing and attending on the wounded, being widows of men slain in the fight with the enemy on the first day of August."

In 1847 the British government decided that Queen Victoria would award a Naval General Service Medal to all living survivors of the major battles fought between 1793 and 1840. Mary Ann Riley and Ann Hopping, who had been aboard the Goliath during the Battle of the Nile, and Jane Townshend, who was aboard the Defiance at Trafalgar in 1805, applied and were originally approved by the Admirals reviewing the claims. They were later refused the medal on the basis that, "There were many women in the fleet equally useful, and it will leave the Army exposed to innumerable applications of the same nature." [Italics in original]. More than 20,000 men received the medal including at least one who was an infant at the time the ship he was on engaged in battle.

Kit Cavanagh, better known as "Mother Ross" was one of several women who served as dragoons in the British Army. She fought during the 1690's at first disguised as a man and later openly as a woman. She was wounded several times but survived and received a military burial when she eventually died of old age. Ann Mills was another British dragoon who fought on the frigate Maidstone in 1740.

Phoebe Hessel's gravestone in Brighton churchyard Sussex, tells of her having, "served for many years as a private Soldier in the 5th Reg't of foot in different parts of Europe and in the year 1745 fought under the command of the Duke of Cumberland at the Battle of Fontenoy where she received a bayonet wound in her arm. Her long life which commenced in the time of Queen Anne extended into the reign of George IV, by whose munificence she received comfort and support in her later years."

Angelique Brulon defended Corsica in seven campaigns between 1792 and 1799. At first she fought disguised as a man, by the time her gender was discovered she had proved so valuable in battle that she was allowed to remain in the military fighting openly as a woman. She commanded male troops at Calvi who later drew up a testimonial which read in part, "We the garrison at Calvi certify that Marie-Angelique Josephine Duchemin Brulon, acting sergeant, commanding the attack on Fort Gesco, fought with us with the courage of a heroine". They went on to commend her skill with a sword and in hand to hand combat. She was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1822 and personally presented the French Legion of Honor by Napoleon III.

Marie Schellinck, a Belgian, fought for France in the Napoleonic Wars. She was wounded at Jemmappes, Austerlitz and Jena. She received the French Legion of Honor and a military pension in 1808. Virginie Ghesquiere who fought under Junot in Portugal and Angelique Brulon were two other women awarded the French Legion of Honor in the 18th century.

In 1807 Napoleon removed the French Legion of Honor from his own chest and awarded it to Ducaud Laborde, who fought openly as a woman with a troop of hussars at the battles of Eylau, Friedland and Waterloo. Although she was wounded at Friedland she continued to fight and captured 6 prisoners. At Waterloo her husband was killed and her military career ended when a cannon ball destroyed her leg. 

Elizabeth Hatzler wore the uniform of a French dragoon and fought beside her husband in several battles in 1812. She carried him during the army's retreat after he was wounded in a losing battle against the Cossacks.

Sylvia Mariotti served as a private in the 11th Battalion of the Italian Bersaglieri from 1866 to 1879. She fought the Austrians in the Battle of Custozza.

 

Next Tuesday Part IX of Women Warriors:

Women Revolutionaries



TOPICS: Front Page News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: womensailors; womensoldiers; womenwarriors
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To: trussell
ME!
601 posted on 03/16/2004 8:58:22 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: Brad's Gramma
NOT me!
602 posted on 03/16/2004 8:58:42 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: Brad's Gramma
Yes, the news of Poland is exceptional.

As I understand it the Spanish were about to take charge of a 9000 strong international troop when they wimped out.

Poland will take command and fill the gap...they also publically reprimanded spain for their cowardice.
603 posted on 03/16/2004 8:58:58 PM PST by mylife
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To: Brad's Gramma
OOPS!! LOL
604 posted on 03/16/2004 8:59:44 PM PST by trussell (Member: Viking Kitty Society;New Charter member: Troll Patrol...)
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To: mylife
they also publically reprimanded spain for their cowardice

REALLY? Now THERE'S some real leadership!!

605 posted on 03/16/2004 9:00:40 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: trussell
(I just did that for show. I WANTED you to win. Uh huh.)
606 posted on 03/16/2004 9:01:02 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: trussell
Congratulations Trussell you got #600


607 posted on 03/16/2004 9:03:37 PM PST by HopeandGlory (Hey, Liberals . . . PC died on 9/11 . . . GET USED TO IT!!!)
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To: Brad's Gramma
I think they are in our corner for REAL

And why wouldnt they be? they are a proud nation that has been spit on for centurys by fellow europeans.

They are casting their lot and mean it.

I hope Poland becomes a buisness dynamo on the continent
608 posted on 03/16/2004 9:03:45 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
And Im partial to those folks coz of the fine pastries (Kolachi) they make! LOL
609 posted on 03/16/2004 9:05:46 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
I hope Poland becomes a buisness dynamo on the continent

You're not kidding. I'm gonna keep a close eye on this one...if I see some Freeper who's made a list of things imported from that country...I'll post it here. And shout it from the rooftops.

I've had my LAST jar of Classico 'sgetti sauce, tonight, because the ever so loverly Ms. Heinz owns that company..so I'd be MORE than happy to search out things from Poland.

610 posted on 03/16/2004 9:07:43 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: mylife
Is Kolachi only an in-country food?
611 posted on 03/16/2004 9:08:56 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: HopeandGlory
Thank you. That's a beautiful WooHoo!!
612 posted on 03/16/2004 9:11:32 PM PST by trussell (Member: Viking Kitty Society;New Charter member: Troll Patrol...)
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To: Brad's Gramma
Grammy you surprise me. Classico? I grow and can my own!

Seriously the poles were used as Heavy labor for the euros and soviets for a long time..they reaped nothing but sweat..I hope that we can use that ifrastructure to our and their advantage...the key here is that we honor them as they are honoring us
613 posted on 03/16/2004 9:12:32 PM PST by mylife
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To: Brad's Gramma
Uh huh, and you want to sell me what bridge??
614 posted on 03/16/2004 9:12:40 PM PST by trussell (Member: Viking Kitty Society;New Charter member: Troll Patrol...)
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To: mylife
Grammy you surprise me. Classico? I grow and can my own!

Yeah? So? Uhhhhh.......I DON'T HAVE A GOOD EXCUSE!!! hahahahahaaaaaaaaa

615 posted on 03/16/2004 9:15:09 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: trussell
Silly. The one that runs through Phoenix.
616 posted on 03/16/2004 9:15:41 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: Brad's Gramma
Naw Gammmy I will send You a recipe for Kolachi...I was raised with it..its a christmas thing..a nutroll best had warm with real butter and coffee on a winters night in front of a fire
617 posted on 03/16/2004 9:15:47 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
Oh boy....I'm falling in love.


Are you married?
618 posted on 03/16/2004 9:17:14 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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To: Brad's Gramma
I'll teach ya, what else are sunday afternoons for?

;^)
619 posted on 03/16/2004 9:17:25 PM PST by mylife
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To: mylife
You're ON!

WHOO HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
620 posted on 03/16/2004 9:18:07 PM PST by Brad’s Gramma (Pray for America and Israel)
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