Sarah Rosetta Wakeman

Lyons Wakeman
Birth name Sarah Rosetta Wakeman
Born (1843-01-16)January 16, 1843
Chenango County, New York
Died June 19, 1864(1864-06-19) (aged 21)
Marine USA General Hospital
in New Orleans
Allegiance United States
Service/branch Union
Unit 153rd New York Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars American Civil War

Lyons Wakeman (January 16, 1843 – June 19, 1864), born as Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, was a biologically female individual who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Wakeman served in the 153rd Regiment of the New York State Volunteers. Wakeman’s gender identification has been in dispute as he may arguably have been transgender. [1] In addition, his letters written during his service remained unread for nearly a century because they were stored in the attic of his relatives.

Early life

Wakeman was born January 16, 1843, in Bainbridge, New York, to Harvey Anable Wakeman and Emily Hale Wakeman. Lyons, then known as Sarah, was the oldest of nine children. Wakeman left his home in 1862 and went to work as a boatman for the Chenango Canal. While on his job, he met enlisted men who encouraged him to join the Union Army and he did so on August 30, 1862, using the name Lyons Wakeman, and claiming to be 21 years old. The description on his enlistment papers stated that he was five feet tall, fair-skinned, with blue eyes.

Military Service

His regiment was assigned guard duty in Alexandria, Virginia, later to Washington, DC, to protect the nation's capital. The first letter Wakeman sent home contained information about why he left home and what he was doing. Wakeman often sent money home in the hope of making amends. Lyons used his birth name when signing his correspondence; if his letters had been intercepted, this act could have ended his military career. Wakeman often wrote about being financially independent, something many women of the time wanted. He was religious and proud to be a "good soldier". The 153rd Regiment was transferred to an active battle field in 1864. The battle that ensued took place at Pleasant Hill, Louisiana. This force probably numbered around 11,000 soldiers. After his arrival, he sent his last letter home from the Grand Ecore Landing on the Red River.

The last letter Lyons sent reported: "Our army made an advance up the river to Pleasant Hill about 40 miles (64 km). There we had a fight. The first day of the fight our army got whip[ped] and we had to retreat back about 10 miles (16 km). The next day the fight was renewed and the firing took place about eight o'clock in the morning. There was a heavy Cannonading all day and a Sharp firing of infantry. I was not in the first day's fight, but the next day I had to face the enemy bullets with my regiment. I was under fire about four hours and laid on the field of battle all night. There was three wounded in my Co. and one killed. I feel thankful to God that he spared my life, and I pray to him that he will lead me safe through the field of battle and that I may return safe home."

Death & Legacy

Of the deceased soldiers, Lyons wrote, they lay "sometimes in heaps and in rows… with distorted features, among mangled and dead horses, trampled in mud, and thrown in all conceivable sorts of places. You can distinctly hear, over the whole field, the hum and hissing of decomposition." The Red River campaign claimed several lives including Wakeman's. He contracted chronic diarrhea which he eventually died of on June 19, 1864 in the Marine USA General Hospital in New Orleans. Wakeman was not the only one; thousands of Union soldiers were killed by drinking water contaminated by rotting animals. Wakeman's identity was not revealed during his burial as his headstone reads "Lyons Wakeman."[2]

References

  1. ↑ Angus, Scott. "Forgotten Heroes Portraits: Digital Photography". Behance. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  2. ↑ Wakeman, Sarah Rosetta; Burgess, Lauren Cook (1994). An Uncommon Soldier: The Civil War Letters of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, alias Pvt. Lyons Wakeman, 153rd Regiment, New York State Volunteers, 1862–1864. The Minerva Center. ISBN 0963489518. OCLC 30933373.

Further reading

External links

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