The Mysterious Private Thompson: The Double Life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, Civil War Soldier

by Laura Leedy Gansler

"Resurrecting a lost hero of the Civil War, The Mysterious Private Thompson tells the story of one heroic woman who defied convention in nineteenth-century America to live, work, and defend her country at a time of war, when most women were restricted to home and hearth." "Sarah Emma Edmonds was a young Canadian woman who adopted the guise of a man to escape an arranged marriage at seventeen. For two years, living as Franklin Thompson, she enjoyed the freedoms that men enjoyed, traveling the country at will as a successful book salesman." "In 1861, President Lincoln asked for 75,000 volunteers to suppress the "rebellion." Most of Franklin Thompson's friends would answer the call. For Thompson, the question was more complicated - but she didn't hesitate before enlisting in the Second Michigan Infantry at nineteen years old." "In The Mysterious Private Thompson, acclaimed author Laura Leedy Gansler uncovers the courageous life of the only woman ever awarded a full soldier's pension for her service during the Civil War. Drawing on Emma's journals and those of the men she served with, Gansler recreates Edmonds' experience through some of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War - including both the First and Second Battles of Bull Run (known as First and Second Manassas in the South), the Peninsula Campaign, and the Battle of Fredericksburg - during which she served with distinction in combat as a "male" nurse, and braved enemy fire as a mail carrier." "Gansler also investigates Edmonds' claim to have been a spy - going behind enemy lines disguised as a slave (by staining her skin with silver nitrate), as a Confederate soldier, even, ironically, as a peddler woman. One of the few who knew her secret was a young medic with whom she fell in love, but she nearly lost the friendship of her closest companion when she revealed the truth to him." "After two years of valiant service, the young soldier, who twice rejected medical attention for injuries sustained in the line o

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Civil War, American Civil War, Military Fiction, American History

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy ( https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... ) I was interested in reading more about Emma Edmondson/Frank Thompson. Gansler makes use of newspaper articles, journals, interviews,and Emma's own book to tell the story. There is more of a trail to document her experiences than have many of the other women who served in the civil war as men. Interestingly, one of Gansler's points (though she claims it isn't her major focus) is to question the veracity of the spy stories. I don't recall there being any questioning or defense of them in the first book. (I may or may not reread it--there are so many books I've yet to read a first time. . . .) Gansler claims integrating Edmnds' various identities is her major focus. However, she spends more time on the former and only one paragraph explicitly making the latter point. To be sure, the data she records supports that latter point; however, I'd like to have seen more discussion of identity in a book dated 2005. Even if the vocabulary of non-binary gender wasn't yet available.

Gansler maintains focus on the feminine identity by speaking of Emma as primary, using mostly feminine pronouns, and using quotation marks when referring to Frank. And since Emma returned to her female identity after leaving the battlefield, it may be justified. However, given the desire to unify the identities, there may have been a better way to convey a balance of identities. Among others, use of "they" as Emma/Frank's pronoun.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took longer to read than I expected it to. I didn't know that it would be not only about Sarah Emma Edmonds (aka Frank Thompson), but also a veritable history of the Civil War. It even has footnotes.
Sarah came from a large family and her father was very authoritarian. She left home to avoid an arranged marriage and disguised herself as a man in order to make her way in the world. She could work and earn higher wages as a man.
This book made me want to read her own account of her life story.

[Shellie Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not believe how much I loved this book. This is the very definition of the phrase "fact is better than fiction." I couldn't even dream up something like this. A story of courage and conviction, this book went to the very heart of what it meant to be a soldier during the Civil War. It did not matter whether you were male, female, slave, freeman, soldier, or civilian; everyone had something to fight for. I think the most powerful moment in this book for me, was when Emma (the woman whose story this is) went behind enemy lines and ended up in an abandoned house with a dying Confederate soldier inside. Her nursing skills kicked in and she did what she could to comfort him, while talking about death and what happens beyond the grave. It is in this moment that she realizes that the Confederate's belief in God and Christ was the same as her own. Confederate. Union. It didn't matter. Each man (and woman's) heart beat the same as the next person. They fought for what they believed to be right even if it put them on different sides of the battlefield, but in the next life, they'd all be on the same side. What a powerful story. I highly recommend this read.

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this biography of a brave and unique person, Emma Edmonds. I haven't studied the American Civil war much so the description of many battles was new to me, although a bit tedious. Yet, the author compelled me to read on, some chapter endings giving me chills.
The thing about nonfiction you have no idea what is going to happen next.

[Steven · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book though missing much needed insight and context in gender and possibly sexual orientation. Still it’s very complete and introduces people outside even when the war scenes and history were a little long.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had not heard of Sarah Emma Edmonds (alias Fred Thompson) before. This young woman passed herself off as a young man to sign up to serve in the Civil War. Her story is well documented and quite amazing although it is estimated that around 250 young women also did the same thing.

[Tara Cooper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellently written. Informational and honest account of a truly interesting life!

[Lara Samulenok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads in the style of a documentary or biography, with many missing points that have been lost to history. A true story with honesty about what is known exactly and what is only assumed.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like this book a lot. Some of the writing could have been a little less boring but the story was good. Sarah Emma Edmonds, grew up in Canada to a father who wanted a boy to farm with. Her only brother was somehwat of an invalid, so Sarah was the one who helped her father on the farm. When Sarah reached adulthood, she realized that only men had the best jobs, so she disguised herself as a man and went to the United States.

Sarah got a very ggod job as a travelling book salesman. She was very successful as "Frank Thompson" and eventually settled in Michaigan. When the Cilvil War broke out, she was overcome with enthuasiasm and joined the Michigan resruits and went off to the war. She served, under disguise as a nurse,spy, orderly, mail person and courier. She served for 3 years until her commanding officer retired and she became afraid that she would be discovered by her new commander, so she ended up going AWOL.

She eventually settled down and married Linus Seelye but they had no children who survived except an adopted son. Sarah was injured several times during her service and began to have complications from the injuries. She felt that she should be compensated by the government and began a letter writing campaign to prove her case. Eventually, after all the men who served witrh her (as a man), spoke up for her, she was granted a pension.

This is an excellent story and very well researched. Wonder how many other women served masquerading as men?

[Purlewe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the life of a Canadian woman who left her family at a young age and started on an adventure. She realized she could not make money as a woman, so she dressed like a man and became a door to door book salesman. While travelling she got caught up in the ferver of the Michigan Militia and joined to fight in the Civil War. She served for 2 yrs undetected by her superiors. She left when her superior retired and she realized that his leaving would mean that she might be discovered. She disappeared and was considered a deserter.

She wrote a novel that was quite popular at the time called "Nurse and Spy" about her time in the Army. It was mostly true and true tales she heard while she was serving her adopted country. Later on in life, after she had married and had children, she started having health problems due to her time in the war. Bouts of malaria, and troubles with her leg and foot from having it broken. She successfully petitioned to have her record changed to honorable discharge and a pension given to her for her service. (The first woman to do so in a man's army! Maybe the ONLY woman to do so for the Civil War.) She is quite an interesting person. This was a good book to remind ourselves about all the different personal stories in war.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Began this in March for Women's History Month -- much better than I expected!

This history was about a woman, Emma Edmonds, who fought in the Civil War (as a man) for the 2nd Michigan Regiment. I had heard of her service before and seen pictures of her, but didn't realize that she wrote a biography after the war and that so much is actually known about Edmonds. Not only do we have her own memoir, but there is also a couple significant diaries of those who were close to her in the war. She actually succeeded in securing a small soldier's pension for herself from the US Government, despite her gender. She even attended GAR commemorations and gatherings of the 2nd Michigan after the war. Sarah Emma Edmonds must have been a charismatic person and the book describes someone I wish I could have known.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book rocks. I'm not a huge fan of civil war books, mostly because I'm really not that interested in the strategies of war, but this isn't that sort of book. I love Emma's story. Even more than that, I love the little side-stories about other women that also lived as men during the civil war and fought alongside the men. There are a few pages in the middle where the author goes a little too much into the bigger picture of the war, which did not interest me as much, but she does tie it back to Emma's story if you just stick with it. If you're willing to splurge for the hardback version, it's got a better photo on the front (in my opinion).

[Tweed Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book. I read it because I was intrigued by the subject matter. I had heard of women serving as men in the civil war but had never read the account of one who actually did. Was surprised to learn that she died here in the Houston area. I looked up the cemetery where she is buried and visited her grave site. An interesting account but wonder how much of her spying for the Union Army is fact vs. fiction. We'll probably never really know.

[Judy Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emma Edmonds didn't like the role of women in her world so she simply ignored those rules and did what seemed fair to her...she lived the first part of her life as a man. The books covers not only her years as a man but also the years after when she was trying to get the pension she deserved for serving and being injured in the Union Army. While I didn't necessarily enjoy the battle descriptions, Ms. Gansler's descriptions of the military life and leaders was great. Good read.

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up from a Women's History display at my local libary. What a great treat. Actual letters and diary entries of this female Civil War soldier are collected to give a glimpse into her life. She is one of maybe 200 known women who secretly served in the US Civil War as soldiers.

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting but I feel it only skimmed the surface history wise. It seemed like it was simplistically written like for a junior high audience or something. I enjoyed it just wish it had dug a little deeper.

[Laura LeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An easy read about a female that disguised herself as a male to be able to fight as a soldier in the American Civil War. Interesting to note that she was originally from Canada. Great book...very approachable.

[Margaret · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unfortunately this book is not really a biography. The author summarizes events during the Civil War and Emma's tangential relationship to them. Too bad because it seems there are rich primary and secondary sources on Emma. I learned more about her from google :/

[Les Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mysterious woman who lived an adventurous life as a man -- first as a door-to-door book salesman and later as a soldier. She managed quite famously in both professions and won over her critics even to the point of becoming the only woman soldier to be awarded a full pension after the Civil War.

[Emilie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read this account of the life of Sarah Emma Edmonds, as well as her original book. Very interesting lady. Good read for women interested in Civil War women.

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The title says it all. This was a very interesting look at the life of women AND soldiers in the Civil War era.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. Covers her whole life. Reactions of the men she served with.

[Carrie]

What makes some women so adventuresome? I can't be that brave, so I'll just live vicariously through non-fiction books like this one.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this a few years ago for school. A fascinating book about a fascinating yet little-known Civil War heroine.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable and interesting true story about a woman who fought in the Civil War, and her fight later to receive a pension.