The Woman Who Secretly Fought in the Civil War With Flint Soldiers

Every once in a while, you stumble across a piece of history that reminds you Flint has always produced people willing to step up when the moment demanded it. This is one of those stories.

The Woman Who Enlisted as a Michigan Soldier

When Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in April of 1861, it officially launched the Civil War and sent a shockwave across the country. President Abraham Lincoln quickly called for 75,000 volunteers to defend the Union. What he did not mention was women. But one woman with a connection to Flint decided that call applied to her anyway.

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Sarah Emma Edmonds had come to the United States from Canada, fleeing what historians believe was a difficult and possibly abusive situation back home. MLive reports that she eventually made her way to Flint, where her life would take an extraordinary turn.

Joining Flint’s Civil War Unit

When war broke out, Edmonds disguised herself as a man and enlisted in the 2nd Michigan Infantry under the name Franklin Thompson. She joined Company F, a group of local soldiers known as the Flint Union Greys.

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For nearly two years, the men she served alongside believed she was simply another young Michigan soldier fighting for the Union. Records show she helped care for wounded troops, carried injured soldiers from the battlefield, and worked in camp hospitals during some of the most brutal moments of the war. By all accounts, she earned the respect of the men she served with.

A Remarkable Civil War Legacy Connected to Flint

After the war, when Edmonds revealed her true identity, many of her former comrades supported her publicly. Their letters helped her eventually secure a military pension from Congress, making her one of the first women to receive that recognition.

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For a city that has always taken pride in its grit and resilience, it is remarkable to know that one of the Civil War’s most fascinating stories runs straight through Flint.