ATLAS

Podcast #2 – Albert Cashier

Posted on 22. Jun, 2009 by ATLAS in Famous Men, Famous Women

During the American Civil War, Illinois’ 250,000 soldiers represented over 10% of the state’s population. Injuries and disease took their toll and many never returned. Virtually every husband, father, and son, became a soldier. Illinois was a blend of northerners and southerners, and many families were divided by the issues. For example Mary Todd Lincoln whose husband was President of the Union, while her brothers fought for the Confederacy.

Women were left to do the work of men gone to war. Many regiments left home with a silk flag made by local women. Boxes and letters from home eased the dullness of the soldier’s life. The Ladies Union Aid Society and the Western Sanitary Commission gave the troops critical supplies of clothing and food. The only woman to earn a Congressional Medal of Honor was Dr. Mary E. Walker, who tended soldiers and served four months in a southern prison.

During wartime, people began engaging in cross-dressing for various circumstances and motives. This was especially true of women dressed as men since they were officially banned from becoming soldiers. Some women joined to avoid separation from their loved ones as an act of patriotism, to rebel or simply for adventure. Women who have disguised themselves as men include Sarah Rosetta Wakeman (aka Lyons Wakeman), Cousins Mary and Mollie Bell (aka Bob Martin and Tom Parker) and Cathy Williams (aka William Cathay) the first African-American female to pose as a male. Some estimates claim as many as 400 women served as soldiers during the Civil War and as many as 60 women were killed or wounded in battle.

However, the ban did not stop Jennie Hodgers. Born on December 25, 1843 in Clogherhead, Ireland, Jennie was a small woman of five feet three inches tall, weighing about 110 pounds. Some reports say her father was a traveling horse trader in Ireland and made her wear boys clothing for convenience and safety on the road. Another account states her stepfather ordered her to dress as a boy to work in a factory in New York. Yet another said she was a stowaway or worked as a cabin boy crossing the Atlantic ocean. Either way, she barely could read or write resulting in a lack of documentation of her birth, life, adventures and how she came to Illinois. Nonetheless on August 6, 1862 Jennie at the tender age of 19 enlisted in the Union Army in Belvidere, Illinois. As a result of President Lincoln’s call for an additional 300,000 troups, the physicals of soldiers were quick and impersonal. They checked the eyes, the teeth and gave a quick thump on the chest; there was no need to undress. From this day forward, Jennie was known as Albert Cashier, Private First Class, Company G, 95th Illinois Infantry Volunteer and lived the rest of her life as a man.

The 95th Infantry was joined at Camp Fuller, near Rockford, Illinois by three other northern regiments, the 74th, the 92nd, and the 94th. On September 29, 1862 they received orders to leave for Louisville, Kentucky. It wasn’t until May 18, 1863 that the 95th Infantry engaged in fighting when they participated in the battle at Vicksburg where they lost 7 men. It is said that Albert was captured by Confederate soldiers, but escaped by seizing a gun and fleeing to the Union camp. It is reported that Albert took part in 40 battles and skirmishes but was never injured. According to The Pittsfield Republican, “During the war Cashier’s comrades noted that the handsome young Irishman was rather inclined to be offish, but overlooked the soldier’s exclusiveness in their admiration for his military bearing and reckless daring.” He was usually called upon when “dependable men were absolutely necessary”. With the end of the war and the assassination of Lincoln, the 95th Illinois Infantry gathered at Camp Butler in Springfield, IL on August 17, 1865. The survivors of the 95th arrived in Belvidere, Illinois on August 22, 1865 and were honored at a public reception.

After his three years of service in the military, Albert worked in Kankakee, Pontiac and Belvidere doing odd jobs. It wasn’t until 1869 that he found steady work as a sheep and cattle herder at the Joshua Cheseboro farm near Saunemin, Illinois. It was Joshua Cheseboro that purchased a plot of land near the Christian Church and had a small house built for Albert in 1870. Albert became the towns “jack-of-all-trades” doing yard work, cleaning the church, ringing the church bell and lighting the street lamps. Every evening Albert walked the streets of Saunemin carrying a ladder and lamplighter to light the street lamps. At 10:00 p.m. each evening he walked the streets again to put the lights out.

In 1901, the Lannon family purchased the land where Albert’s house stood and had it moved to behind the Christian Church. Albert often would join the Lannon family for dinner and retell his stories of the war. Even though Albert could not read or write he placed his X on legal documents and in the voting booth. Amazingly Albert voted in many elections prior to 1920 when American women actually had the legal right to vote.

In 1910 he fell ill. Mrs. Lannon’s daughter was ill at the same time and had a nurse from Chicago caring for her and sent the nurse to check on Albert as well. The nurse had only been with him for a short amount of time when she ran across the street shouting, “Lordy, Lordy, he’s a full-fledged woman.” Mrs. Lannon swore to keep Albert’s secret and forced the nurse to do the same. One day while picking up sticks in Senator Lish’s yard, Albert was struck by a vehicle. Despite Albert’s wishes, a doctor was called to repair his broken leg and his secret was again revealed. However, the doctor and Senator chose to keep the secret.

At age 68 Albert’s health began to deteriorate. On May 5, 1911, the Senator made arrangements for Albert to move to the Illinois Soldiers’ and Sailors home in Quincy. The superintendent was told of Albert’s secret and kept his word, however it was leaked when two male attendants tried to give Albert a bath. Word spread quickly throughout the country that a female soldier was admitted to the home. In April of 1913 Albert was declared insane and transferred to the Waterton State Hospital in East Moline, Illinois.

It was at Waterton State Hospital that Albert was forced to once again live as Jennie Hodgers and dress as a woman. While confined to the hospital, men from the 95th Regiment rallied to convince the Federal Pension Board for him to continue to collect his $70 a month pension as Private Albert D.J. Cashier. Albert disliked being forced to wear dresses so much that he would pin the skirts together to make pants. He awkwardly walked in these dresses and one day he tripped on it, fell and broke his hip. He never recovered from that injury. On October 15, 1915, Albert D.J. Cashier died of infection. His body was returned to Saunemin, Illinois where he was buried in the Sunnyslope Cemetery next to
the Cheseboro family plot.

Albert was buried in his military uniform and afforded a full military funeral. The tombstone memorializes the identity assumed in battle. It reads: Albert D.J. Cashier, Company G., 95 Illinois Infantry. It wasn’t until the 1980’s that an additional tombstone was added to the gravesite. It reads: Albert D.J. Cashier, Co G 95 ILL. INF. Civil War, Born Jennie Hodgers In Cloger Head, Ireland, 1843 – 1915. It took nearly nine years for W.J. Singleton, the executor of his estate, to discover there were no heirs. Many claims were made, but in the end the estate was deposited in the Adams County (Illinois) treasury.

The Village of Saunemin, IL is honoring Albert D.J. Cashier by purchasing land at the corner of Maple and Center near where his house originally stood and will it will be rebuilt. As of October 31, 2008 the foundation is poured and a sign erected marking this historic site.