Frances Clayton facts for kids
Frances Louisa Clayton (born around 1830) was an American woman who was said to have dressed as a man to fight in the American Civil War for the Union Army. She was also known as Frances Clalin. Many historians now think her story might not be true.
She reportedly used the name Jack Williams and joined a regiment in Missouri with her husband. She claimed to have fought in many battles. She said she left the army after her husband died at the Battle of Stones River.
Newspaper stories shared her adventure widely after the war. However, these stories often had different details and some information seemed doubtful. There are several photos of Clayton, including some showing her in a soldier's uniform. But not much else is known about her life, and there are no official military records of her service.
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Who Was Frances Clayton?
Frances Clayton and her husband were from Minnesota. The exact name of her husband is not clear. Some newspaper stories called him Frank Clayton, while others named him John or Elmer.
When the American Civil War started in 1861, the Claytons decided to join the Union Army. Frances dressed up as a man and called herself Jack Williams.
Joining the Army
Most stories say they joined a unit from Missouri in Saint Paul, Minnesota, even though they were from Minnesota. Clayton is believed to have fought in 18 battles.
Reports from after the war say she served in both cavalry (soldiers on horseback) and artillery (soldiers who use cannons) units. They also mention she was hurt in battle. She later said this happened at the Battle of Fort Donelson.
Life as a Soldier
Newspaper accounts described her as a "very tall, masculine looking woman" whose skin was "bronzed by exposure." She was able to pass as a man because of her "masculine stride in walking" and her "erect and soldierly carriage." She also became a skilled horse rider and a good swordsman.
She was reported to have fought in the Battle of Shiloh in April 1862. In December 1862, she fought in the Battle of Stones River. During a charge, her husband was killed. The news stories said she kept fighting and stepped over his body to continue the attack.
After the War
Frances Clayton's story became known only after her time in the army. It was reported in several newspapers, but these stories often had different details.
According to these reports, Clayton was discharged in Louisville in 1863, soon after her husband died. She told reporters that no one ever found out she was a woman. However, some sources say she was discharged after a medical check-up for a wound.
She tried to go back to Minnesota. Then she wanted to return to the military to get the money she and her husband were owed. But her train was attacked by Confederate guerrillas, who took her money and papers. After that, she traveled from Missouri to Minnesota, then to Grand Rapids, Michigan, and finally to Quincy, Illinois. People in Quincy collected money to help her continue her journey. The last known report says she was heading to Washington, D.C..
Pictures of Frances
Several photographs of Frances Clayton still exist today. Two were taken in Boston and are now kept at the Boston Public Library. One picture shows Clayton in women's clothes, while the other shows her in a soldier's uniform. Unlike some other women who fought in the Civil War, newspapers described Clayton as tall and masculine-looking.
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See also
In Spanish: Frances Clayton para niños
