Lizzie Compton facts for kids

Elizabeth Compton (born around 1848) was a brave woman soldier who fought for the Union side in the American Civil War. She joined the army when she was only 14 years old. She served in seven different army groups, called regiments, during the war. This means she holds the record for joining the most regiments! Compton fought in important battles like Mill Springs, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Gettysburg. After the war ended, she moved to Ontario, Canada.

Who Was Elizabeth Compton?

Elizabeth Compton was a remarkable young woman who secretly fought as a soldier during the American Civil War. She was known for her courage and determination. She often changed her name and even her story to keep fighting.

Early Life and Escape

Not much is known for sure about Lizzie Compton's early life. She sometimes gave different details about where she was from. For example, she once said she was from London, Ontario, Canada. Another time, she claimed her home was in Pennsylvania.

The most common story says she was born in 1848 near Nashville, Tennessee. Her parents died when she was very young. She was then raised by people who were not very kind to her. She also said her guardians supported the side fighting against the Union.

Lizzie worked in the fields from a young age. She did not get to go to school. She also never wore typical girls' clothes or learned household duties. This was very unusual for a girl in the 1800s. To escape her difficult life, she left home at age thirteen. She dressed as a boy to begin a new life. She even got a job on a steamboat, which helped her keep her secret identity as a boy.

Fighting in the Civil War

Lizzie Compton was only thirteen when the Civil War started. When she was fourteen, she joined the Union army. She pretended to be older and used different names. Two of the boy names she used were "Jack" and "Johnny."

Lizzie saw a lot of action during the war. She served in seven different regiments, which is more than any other soldier. She moved between regiments many times. Sometimes, her secret was discovered, and she had to leave. Other times, she moved because she was afraid of being found out. One time, her comrades dared her to ride a wild horse. She got hurt, and when a doctor treated her, he discovered she was a girl. She was then sent home from the army.

Lizzie's Many Regiments and Battles

Lizzie Compton served in the army for about 18 months. She was part of many different groups. These included the 11th Kentucky Cavalry and the 125th Michigan Cavalry. She also served in the 21st Minnesota Infantry. Other groups were the 8th, 17th, and 28th Michigan Infantry. Her last known service was with the 3rd New York Cavalry.

Her first battle was the Battle of Mill Springs on January 19, 1862. She saw General Felix Zollicoffer fall in that battle. Lizzie was wounded by flying metal pieces at the Battle of Antietam. This happened during the Union's charge up a hill. She was also hurt at Fredericksburg. After being sent away, she quickly went west to join the army again. She became part of the 25th Michigan Infantry.

While fighting at the Battle of Gettysburg, she was wounded again and discharged. Later, she was shot in the shoulder near Green River, Kentucky. This happened at the Battle of Tebbs Bend. When a surgeon treated her, her secret was discovered again. But Lizzie was not stopped! After she got better, she went right back to Green River. She joined another regiment that was camped there. She also fought in the Battle of Fort Donelson and the Battle of Shiloh.

Lizzie Compton was also sometimes asked to help wounded soldiers on the battlefield. She was praised for doing this important job.

Life After the War

On February 20, 1864, Lizzie Compton had a misunderstanding with the law. This happened in Rochester, New York. She was trying to join another regiment. When she was told it was against the law for her to dress as a man, she had a strong reply. She said she would never be a lady. She added that she could be a gentleman, but she would rather die than be a lady.

When she spoke to the Chief Magistrate (a type of judge), she told him her story. He was impressed and let her go. She was released because she behaved well and cooperated. After that, she got on a train and left town. She went to join the 11th Kentucky Cavalry, which was her last time serving. She was almost immediately discovered again. Her last known home was in Ontario, Canada.

What Lizzie Looked Like

Lizzie Compton was a little over 5 feet tall. She had a small but strong build. She had light brown hair and a fair skin tone. One person who saw her said she looked like a "rosy boy of fifteen." Another person swore she was not older than seventeen. Like many women soldiers, she really enjoyed the freedom that men's clothes gave her. This was true both for how she could move and how she could act in society.

See also

In Spanish: Lizzie Compton para niños