ng a sword or
rifle, for she carried neither: nor by waving a flag, for she was never
color-bearer; but by inspiring the men to deeds of valor by her own
example, her courage, and her presence of mind. On the 1st or 2nd of
June, when the Second Corps attacked the enemy at Deep Bottom, Annie
became separated from her regiment, and with her usual attendant, the
surgeon's orderly, who carried the "pill box" (the medicine chest), she
started in search of it, and before long, without being aware of the
fact, she had passed beyond the line of Union pickets. Here she met an
officer, apparently reconnoitering, who told her she must turn back, as
the enemy was near; and hardly were the words spoken, when their
skirmishers suddenly appeared. The officer struck his spurs into his
horse and fled, Annie and the orderly following with all speed, and
arrived safe within our lines. As the Rebels hoped to surprise our
troops, they did not fire lest they should give the alarm; and to this
fact Annie probably owed her escape unscathed.

On the 27th of October, 1864, in one of the battles for the possession
of Hatcher's Run and the Boydtown Plank Road, a portion of the Third
Division of the Second Corps, was nearly surrounded by the enemy, in
what the soldiers called the "Bull Ring." The regiment to which Annie
was attached was sorely pressed, the balls flying thick and fast, so
that the surgeon advised her to accompany him to safer quarters; but she
lingered, watching for an opportunity to render assistance. A little
drummer boy stopped to speak to her, when a ball struck him, and he fell
against her, and then to the ground, dead. This so startled her, that
she ran towards the line of battle. But to her surprise, she found that
the enemy occupied every part of the ground held a few moments before by
Union troops. She did not pause, however, but dashed through their line
unhurt, though several of the chivalry fired at her.

So strong was the confidence of the soldiers in her courage and fidelity
to her voluntarily assumed duties, that whenever a battle was to be
fought it was regarded as absolutely certain that "Gentle Annie" (so the
soldiers named her) would be at hand to render assistance to any in
need. General Birney never performed an act more heartily approved by
his entire command, than when in the presence of his troops, he
presented her with the Kearny cross.

At the close of the war, though her health had been somewhat shaken b