regiment.
Her administration was so judicious that no complaint or mutiny was
manifested, and her commands were obeyed with the utmost promptness. In
the battles that followed, she was constantly under fire, now
encouraging the men, and anon rescuing some wounded man from the place
where he had fallen, administering restoratives and bringing him off to
the field-hospital. When, in consequence of the "Athens affair," Colonel
Turchin was court-martialed and an attempt made by the conservatives to
have him driven from the army, she hastened to Washington, and by her
skill and tact succeeded in having the court-martial set aside and her
husband promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General, and confounded his
accusers by bringing his commission and the order to abandon the trial
into court, just as the officers comprising it were about to find him
guilty. In all the subsequent campaigns at the West, Madame Turchin was
in the field, confining herself usually to ministrations of mercy to the
wounded, but ready if occasion required, to lead the troops into action
and always manifesting the most perfect indifference to the shot and
shell or the whizzing minie balls that fell around her. She seemed
entirely devoid of fear, and though so constantly exposed to the enemy's
fire never received even a scratch.
Another remarkable heroine who, while from the lower walks of life, was
yet faithful and unwearied in her labors for the relief of the soldiers
who were wounded and who not unfrequently took her place in the ranks,
or cheered and encouraged the men when they were faltering and ready to
retreat, was Bridget Divers, better known as "Michigan Bridget," or
among Sheridan's men as "Irish Biddy." A stout robust Irish woman, she
accompanied the First Michigan Cavalry regiment in which her husband was
a private soldier, to the field, and remained with that regiment and the
brigade to which it belonged until the close of the war. She became
well known throughout the brigade for her fearlessness and daring, and
her skill in bringing off the wounded. Occasionally when a soldier whom
she knew fell in action, after rescuing him if he was only wounded, she
would take his place and fight as bravely as the best. In two instances
and perhaps more, she rallied and encouraged retreating troops and
brought them to return to their position, thus aiding in preventing a
defeat. Other instances of her energy and courage are thus related by
Mrs. M. M. Hus
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