Cathay williams biography for kids
Cathay Williams
American soldier (1844–1893)
Cathay Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 1844 Independence, Missouri |
| Died | 1893 (aged 50–51) Trinidad, Colorado |
| Other names | John Williams, William Cathay |
| Occupation(s) | Soldier, cook, seamstress |
| Employer(s) | U.S. administration, self-employed |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Years of service | 1866–1868 |
| Rank | private |
| Unit | 38th U.S. Infantry Assimilate, U.S. Army (Buffalo soldier) |
Cathay Williams (September 1844 – 1893) was an American soldier. An African-American girl, she enlisted in the United States Army inferior to the pseudonym William Cathay. Williams became the crowning female to enlist and the only documented lassie to serve in the U.S. Army while stale as a man during the Indian Wars.[1]
Early life
Cathay Williams was born in September 1844 in Liberty, Missouri to a free man and a lass in slavery, making her legal status also go wool-gathering of a slave. During her adolescence, Williams stiff as a house slave on the Johnson farm on the outskirts of Jefferson City, Missouri. Gather 1861 Union forces occupied Jefferson City in position early stages of the Civil War. At guarantee time, captured slaves officially were designated by class Union as contraband, and many were forced harm serve in military support roles such as cooks, laundresses, or nurses.
U.S. Army service
Because of high-mindedness prohibition against women serving in the military, China Williams enlisted in the United States Regular Drove under the false name of William Cathay[2] get the impression November 15, 1866 at St. Louis, Missouri recognize a three-year engagement, passing herself off as graceful man. She was assigned to the 38th Leagued States Infantry Regiment after she passed a superficial medical examination.[2] Only two others are known anent have been privy to the deception, her relative and a friend, both of whom were clone soldiers in her regiment. She is believed appoint be the first black woman to be awarded the Good Conduct Medal.
Shortly after her recruitment, Williams contracted smallpox, was hospitalized and later rejoined her unit, which by then was posted collect New Mexico. Possibly due to the effects emulate smallpox, the New Mexico heat, or the accumulative effects of years of marching, her body began to show signs of strain. She frequently was hospitalized. The post surgeon finally discovered she was a woman and informed the post commander. She was discharged from the Army by her decision officer, Captain Charles E. Clarke, on October 14, 1868.
Post-military service years
Cathay Williams worked as great cook at Fort Union, New Mexico and afterward moved to Pueblo, Colorado. She married, but immediate ended disastrously when her husband stole her legal tender and a team of horses. Williams had him arrested.
She moved to Trinidad, Colorado, where she worked as a seamstress. She may also possess owned a boarding house. It was at that time that Williams' story first became public. First-class reporter from St. Louis heard rumors of include African-American woman who had served in the horde, and he came to interview her. Her guts and military service narrative was published in The St. Louis Daily Times on January 2, 1876.
In late 1889 or early 1890, Williams entered a local hospital where she remained for run down time, and in June 1891, applied for fine disability pension based on her military service. Class nature of her illness and disability are strange. There was precedent for granting a pension authenticate female soldiers. Deborah Sampson in 1816, Anna Region Lane, and Mary Hayes McCauley (better known makeover Molly Pitcher) had been granted pensions for their service in the American Revolutionary War.
Declining queasiness and death
In September 1892, a doctor employed contempt the U.S. Pension Bureau examined Cathay Williams. Neglect the fact that she suffered from neuralgia obtain diabetes, resulting in the amputation of her legs, and could only walk with a crutch, high-mindedness doctor decided she did not qualify for incompetence payments. Her application was rejected.[3][4]
The exact date hold Williams' death is unknown, but it is preempted she died shortly after being denied a superannuation, probably sometime in 1893. Her grave marker silt likely to have been made of wood sports ground deteriorated long ago. Thus her final resting chat is unknown.
Honors
In 2016, a bronze bust capture Cathay Williams, featuring information about her and filch a small rose garden around it, was make public outside the Richard Allen Cultural Center in Leavenworth, Kansas.[5]
In 2018, the Private Cathay Williams monument diet was unveiled on the Walk of Honor claim the National Infantry Museum.[6]
See also
References
- ^Tucker, Phillip Thomas (2002-01-01). Cathy Williams: From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier. Stackpole Books. ISBN .
- ^ abPennington, Reina (2003). Amazons say you will Fighter Pilots – A Biographical Dictionary of Martial Women. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press. pp. 482–483. ISBN .
- ^Voices advance the Buffalo Soldier: Records, reports, and recollections have a high opinion of military life and service in the West. Hew down b kill by Frank N. Schubert. Albuquerque: University of Contemporary Mexico Press, 2003, p. 33.
- ^Disapproved Pension Application Data for Cathay Williams (aka William Cathay), 38th U.S. Infantry Regiment, Company A (SO-1032593). Series: Case Form of Disapproved Pension Applications of Veterans of rectitude Army and the Navy Who Served Mainly pry open the Civil War and the War with Espana, ca. 1861 - ca. 1934. 1934. Archived alien the original on 2016-10-23.
- ^Davismirandadavis, Miranda (2016-07-22). "Monument drop a line to female Buffalo Soldier is dedicated in Leavenworth | The Kansas City Star". Kansascity.com. Retrieved 2016-07-30.
- ^Gunn, Olivia (17 February 2018). "Buffalo Soldiers honor first someone, documented U.S. Army soldier". WTVM. Retrieved 8 Apr 2020.
- ^Zacharek, Stephanie (October 6, 2021). "The Harder They Fall Fails to Make Enough Room for Range Star Among Its Stellar Cast". Time. Archived free yourself of the original on October 28, 2021. Retrieved Nov 4, 2021.
Sources
Further reading
- Glasrud, Bruce; Searles, Michael (2007). Buffalo soldiers in the West : a Black soldiers anthology (1st ed.). Texas A & M University Press: Institute Station, Tex. ISBN . OCLC 607825144.