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Philadelphia young lady cross dressed in Petersburg

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  • Philadelphia young lady cross dressed in Petersburg

    Found this interesting while leafing through Graham's Magazine this morning. I found it interesting thoug having no particular folder except The Sinks on the forum. :-)



    From Graham’s Magazine June 1856 Vol. 47 January 1856 to June 1856 p. 567, c. 2

    A Female On An Excursion—A young lady from Philadelphia a few days since arrived in Petersburg, Va., in male attire. The [Petersburg] Express gives the following account of the way she “went on” while there: “She arrived in the city one day last week, to all appearance a lad of some fifteen or sixteen summers; stopped a day or two, and in the meantime fell in with some extravagant young travelers; popped champagne with them, took snacks at the ‘Bower,’ and flew around in quite handsome style. Yesterday afternoon she was on the point of leaving in the Southern cars, when her father, who fortunately guessed her course, was in pursuit of her, and just arrived by the Richmond train, found her seated in the smoking car of the Welden [Weldon, North Carolina] train, pulling away on prime Havana, with her little tiny feet cocked up against the stove, and withal quite at home. On the affectionate parent beholding his gentlemanly daughter thus metamorphosed, he was at a loss to express himself, but finally managed to exclaim, ‘Is that you, Louisa?’ To which the gallant runaway responded, ‘This is me, father. Oh! I’m so sorry I left you,’ and she burst into tears. For the fair wanderer’s sake, we suppress names. It is needless to say they returned together.”
    Sincerely,
    Emmanuel Dabney
    Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
    http://www.agsas.org

    "God hasten the day when war shall cease, when slavery shall be blotted from the face of the earth, and when, instead of destruction and desolation, peace, prosperity, liberty, and virtue shall rule the earth!"--John C. Brock, Commissary Sergeant, 43d United States Colored Troops

  • #2
    Re: Philadelphia young lady cross dressed in Petersburg

    Nifty stuff. I have read many accounts of 19th and early 20th Century women who cross-dressed to escape the confines of their lives. Vita Sackville-West and her female lover posed as a married couple as they made their way across the continent to escape their husbands, and other accounts show that cross-dressing was one of the only sure ways for a woman to travel alone in a male world.
    Last edited by Bill Cross; 06-22-2004, 09:15 AM. Reason: clarification
    Bill Cross
    The Rowdy Pards

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    • #3
      Re: Philadelphia young lady cross dressed in Petersburg

      And yet, looking at the myriad accounts of women travelling alone in female clothing, and the reams of advice on doing the same, it would seem that cross-dressing is at best a minority.

      What a high-spirited young prankster, though! I'll bet Louisa got an earful from her Mother when she got home.
      Regards,
      Elizabeth Clark

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      • #4
        Re: Philadelphia young lady cross dressed in Petersburg

        There is a great book out about the whole subject called "They fought Like Demons". Almost every major battle had at least one crosss dresser. The amount of children born in prison camps was staggering. I guess some folks found a way to overcome the boredom of prison camps?
        Dusty Lind
        Running Discharge Mess
        Texas Rifles
        BGR Survivor


        Texans did this. Texans Can Do It Again. Gen J.B. Hood

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