Albert Cashier was born Jennie Hodges in County Louth in Ireland. Cashier became famous as one of a number of women soldiers who served as men during the Civil War. Cashier adopted the identity of a man before enlisting and maintained it until death, so the consistent and long-term (at least 53 years) commitment to a male identity has prompted some contemporary scholars to suggest that Cashier was a trans man.
DeAnne Blanton retired from the National Archives and Records Administration in Washington, DC after 31 years of service as a reference archivist specializing in 18th and 19th century U.S. Army records. She was recognized within the National Archives as well as in the historical and genealogical communities as a leading authority on the American Civil War; 19th century women’s history; and the history of American women in the military. Her groundbreaking book, They Fought Like Demons: Women Soldiers in the American Civil War, co-written with Lauren Cook, was published by Louisiana State University Press in 2002 and by Vintage the following year.
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