Frances Clayton - Infinite Women

Born: 1830 (circa), United States
Died: 1863 (circa)
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Frances Clalin or Jack Williams

The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).

In 1863, Frances Clayton journeyed across the Midwest seeking help to receive back pay owed to her late husband who had died during the American Civil War. She spoke to reporters along the way about her previous life as a Union soldier.

According to Clayton, when fighting began, she and her husband decided to enlist together. The Minnesota couple joined a Missouri regiment with Frances disguised as a man and under the alias, Jack Williams. For months, the two fought side by side until her husband succumbed to a bullet on the front lines at the Battle of Stones River. Frances told reporters she had to step over his corpse during the conflict. Shortly after, she revealed her true identity and was discharged from the army.

Several newspapers reported her story throughout 1863 to 1865. Additionally, she had pictures taken of herself in a Union military uniform in 1865, which became some of the most well-known photographs of women soldiers during the Civil War. However, the authenticity of her story has been questioned by historians due to contradictory information reported in newspapers, such as which battles she fought in and the regiments she served in. There are also no records that she ever received or sought out a military pension.