WOMEN IN THE RANKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9172, 29 September 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

WOMEN IN THE RANKS.

The annals of the Scots Greys show that a woman for some lime fought it) their ranks. Mrs, Christian Davies was a native of Ireland. Her husband having entered the army, she assumed male attire and followed him. They did not, however, meet until after the battle of Blenheim, when they agreed to pass as two brothers. But at Ramillies Airs. Davies was wounded, and her sex discovered. " I escaped," she says in her narrative, " unhurt, through the hottest part of the battle, ill the French were entirely defeated, when an unlucky shell from a. steeple, oil which they had planted some mortars;, struck the back part of my head and fractured the skull. I was carried to Meldre, but I did not recover in less than ten weeks. No sooner had they discovered my sex but. they acquainted Brigadier Preston that his pretty dragoon (for so I was called) was a woman. The news spread far and near, and reaching my Lord John Hayes' ear ho came to see me, as did my former comrades; and my lord called for my husband. He gave a satisfactory account of our first acquaintance, marriage, and situation, with the manner of his having entered the service, and my resolution to go in search of him. My lord seemed very well entertained, and ordered that my pay should be continued while under cure. When his lordship heard that I was well enough to go abroad ho generously sent me a parcel of linen. Brigadier Preston made me a present of a handsome silk gown : everyone of our officers contributed what was requisite for the dress of my sex, and dismissed me from the service with a handsome compliment." Mrs. Davies remained with the army, and became the regimental sutler. She was useful in obtaining information, and on one occasion both herself and packhorse were made prisoners. After the peace of Utrecht she returned to England, and Queen Anne allowed her a pension .C a shilling a day. She died in 1739, and was buried with military honours in the ground bo! -Jiging to Chelsea Hospital,