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Birth
Sarah Emma Evelyn Edmonds is born in December of 1841 to farmer parents in New Brunswick, Canada. She was the sixth child in her family. She had four sisters and one epileptic brother, all disappointments to her cruel, abusive father. -
Edmonds' Escape
Sarah Edmonds ran away from home sometime in 1857 (this is an approximate date) to escape her abusive father and an arranged marriage. -
Edmond's Immigration
Edmonds immigrates to the United States. She dons male's clothes and assumes the alias Frank Thompson to avoid discovery by her father, She finds work and succeeds as a traveling Bible salesman. -
Edmonds Moves to Michigan
Edmonds moves to Flint, Michigan in early 1861. (This is an approximate date). -
Edmonds Enlists
Edmonds, as Frank Thompson, enlists in the 2nd Michigan Infantry of the Union Army to defend her adopted homeland in the Civil War. -
Edmonds Joins the Army
Sarah Edmonds, alias Franklin Thompson, is mustered into the 2nd Michigan Infantry at Detroit as a three-year recruit. -
Edmonds Arrives in Washington
Edmonds and her infantry arrived in Washington, D.C., where they encamped at Washington Heights. -
Edmonds' First Battle
Sarah Edmonds and the 2nd Michigan saw their first battle at Blackburn's Ford, Virginia. -
The 2nd Michigan at the Battle of Bull Run
Edmonds and her infantry were instrumental in covering the retreat of the Union Army at the Battle of Bull Run. Edmonds acts as a nurse and is almost caught while she stays with injured men that were left behind to the Confederates. -
Edmonds Reveals Herself
Edmonds revealed her true identity as a woman to her friend and fellow hospital worker Jerome John Robbins. Robbins wrote about the revelation in his journal but glued those pages together and bade them not be opened until he gave consent. -
Edmonds Witnesses a Battle
Edmonds witnesses the Moniter vs. the Virginia. (This event took place in March of 1862, the date is approximate.) -
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Edmonds Becomes a Spy
Edmonds is acted to act as a spy for the Union when one of their spies was killed and a vacancy opened up. According to Edmonds' account, she disguised herself as a male slave, a Confederate soldier, and a female Irish peddler in order to gain information. However, no concrete proof has been given to support her claim, leading some to believe that this section of her memoirs was dramatized. -
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Edmonds Becomes Postmaster
Edmonds is asked to become the regimental postmaster. -
The Battle of Williamsburg, VA
Edmonds and her regiment participated in the Battle of Williamsburg in Virginia. -
The Battle of Williamsburg, VA
Edmonds and the 2nd Michigan participate in the Battle of Williamsburg. -
Edmonds Becomes an Orderly
Edmonds is asked to become an orderly for General "K" during the Battle of Hanover Courthouse. -
The Battle of Hanover Courthouse
Edmonds is asked to become an orderly for "General K"in the Battle of Hanover Courthouse. -
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The Battle of Fair Oaks
Edmonds takes part in the Battle of Fair Oaks. She witnesses one of the first successful balloon reconnaisance missions carried out by a Professor Lowe. -
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The Peninsula Campaign
Edmonds and her regiment takes part in the Peninsula Campaign, during which she witnessed a military execution and contracted malaria for the first time. (These are approximate dates) -
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Regimental Postmaster
Edmonds serves as the regimental postmaster. This job was fraught with peril as she crossed dangerous territory to deliver mail to soldiers and generals. -
Danger on a Mission
Edmonds, while on a mission, was attacked by guerillas: her horse was killed and Edmonds herself only escaped by playing dead. -
The Battle of Antiem
Edmonds and her regiment served in the battle of Antiem. -
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The Battle of Fredericksburg
Edmonds took part in the Battle of Fredericksburg. She acted as orderly to General Orlando Poe. -
The 2nd Michigan Reassigned
The 2nd Michigan was reassigned to the westernmore side of operations. Edmonds claimed to have made another espionage mission. (This date is approximate) -
Private Thompson Deserts
Edmonds contracted malaria once again, this time so severely that she was forced to leave the army to seek treatment without being outed as a woman. After she was treated, Private Thompson was listed as deserted. This came to the shock and concern of the many who knew and liked her in the army. -
Sarah Edmonds Returns
Edmonds became a female nurse with the United States Christian Commission- she abandoned the guise of Frank Thompson for good and became a woman once again. -
Nurse and Spy in the Union Army
Edmonds re-publishes her memoirs (previously titled Unsexed: The Female Soldier) under the title Nurse and Spy in the Union Army. All of the proceeds from its publication went to various soldiers' aid organizations. (This date is approximate) -
Edmonds Marries
Edmonds married Linus Seelye, a carpenter from New Brunswick. Together, they had three children who died young and two adopted sons who survived into adulthood. -
Edmonds Revealed
Edmonds attended a reunion of the 2nd Michigan in women's dress, revealing herself to her former comrades. They all support her in gaining a soldier's pension, which is badly needed by the physically ailing Edmonds and her financially struggling family. (This is an approximate date)