A Confederate love story. . .
Amy went to war with her husband,
lived to fight as Richard Anderson

Dr. Judy Pierce and Dr. Pamela Jukes

Among the prisoners brought to the Union prison in Cairo, Ill., was a young person wearing the uniform of a private in the Confederate army. The soldier was of medium height, rather slight in build, features effeminate, but eyes full of resolution and spirit.  The descriptive roll called him Pvt. Richard Anderson.

A note to Gen. James Tuttle, however, from the Provost Marshal, at another point, explained that, for once, Richard was not himself, but another personage altogether. In fact, that Richard Anderson was no less a personage than Mrs. Amy Clark, wife of the late Walter Clarke.

Amy and her husband Walter lived in the small town of Iuka, Miss., when the Civil War began. At the age of 29, she cut her hair and enlisted as a private in a cavalry regiment with her husband so she would not be separated from him. She fought with Walter until his death at the Battle of Shiloh, Tenn., on April 6, 1862. Amy buried him on the battlefield with her own hands.

After four months of riding with the Confederate cavalry unit, Amy became fatigued by the rigors of the life, which was more than she could bear. During this time, she had several close calls from serious bouts of sickness and was afraid that the medical doctors would discover she was a woman.

Therefore, she resolved to leave the cavalry and transfer to the infantry, for which she felt she was more suited.

   Her request was approved, and Pvt. Richard Anderson was transferred to the 11th Tennessee Infantry. Her regiment under Gen. Braxton Bragg fought in many battles and on several occasions “Pvt. Richard Anderson,” would stand upon the dead body of a comrade in order to see the enemy while firing her rifle.

On Aug. 29-30, 1862, the 11th Tennessee met Federal troops in the Battle of Richmond, Ky. Amy was twice wounded – once in the ankle and then in the breast. She fell prisoner into the hands of the Yankees.

As Amy’s wounds were being treated by the Union Army, her gender was discovered.  She was taken along with the other prisoners to the Union prison at Cairo, Ill.

Amy, who was 29 when she was captured in 1862, had served with the Confederate army for more than 10 months, four in the cavalry and six months in the 11th Infantry without being discovered.

During her enlistment time, Amy had gone through many hardships. Being a prisoner was something that she couldn’t endure. Amy wanted to go home to Mississippi and her friends. She promised the warden of the prison that she would wear a dress and not dress as a man again.

Some people living in Cairo learned of her promise and contributed money to purchase a dress and other suitable female clothing.

Amy was sent to the Provost Marshal’s office and exchanged with the next batch of prisoners. The Union army sent this group of prisoners to Vicksburg for the exchange.

On Dec. 30, 1862, Amy went to Jackson, Mississippi to visit with friends. After a short time, she grew bored and decided to re-join Gen. Bragg’s command. No further record concerning her activities exists.