Ed Bearss On Albert Cashier and U.S. Grant's Confederate Connection

Next Mr. Bearss talked about one interesting Union soldier named Albert Cashier, who actually was a woman by the name of Jennie Hodgers.  She was able to keep her sex secret until 1911 when she was struck by a hit-and-run driver and was hospitalized.

Then, it was back to Vicksburg where he said there were more Illinois units participating than any other state.  Their numbers came to about 40,000  (Wikipedia quotes a total of 77,000 men in Grant's army).  The Illinois monument has three medallions on it:  Lincoln is in the center, flanked by Grant and Civil War Governor Yates.

U.S. Grant was a good friend of Confederate General James Longstreet who stood up at Grant's wedding before the war.  When Grant got out of the Army before the war in New York City he was dead broke he borrowed money from future Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner.

--Old SecGrant