Part 1 (1/2)

The Female Soldier.

by Anonymous.

TO THE PUBLICK.

_Notwithstanding the surprizing Adventures of this our_ British _Heroine, of whom the following Pages fully and impartially treat; yet the Oddity of her Conduct for preserving her Virtue was such, that it demands not only Respect, but Admiration; and as there is nothing to be found in the following Sheets, but what is Matter of Fact, it merits the Countenance and Approbation of every Inhabitant of this great Isle, especially the Fair s.e.x, for whom this Treatise is chiefly intended; and the Truth of which being confirmed by our Heroines Affidavit, made before the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the said Affidavit is hereunto annexed, in order to prevent the Publick from being imposed upon by fict.i.tious Accounts._

Hannah Snell, _born in the City of_ Worcester, _in the Year of our Lord 1723, and who took upon her the Name of_ James Gray, _maketh Oath, and saith, That she this Deponent served his present Majesty King_ George, _as a Soldier and Sailor, from the 27th of_ November, _One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty five, to the 9th of this Instant_ June, _and entered herself as a Marine in Capt._ Graham_'s Company in Col._ Fraser_'s Regiment, and went on board the_ Swallow, _his Majesty's Sloop of War, to the_ East-Indies, _belonging to Admiral_ Boscawen_'s Squadron, where this Deponent was present at the Siege of_ Pondicherry, _and all the other Sieges during that Expedition, in which she received Twelve Wounds, some of which were dangerous, and was put into the Hospital for Cure of the same, and returned into_ England _in the_ Eltham _Man of War, Capt._ Lloyd _Commander, without the least Discovery of her s.e.x._

_And this Deponent further maketh Oath, and saith, That she has delivered to_ Robert Walker, _Printer, in the_ Little Old-Bailey, London, _a full and true Account of the many surprizing Incidents, and wonderful Hards.h.i.+ps she underwent during the Time she was in his Majesty's Service as aforesaid, to be by him printed and published._

_And this Deponent lastly saith, That she has not given the least Hint of her surprising Adventures to any other Person, nor will she, this Deponent, give any the Least Account thereof, to any Person whatsoever, to be printed or published, save and except the above-mentioned_ Robert Walker.

Sworn before me this 27th Day of _June_, 1750, at _Goldsmith's Hall, London_,

J. BLACHFORD, Mayor.

Witness

Susannah Gray, _Sister of the said_ Hannah Snell.

T. Edwards.

_Her_ Hannah x Snell, _Mark_.

THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF _Hannah Snell, &c._

In this dastardly Age of the World, when Effeminacy and Debauchery have taken Place of the Love of Glory, and that n.o.ble Ardor after warlike Exploits, which flowed in the Bosoms of our Ancestors, genuine Heroism, or rather an extraordinary Degree of Courage, are Prodigies among Men. What Age, for Instance, produces a _Charles_ of _Sweden_, a _Marlborough_, or a Prince _Eugene_? These are _Rara Aves in Terris_, and when they appear, they seem to be particularly designed by Heaven, for protecting the Rights of injured Nations, against foreign Oppression, securing the Privileges of Innocence from the dire a.s.sault of Prey and Rapine; and, in a Word, vindicating the common Prerogatives of human Nature, from the fatal Effects of brutal Rage, the love of Conquest, and an insatiable l.u.s.t after Power. The amazing Benefit arising to Mankind from such ill.u.s.trious and exalted Characters, is, perhaps, the princ.i.p.al Reason why they attract the Eyes, and command the Attention of all who hear of them, even in Quarters of the World far remote from their Influence and Sphere of Action: Why they are the Subjects of the Poets Song, the Founders of the Historian Narration, and the Objects of the Painters Pencil; all which have a Tendency to transmit their Names with immortal Glory to latest Ages, and eternize their Memories, when their Bodies are mouldred into Dust, and mingled with their Parent Earth. Perhaps their Rarity may also contribute, in a great Measure, to that Esteem and Veneration, which the World thinks fit to pay them: But sure if Heroism, Fort.i.tude, and a Soul equal to all the glorious Acts of War and Conquest, are Things so rare, and so much admired among Men; how much rarer, and consequently how much more are they to be admired among Women? In short, we may on this Occasion, without any Hyperbole, use the Words of _Solomon_, and say, _One Man among a thousand have I found, but among Women not so_. However, tho' Courage and warlike Expeditions, are not the Provinces by the World allotted to Women since the Days of the _Amazons_, yet the female s.e.x is far from being dest.i.tute of Heroinism. _Cleopatra_ headed a n.o.ble Army against _Mark Anthony_, the greatest Warrior of his Time. _Semiramis_ was not inferior to her in Courage. The _Arcadian_ Shepherdesses are as memorable for their Contempt of Danger as their darling and beloved Swains. But among all our Heroines, none comes more immediately under our Cognizance, nor, perhaps, more merits our Attention than the remarkable _Hannah Snell_, whose History is highly interesting, both on Account of the Variety of amazing Incidents, and the untainted Veracity with which it is attended. Some People guided rather by the Suggestions of Caprice, than the Dictates of Reason and a sound Understanding, have foolishly imagin'd, that Persons of low and undistinguished Births, hardly ever rais'd themselves to the Summit of Glory and Renown; but they will find themselves widely mistaken, when they reflect on a _Kauli-Kan_, a _Cromwell_, and many others I could mention.

But if this Observation had the smallest Foundation either in Nature or the Course of human Experience, from the most remote, to the present Age, yet its Force does by no Means extend to _Hannah Snell_, the Heroine of the subsequent Narrative: For though her immediate Progenitors were but low in the World, when compared with Dukes, Earls and Generals, yet she had the Seeds of Heroism, Courage and Patriotism transferr'd to her from her Ancestors, as will appear from the following Account of her Genealogy.

Hannah Snell, was born in _Fryer-Street_, in the Parish of _St. h.e.l.len_'s, in the City of _Worcester_, on the 23d Day of _April_, 1723. Her Parents, tho' not immensely Rich by the hereditary Gifts of Fortune, yet secured a Competency, which not only placed them above Contempt, but also enabled them to bring up, and educate a numerous Family, none of whom have miscarried for want either of sufficient Learning from Masters, or salutary Advices and virtuous Examples from their Parents. And though Mrs.

_Hannah Snell_ did not while she was at School learn to write, yet she made a tolerable Progress in the other Part of Education common to her s.e.x, and could read exceeding well.

Though the Father of our Heroine was no more than a _Hosier_ and _Dyer_, yet he was the Son of the ill.u.s.trious Capt. Lieut. _Sam. Snell_, for so I may or rather must call him, since with Intrepidity he stood the Brunt of the Wars in the latter End of King _William_'s Reign, signalized himself at the taking of _Dunkirk_ and served faithfully in the _English_ Army during Queen _Anne_'s Wars.

This Captain Lieutenant _Snell_, the Grandfather of our Heroine, enter'd as a Volunteer in King _William_'s Reign, and in the Beginning of Queen _Anne_'s Wars, was at the taking of _Dunkirk_ under the Duke of _Marlborough_, where the Captain Lieutenant was killed by a Shot fired through the Wicket by the Governor; upon which he fired, and killed the Governor. When the Duke was informed thereof, he called him, and asked him what Preferment he desired; his Answer was, that he chose to accept of that Commission, which was become vacant by the Death of the Captain Lieutenant, which he was immediately preferr'd to, and took upon him the Command as such. After the Surrender of _Dunkirk_, where he received several dangerous Wounds, he returned to _England_, where he had the proffer of a very handsome Pension in _Chelsea College_; but coveting fresh Glory, and new Trophies of Conquest, he intreated of his Grace, that he would permit him once more to go Abroad with him, that he might have an Opportunity of signalizing his Valour, against the avowed Enemies of his Country. This his Request his Grace complied with, and at the Battle of _Malplaquet_ he received a mortal Wound, from whence he was carried to _Ghent_, where he died: This last, was the twenty-second b.l.o.o.d.y Battle in which he had been engaged, and which he generously launched out into upon the sublime Motives, Liberty and Property. This Gentleman's Character must appear the more sublime, when we observe how he advanced himself by Merit from a private _Cadit_ to the Rank he held at his Death; and had it not been for his over-modest and generous Sentiments, he might have been preferr'd to a much higher Rank; but the _Englishman_ prevail'd above Self-Interest.

The Son of this ill.u.s.trious Man of whom we have here treated, and Father of our Heroine, was possessed of many excellent Gifts, particularly Courage, for which he was distinguished; yet never had an Opportunity of displaying his Bravery in the Field of Battle, his Genius leading him another Way, to wit, Trade, into which he entered very young, and prospered in the World, married to his liking, and in a few Years saw himself the Father of nine promising Children, three of which were Sons, and six Daughters, all of whom save one Daughter, were either Soldiers or Sailors, or intermarried with them. The eldest of the Sons, _Samuel Snell_, incapable of Restraint, and void of all Fear, listed himself a Soldier in Lord _Robert Manners_'s Company in the first Regiment of Foot-Guards, commanded by his Royal Highness the Duke of _c.u.mberland_; when he was draughted to go for _Flanders_, where he received his mortal Wound at the battle of _Fontenoy_; and being sent to the Hospital at _Doway_, he there expired.

Tho' the Daughters were, by those who knew them, accounted aimable Women, both on Account of their Persons and their Virtue; yet I shall pa.s.s over the Characters of five of them in Silence, and only take Notice of that of _Hannah_, the youngest of them but one, who is the Heroine of this Subject. It is a common Thing to observe a Family dispersed, when the Heads of that Family are either laid in their Graves, or by accidental Calamities rendered incapable of supporting it longer. Accordingly, when the Father and Mother of _Hannah_ died, _Hannah_ came up to _London_, and arrived in Town on _Christmas-Day_, 1740, and resided for some Time, with her Sister in _Wapping_.

Some Time after she came to _London_, she contracted an Acquaintance with one _James Summs_, a Sailor, who was a _Dutchman_; this Acquaintance was gradually improved into a Familiarity, and this Familiarity soon created a mutual, tho' not a criminal Pa.s.sion; for in a little Time, _Summs_ made his Addresses to her as a Lover, and gained her Consent, and was married to her at the _Fleet_, on the sixth Day of _January_, 1743-4. But all his Promises of Friends.h.i.+p, proved Instances of the highest Perfidy, and he turn'd out the worst and most unnatural of Husbands. Since, tho' she had Charms enough to captivate the Heart, and secure the Affection of any reasonable Man, yet she was despised and contemned by her Husband, who not only kept criminal Company with other Women of the basest Characters, but also made away with her Things, in Order to support his Luxury, and the daily Expences of his Wh.o.r.es. During this unlucky Period of the Husband's Debauchery, she poor Woman proved with Child, and at the same Time felt all the Shocks of Poverty, without exposing her Necessities to her nearest Friends. But at last, her Pregnancy laid the Foundation for her pa.s.sing through all the Scenes, thro' which she has wandered; for when she was seven Months gone with Child, her perfidious Husband finding himself deeply involv'd in Debt, made an Elopement from her. Notwithstanding these her Calamities, she patiently bore herself up under them, and in two Months after her Husband's Departure was delivered of a Daughter which lived no more than seven Months, and was decently interred at her own Expence at _St. George_'s Parish in _Middles.e.x_.

From the Time of her Husband's Elopement till the Time she put on Man's Cloaths, she continued with her Sister, who is married to one _James Gray_, a House Carpenter, in _s.h.i.+p-street, Wapping_, and from whence she took her Departure unknown to any, and was never heard of until her Return; and with whom she now dwells.

As she was now free from all the Ties arising from Nature and Consanguinity; she thought herself privileged to roam in quest of the Man, who, without Reason, had injured her so much; for there are no Bounds to be set either to Love, Jealousy or Hatred, in the female Mind. That she might execute her Designs with the better Grace, and the more Success, she boldly commenced a Man, at least in her Dress, and no doubt she had a Right to do so, since she had the real Soul of a Man in her Breast.

Dismay'd at no Accidents, and giving a full Scope to the genuine Bent of her Heart, she put on a Suit of her Brother-in-Law, Mr. _James Gray_'s, Cloaths, a.s.sumed his Name, and set out on the 23d of _November_, 1745, and travelled to _Coventry_, with a View of finding her Husband, where she enlisted on the 27th of the said Month of _November_, in General _Guise_'s Regiment, and in the Company belonging to Captain _Miller_.

With this Regiment she marched from _Coventry_ to _Carlisle_, where she learned her military Exercise, which she now performs with as much Skill and Dexterity as any Serjeant or Corporal in his Majesty's Service. But here, as Fortune is often a Foe to the Distressed, she met with a discouraging Circ.u.mstance; for her Serjeant, whose Name was _Davis_, having a criminal Inclination for a young Woman in that Town, looked upon this our Female Heroine, (a common Soldier in the Company) as a proper Person for a.s.sisting him in this his vicious Intrigue, therefore disclosed to her this Bosom Secret, and desired her Endeavours in promoting this End; however, this open Discovery caused a sudden Emotion in her Mind, her virtuous Soul abhorred with a becoming Detestation the criminal Intention; yet to prevent the ill Consequences that she foresaw must ensue from a refusal of complying with his Request, she promised to use her Endeavours in his Behalf; but instead of acting the Pimp, she went and disclosed the whole Matter to the young Woman, and warned her against the impending Danger; which Act of Virtue and Generosity in a Soldier, gained her the Esteem and Confidence of this young Woman, who took great delight in her Company; and seldom a Day pa.s.sed but they were together, having cultivated an Intimacy and Friends.h.i.+p with each other: But _Davis_ going one Day to make his Addresses to his Mistress, met with an unexpected Repulse, which unusual Treatment made him suspect our Female Soldier. Jealousy that Moment took Possession of his guilty Breast, and he imagined, that instead of befriending him in his Amours, she had become his Rival, and had gained her over to her Inclinations. These Reflections troubled him much; Revenge reigned triumphant in his Breast, and how to punish her was his chief Aim: He took hold of the earliest Opportunity, and accused her before the commanding Officer for Neglect of Duty, upon which she was sentenced to receive six hundred Lashes, five hundred of which she received, having her Hands tied to the Castle Gates for a Crime which Nature put it out of her Power to perpetrate, and had undergone the Punishment of the other Hundred, had it not been for the Intercession of some of the Officers.