June 24, 2025 • 51 mins
History's attics hide remarkable stories, and few are as compelling as Sarah Rosetta Wakeman's. At just 19, this strong-minded woman from rural New York made a decision that defied every convention of her time—she cut her hair, put on men's clothing, and became Lyons Wakeman.
The eldest of nine children born to struggling tenant farmers in 1843, Rosetta faced limited options. Marriage wasn't in the cards, and her family's crushing debt demanded all hands working. When she discovered that coal hauling on the Chenango Canal paid better than any "women's work," she embraced a male identity that offered both financial stability and personal freedom.
But when Union Army recruiters appeared offering a $152 enlistment bounty (worth over $3,000 today), Rosetta saw an opportunity she couldn't pass up. As Private Lyons Wakeman of the 153rd New York Infantry, she performed every soldier's duty—standing guard, drilling with precision, even engaging in fistfights—all while maintaining her secret identity. Her letters home reveal a practical motivation far removed from patriotic fervor: "I am as independent as a hog on ice," she wrote, proud of her $13 monthly salary that helped sustain her family back home.
For almost two years, Rosetta served without detection, first in Washington DC and later in Louisiana during the brutal Red River Campaign. She survived the Battle of Pleasant Hill only to fall victim to dysentery, dying at 21 in a New Orleans hospital where not even the attending doctors discovered her biological sex. Buried under her male identity, her remarkable story remained hidden until her letters were discovered a century later.
Dive into this incredible story of a woman who challenged 19th-century gender expectations not through protest, but through quiet, determined action. Her surviving letters paint a vivid picture of Civil War life and reveal a pragmatic spirit who saw male disguise not as political statement but as a practical path to independence. Subscribe to hear more hidden stories from history that will change how you see the past—and perhaps the present too.
- An Uncommon Soldier: The Civil War Letters of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, alias Pvt. Lyons Wakeman, 153rd Regiment, New York State Volunteers, 1862-1864 by Sarah Rosetta Wakeman https://amzn.to/463jhcu
- Wakeman, Sarah Rosetta – Civil War letters and biography. An overview by the American Battlefield Trustbattlefields.orgbattlefields.orgbattlefields.org.
- Bierle, Sarah Kay – “From History’s Shadows: Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.” Emerging Civil War (Mar. 30, 2024) – Analysis of Wakeman’s letters and life
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Oh, hey there.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
That was aggressive.
Oh hey there.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I'm Kate.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
And I'm Bradley.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
And we're the History of Foods, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And I am good.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And I'm Bradley, how are you?
And we're the History ofBuffoons.
Oh yeah, and I am good, that'sus, that's us.
We are what you would callbuffooning around here.
This took a minute to get going.
I had a little technicaldifficulties with my camera
setup, which is, in other words,my phone.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
The secret's out.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Was it really a secret, though?
I mean only if you ever say itlike that again.
That was amazing.
No, it's.
We don't have what you wouldcall a studio.
We don't have what you wouldcall a high class setup.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I'm fucking high class.
I don't know what you'll call ahigh class setup.
Um, I'm fucking high class.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I don't know what you're talking about.
Let's not get carried away.
We do what we can with what wegot.
We still have fun.
It's good times.
I'm warm as fuck because I justset it all up, so let's get
into the beer hey, we went onyeah so we went camping with
some friends, a lot of friends.
A lot of friends and we thoughtit would be fun to bring some
(01:30):
beers back for our podcastbecause, well, we like to drink
beer, and so what we didspecifically is we got some
beers from the states that wedrove through and were in.
So this is the Ohio one,correct?
Yeah, yes, so we were the Ohioone, correct?
Yeah, yes.
So we were in Ohio, camping,camping, and on our way back we
(01:51):
picked up some, well, beer.
Moeller Brew Barn.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Moeller Brew.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Barn Established in 2015.
So we both each have anindividual flavor that we picked
for this.
I have a honeywagon ipa whatmine comes with jokes does it
really.
Yeah, I wonder if mine does tooI just can't bottom if I wonder
, if I just can't read it, it'sat the very bottom okay, I don't
think mine does then okay, soI've got the berry, cherry,
(02:21):
wheat, and it says berry, punnyjokes.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
And it says what do you call a bear that gets caught
in the rain?
What A drizzly bear.
Oh dear Dad jokes why did thegrizzly bear wear a vest?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Why.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Because he had the right to bear arms.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Yeah, okay, I like that one better.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Why don't bears ever look sad?
Why, when they have a problem,they grin and bear it that was a
par, but we'll take it that'sfantastic no, I wish now I feel
cheated that mine doesn't havejokes this one is from maria
stein, ohio, 5.7 ABV, and thisis the Berry Cherry Wheat.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Mine is, ooh, 6.6.
Hello, and it's a tropical IPAwith honey, malt, sweetness,
mango and pineapple notes andbig aromatics.
Ooh, I almost read that wrong.
I actually kind of did read itwrong.
So we are going to have thisnew beer.
I was instructed to bring Katieback up Medello in case she
(03:32):
didn't like it.
But cheers, cheers, ooh.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
That's very cherry wheat.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Is it very cherry.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
It's very cherry, it's very cherry if you will
cherry, it's very cherry.
Is it Very cherry, if you will?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I see what you did there.
Thank you, I wish you wouldn'thave but um it's is it too,
cherry Undetermined.
Can you grin and bear it?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, I feel like, even though these are cold, yeah
this one in particular needs tobe colder, and you know how I
feel about cold beverages.
I'm not as particular as youare.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I like my shit fucking cold.
You are typically whatever kindof attitude towards if it's a
little warmer or cooler orwhatever.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yeah, but this one I feel like it needs to be very,
very cold.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
It needs to be very cold.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Very cold.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Otherwise I can't grin and bear.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Okay, that's we're beating a dead horse here, but
it's good, it's good, I like it,do you?
I like the cherry, I like thewheat.
It needs to be like frozen.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Maybe a slushy type thing.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Just under me, just under slush.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Under slush, under slush.
Yeah, can I have an under slushplease?
What anyways?
Uh, this one's pretty tasty.
I like this one.
It's got some good flavor to it.
So, yeah, thank you, ohio, for,uh, some decent beers here.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, this one's awesome I was excited fun fact
ohio has drive-through liquorstores had no idea.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
That was a thing, no idea.
I had to run out and pick upsome beers for some of the
people at one point and I waslooking for I was gonna get them
at a gas station nathan and Igot thirsty yeah and um.
Well, I found a liquor store.
I'm like, oh, I'll stop there.
And I got out of my car and I'mlike, oh, nope, this isn't
(05:23):
happening.
So I got back in the car and Ithen proceeded to drive you
didn't tell me you got out ofthe car.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
I don't think if you did, I forgot I did and you
forgot.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
But that's okay because, remember, I went into
that little parlor with a youorder pizza.
It's like a pizza jointattached with a liquor
drive-thru liquor store and Iwas gonna ask a question but it
took the chick forever to takean order over the phone.
So I just walked out and I'mlike I guess I'm driving through
then, but it's like I can't, Ican't look at all this yeah, you
(05:53):
can't look at it all it's likeif you go in there, it's like
either you say give me a moment,and you like slow, roll it
through it, or you know what thefuck you want yeah, or you have
to like hey, can I see whatthat can says, because I can't
read it?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
nope, that's not what I want.
Give it back.
And they have to put it likeit's weird it was strange, but
you know I mean different.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I've never I mean I've seen drive through liquor
stores before.
Yeah, I've never experienced itlike that, though and the
limited exposure I had to ohioliquor stores was only
drive-through, so apparentlythat's an ohio thing.
I had no idea.
Yeah, if they have traditionallike what we're used to, beyond
me yeah but it was strange, itwas different but we got there
(06:38):
and we didn't even have to leaveher car.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
So but like when, when?
When we asked the person like,hey, what ohio beers do you have
?
She had no clue they were verynice people though so nice they
were very nice um, didn't havethe knowledge, the one was up
front and saying I don't knowanything about beer, let me go
ask.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I forget her name.
I'm apologized.
I'm sure they won't listen tothis anyways, but uh, and then
she asked her.
I also didn't really know yeahI had.
I got lucky and said what'sthat?
And I had to like literallyguide her to it, and it just
happened to be an ohio beer, soit fucking worked out perfectly
we're like we'll take it.
Yeah, let's do it, let's, let'sgive it a go, and um, yeah,
(07:20):
anyways.
So this episode's got Ohio beer.
We have another episode thatwill have Indiana beer.
Indiana beer, because, well, wedrove through both states.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Surely did.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Surely did.
Wow, that just reminds me ofthat.
Was it from Airplane?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Don't call me Shirley .
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I never jest.
And stop calling me Shirley orwhatever the fuck it is.
Shirley, you jest.
Anyways, what do you got for ustoday?
Speaker 1 (07:50):
I have a story.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Okay, I know I'm going to bend this way.
No, for a particular reason.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Okay, wall, I'm just making sure.
And Bradley's shoulder.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Hello shoulder.
Was it the cold shoulder thatwas?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
not a good one.
Is that an idiom?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Is that an idiom?
I don't know what a stuman is.
Is everything an idiom?
Are you an idiom, am I?
I think so.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
We're going to talk about Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Wakeman Rosetta Wakeman Wakeman.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
She was born in 1843 in Bainbridge, New York.
Can I ask a question real quick?
What have I said already thatdeserves a question?
Is this a sad story?
So?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
this one is.
That means yes, to a degree.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
No, it's a bigger picture story.
It's a bigger picture story.
It's a bigger picture story.
What does that even mean?
Okay, so it's 1843, right?
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I know it well.
Yes, she dead okay.
She died in 1843?
No, oh, she's already dead in1843.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
No she was born in 1843, but because it was so long
ago, you can assume that she isnow dead.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
She almost died 200 years ago, so she's dead right
now.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Cheers to Kate wanting to kill Bradley.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, okay, so she was the oldest of nine kids.
That's a lot of fucking kids.
Because back then you had afamily to work.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
So how old was she in 1843?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
She was born.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Oh, that's when she was born.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I'm sorry, she was zero.
Yeah, she was zero in 1843.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I'll bust the crickets out again.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Her family was a farming family.
They struggled.
They had debts.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
And you said this is in New York.
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
She worked her tail off even from a young age.
She was eventually like adomestic servant, and all of
this was to help the farm Sure,help her family.
Right by her late teens,marriage was not in the cards
for her.
Her dad was drowning in debtand there wasn't a lot of
opportunity for women at thetime, so she was kind of a.
(10:15):
There was a lot of financialpressure at home, with her
family in deep debt.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Excuse me.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
And the eldest of nine kids.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
She was expected to work, as opposed to marry and
leave oh sure, yeah, becausethey needed her, her help, they
needed her yeah, her hard labor,yeah, um, and marriage wouldn't
mean essentially abandoningthat duty it kind of reminds me
of something my son said theother day about getting
something.
I'm'm like, well, you can get ajob, and then we can get it.
(10:44):
He's six.
So no, he can't get a job, he'ssix.
I'm like, yeah, go ahead, buddyWork.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
The Wakemans were also poor tenant farmers.
Rosetta had very little dowry.
Her name is Sarah Rosetta, butthey call her Rosetta.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Do you know what their main crop was?
Speaker 1 (11:07):
I don't, I didn't look it up.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I mean, I don't know what they grow in.
New York area, yeah, Becauseobviously, like well, you're
familiar with corn.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Having been a corn husker for most of my life.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Well, I mean, I think your bassinet was made out of
corn life.
Well, I mean, I think yourbassinet was made out of corn
now.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Rosetta was a really strong-minded woman.
She was kind of frustrated withhow limited roles women had
back then and she really wantedmore.
She wanted money, she wantedfreedom and she wanted a lot
less family drama, whichapparently there was some
between her parents.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Okay, I mean with that kind of upbringing, with
needing the help like she did, Ican see why there'd be tension,
even just from that alone yeah,let alone, other factors, I'm
sure.
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
In August 1862.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
So she would have been 19.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
19.
She made a bold move.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Oh, she got a stone, rosetta Stone.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
She slipped on a pair of trousers.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
She slipped on.
Oh, she actually put them on.
I'm like, is she okay?
Speaker 1 (12:16):
That's something.
I would have said what do youmean?
She slipped on trousers.
Is she okay?
Is she okay Okay?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I mean you can understand why I was confused
there.
Sorry, oh dear, oh dear, Ican't stop it.
It's so funny, Beer me.
Oh my God, my mind did not go.
Does she put on clothes at all?
I don't know how I did that,but that was pretty great.
(12:53):
My cheeks hurt.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
I'm not even going to attempt to drink them.
Okay, she put on a pair ofpants.
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
She slipped on some trousers.
Oh no, Did Dad leave them inthe floor?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Shit, oh, my God.
It stops, okay.
She also cut her hair.
Oh, like a boy, uh-huh.
And she picked a new name,lyons Wakeman L-Y-O-N-S, because
I know you got a joke in theresomewhere.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Is there any other way to spell lions?
I mean seriously.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
So, just like that, she walked out of her old life.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
And into her new.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
And into a new one as a working man.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
But she wasn't a man.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
So her first stop was Chenango Canal, which is in
central New York.
It's a canal.
She landed a job hauling coalonto barges.
Oh, okay, sure, not glamorous,but it paid.
Better than her laundryservices, I'm sure, yep, and it
than her laundry services, I'msure Yep and it offered her some
(13:58):
independence.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, right, I mean.
So did she not tell her parentsor her family?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
She just up and left.
She did.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Her family did know that she, yeah, okay, yep,
perfectly know, so that was kindof part of the plan to let them
know, hey, I'm going to go tryand make more money.
Yeah.
Them know, hey, I'm gonna gotry and make more money.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah, okay, yeah, I'm not sure if they knew that,
what the details were.
Yeah, I'm not sure if they knewthat she pretended to be a man.
Yeah, gotcha um, they probablydid eventually, but I'm not
remembering offhand, that's allright.
So she was working under thename lions wakeman, but also
occasionally she'd switch itover to edwin wakeman and I'm
not sure why one or the other,but it was mostly lions how did
(14:39):
she come up with lions?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
That's interesting I mean, that's really interesting
quite a unique, I don't knowmaybe it's her, her dad's middle
name.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I mean, and it very well could be.
It's hard to say, but that'sjust.
I don know.
I find that rather unique.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
I guess is all so but she could prove that she could
do the hard physical labor justas well as any guy around her.
Sure, um, and she wasn't shyabout it.
She wrote a lot of letters backhome and they have all most of
them, if not all have survivedwhich is why we know the story.
Oh, very cool.
(15:14):
She wrote to her parents quoteI'm as independent as a hog on
ice, and if they don't let mealone, they will be sorry for it
.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
How independent is a hog on ice.
So isn't it kind of sad in theworld we live in that you can't
go back through letters anddevelop a story from someone's
life?
I got to go to your Instagramposts, Fucking stupid.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, we don't write letters anymore.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
It's really sad.
I still remember I've mentionedhim to you before our family
friend out in California.
When I was a little kid I usedto actually write him letters
back and forth because, well, Ilike to do that.
I haven't written a letter tosomebody, wow.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Cherry.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Cherry In a long fucking time.
So it's kind of sad.
I feel like it's a loss.
I'm sure I know people still doit, obviously, Just in my world
not so much.
It's just kind of sad.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Because you can't develop stories like and what
was this person doing?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
yeah but anyways yeah , now you have to go back
through facebook and instagramand twitter x and, yeah, all the
social medias which don't getme started on that text messages
yeah yeah, yeah, but see,that's why I'm not on any of
that we do it for our podcastbecause, well, we like to try
(16:42):
and grow our podcast.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
That's it.
And individually, you and Iboth don't social media very
much so I'm on youtube andpinterest yeah, it's just
because you watch videos onyoutube.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Yeah, and I'm not even like active doing stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Right, you're just watching videos and you're
crafting things you like andwhatever but, you know.
So that's a little different tome.
Not like posting, why would youdo that?
Like when someone did something?
So you have to be so negative?
Be fucking positive, yeah, yeah, support people.
That's all I'm saying yes, sosorry that was my social media
(17:19):
rant when.
So she's a hog on ice,apparently independent I think
that might be the name of theepisode hog on ice I already
highlighted it did you reallylook at you go being proactive
Now?
Speaker 1 (17:34):
we're going to use something else.
Quote from the woman.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Okay, she ended up enlisting in the Union Army of
the Civil War.
Oh shit, as Lion's Wakeman,okay Boom.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
She's going to fuck some shit up.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
No longer hauling corn, I'm just going to wear my
Union blues.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Union Jack hauling corn.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
I'm just gonna wear my union blues union jack and
I'm gonna own, own oh have getreceive my own cash.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
That took a long time to get there yeah, I didn't
know which word I wanted to use,so I just used them.
Oh, that's great slipped ontrousers.
That still might be the titletoo.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
So while working in the canal she ran into some army
recruiters Okay, and With hercart or what she ran into them
with her cart.
Oh for fuck's sake.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Hey, you started the episode with dad jokes.
That's not on me.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
No, the beer started with dad jokes.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
You did not have to read.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Okay, sorry.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
The 153rd New York Infantry was handing out $152
enlistment bounties.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Bounties, so like if you enlisted, you got a.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
You got this money you got $152.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
And in 1862, that's quite a chunk of change.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yes, do you know how much it would be today?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
$3,000?
.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Seriously.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Good job?
No fucking way, yeah, $3,112.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
I'll take it High five.
Cross the room, high five, okay, fuck yeah, yes.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So you could say that's going to be amazing for a
poor working family.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Here's $3,000.
That's kind of I don't want tosay life changing per se but it
could be for some people, forsome people back then.
That was fucking huge, Wow Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
And then, beyond that original enlistment bounty, the
regular pay was $13 a month.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Right.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
How much is that?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
in today's $3.50.
$2.66.
Overshot it.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
I didn't win the challenge on.
Price is Right but that isgreat money for domestic workers
, for hardworking farm families.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
No, that's huge.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
It was basically survival.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
They had nine kids.
They should have enlisted allof them.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Well, to be fair.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I'm kidding.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
She was only 19.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I know, and you said she was the oldest.
So at this point, do you haveany idea how many more of their
siblings were in existence or no?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
No, no, that's okay.
Well, she was, I would assume,all nine.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
but as she was 19 probably oldest, she could not
enlist yet why, is not.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Is she not old enough , or do they have to be 18?
Way back then?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I assume you had to be 18, but even back then people
enlisted at 16 and 17 for WorldWar II let alone the Civil War.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
She lied, saying that she was 21.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Oh then maybe I guess , I don't know, I guess I never
knew an age limit back for theCivil War.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Do we dare look it up ?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I mean, I feel like you should.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Yes, yes, there, look it up.
I mean I feel like you should.
Is there, yes, yes?
Is there an age limit in theCivil War?
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Let's do it.
Sorry, I dipped off a camera.
There we're back.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Is there an age limit to rent a car For jury duty in
Wisconsin For jury duty to jointhe military on American Idol To
donate blood for Pope?
Oh my God, is there an agelimit to rent a car For jury
duty in Wisconsin For jury dutyto join the military on American
Idol to donate blood For Pope?
Oh my God, is there an agelimit for Pope?
Speaker 2 (21:21):
For Pope.
Does the Pope shit in the woods?
Answer is yes, hard fucking yes.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Okay, 18.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
For a civil war?
Yeah, so why would she say that?
Speaker 1 (21:34):
I wonder why she was like I'm 21.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
That's interesting.
It almost makes me ask thequestion did it benefit her
station within the army?
I have no idea, but that's kindof odd that she would lie to be
21 when you only had to be 18,and she was 19 at this point.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
But at the same time, during their physical exam,
they're like you've got handsand arms and legs, You're good
to be our warrior.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Good thing they didn't have to check other parts
.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Nope.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Thank goodness for that.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Nope, she passed as a man, get this.
She was only five foot tall.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Oh, just like straight.
Five foot, five foot.
Holy fuck, teeny tiny.
That is a short mother fuckingperson fair-skinned, blue-eyed
wow I I, that throws me off justbecause I am six three, so I am
decently tall.
Yeah, I always wanted to be sixfive.
Came up two inches short but,um, wow, five foot.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
That's crazy, that is super short so apparently, all
you have to do is put on somepants and you're a man or you
slip on them whatever trousers.
Yeah, am I right so privatelions wakeman, now officially a
soldier of the 153rd new yorkstate volunteers company h.
A three-year term, no turningback.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
No, turning back.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
By October she was shipping out with the regiment,
heading south to Washington DC.
Okay, and it was the first timeshe traveled so far from home
and probably like the first time, she had to sleep next to like
40 other farting men.
Yep Way to paint a prettypicture but in her letters to
(23:20):
her family she told her parentsnot to worry.
She says, quote I mustn'ttrouble you, you mustn't trouble
yourself about me.
I am contented.
I believe that god will sparemy life to come home once more.
Then I will help you pay yourdebts, end quote well, look at
her, be so just damn fuckinggreat rosetta was ready to be a
soldier, not for glory, not forpolitics, but literally for
(23:44):
money for money to earn her keep, to prove her independence and
to help the family
Speaker 2 (23:49):
exactly yeah, no good for her exactly that's fucking
fantastic.
That's something we don't havetoday.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Yeah.
So for the first year and ahalf of her armored career she
lived with a soldier's lifeearly mornings, endless drills,
bad food, even worse hygiene.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
How did she keep the ruse up of being a man?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Well, she didn't have to fucking change in front of
anybody.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Why.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
She probably had a shiwi, for all we know.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
I don't think shiwis were invented back then.
I'm pretty sure they weren't.
Hold on, let me pull out myplastic thing to cut my vagina
and pee out the front.
I mean seriously, I'm prettysure they weren't fucking
available back then.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Okay, I purchased one of those over 2020 to help on
Grandpa's farm.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
The farm.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
you told me that I one of those over 2020 to help
on Grandpa's farm, the farm youtold me that I used it maybe
only one time.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, because you said it was messy as fuck.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Yeah, because now I have to put this used cup back
into the holder.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
See, that's weird.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
And I basically had to drop trow anyway.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Well, right, because you can't just whip it out like
a dude.
No, no, you still have to droptrowel, at least a decent amount
.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
So stupid.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
I mean, I get the concept.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Great concept, Bad execution.
Well yeah, you know, but whatelse are you going to do?
I'm not going to get a catheter.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
The 153rd Wow that fucking escalated quickly.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
The 153rd New York Regiment was assigned to
garrison and guard duty aroundWashington DC, which meant a lot
of time guarding buildings,manning checkpoints and
occasionally shooing drunks offof Capitol Hill.
But she was stationed in placeslike Alexandria, capitol Hill,
virginia, basically doingmilitary police work.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Okay, okay, is that what her whole regiment
basically did?
That's what they were just allassigned to?
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah, it was pretty much like the Army starter pack,
so to speak.
Starter pack Intro to the Army.
Exactly Army 101.
That's funny.
In her letters home she made itclear that Army life was just
fine with her.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
So she actually seemed to be enjoying it yes,
she did.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Yeah, she um drilled regularly.
She pulled guard shifts everyother night and she bragged home
saying, quote I can drill asgood as any man in my regiment
in quotes good for her.
Yeah, so uh, she smoked, she sw, she marched, she got into at
least one fist fight.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Oh shit.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
With another soldier who got a little mouthy.
She won this little fist fightOkay, but she, in her own words,
said that she lived wildly.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Well, I mean, if you really break it down what she's
doing, yeah, I mean I wouldagree with that, because I I I'm
not going to say she was theonly one who did this back then
I'm sure there could have beenmore who knows but uh, pretty,
pretty different like mindset tobe able to pull this off and go
(26:53):
through with it actually, causea lot of people would be like
I'm gonna do that and then like,yeah, fuck this, I'm out.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah, so I mean good, good on her to like stick with
it kind of thing is, I guess,what I'm saying.
So, yeah, yeah.
So she barely mentioned anypolitics or any like patriotic
duty right in her letters homethere it is um, she, it was all
about her, her freedom.
Okay, she mentioned the 13 amonth, equal pay for equal
danger, the independentindependence to send money home
(27:22):
and plan for her future.
It was that's what it was about.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
It wasn't about fighting for a cause for her no
her life was her cause her, yeah, she her cause I mean great
what's doing, but it wasn't forthe country, it was for her and
the benefit of her family.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
So would she actually mail back her money?
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah, I think most of it she was planning on giving
when she returned.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
That's why I asked.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Yeah, because that's what it sounded like.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
That's what it sounded like when you said that
earlier.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Yeah, I was just, but I think she also sent money
back home, just not the wholeentirety, because she also had
to live off that money.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Well, right, Because I mean, but their, I guess,
meals were supplied.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
What do you think she ?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
had to live off of that money with, like, what did
she have to do?
I mean, I'm not saying, youknow.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I'm just your best guess.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I'm going to say feminine hygiene products.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Did they?
Speaker 2 (28:19):
have those back then?
Well, at least toilet paper,did they have that back then?
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, they had leaves when was toilet paper invented?
I don't know, dude.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Okay, chick, you don't have to look it up or
anything.
You asked, I asked.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
So at one point she did tell her family that she was
about to get four months payall at once.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Why.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
And she was going to send part of that home.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Why would she get four months all of a sudden at
once?
I don't know, fuck.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
It wasn't written in the letter.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
It wasn't a part of your research.
That too, but she also didn'twrite it down.
I have to get that in.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
She also hinted that she wasn't going to go back to
like Wearing dresses andpetticoats after the war who
cares?
She wanted to buy land out westand live as a man Running a
farm on her own.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Out west, like does she have a specific location Out
west?
Or meaning just like Literallywest of where she was Just west.
New Jersey Is New, literallywest of where she was just west.
Oh, so like it could have been,like new jersey is new jersey
west of dc?
Yeah, is it?
Yeah, I always get confused in,like the, the locations of
things, and I've been out to dcand I have as well, but not it
(29:33):
was a long time ago I was notold enough to remember shit.
I think that's funny, that yousaid that, because you are old
enough to remember shit andstill don't Sorry.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Okay, the Army.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Don't be mad, because it's true.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Don't be mad at the Okay Okay.
Anyways the Army ended uptransferring her regiment, then
in 1864, from cozy Washington.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Where she was just doing military police shit.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
To the swamps of Louisiana.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
That sounds terrible.
Yeah, a lot of mosquitoes, I'mguessing.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
She and others in her regiment had to board board
steamboats and rail cars, and ittook them down the East Coast,
across the Gulf and up the RedRiver.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Oh dear.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
A thousand miles, holy fuck, to join the Red River
campaign.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
What's, and do tell what that is.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
I do eventually.
Okay, I think.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
All right, hold your, is I do eventually.
Okay, I think.
All right, hold your turn.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Hold your beer.
It was Louisiana in springtime,not cute.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
I can't imagine it would be.
I mean, it's getting steamy,getting mosquito-y.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
That hot little mosquito-y.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Yeah, lots of whatever.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Can you imagine their digestive tract situation?
Speaker 2 (31:00):
No, I don't want to, because that sounds fucking
terrible.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Yeah, I mean, we're talking boiling heat and we're
talking nasty-ass water.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
There's dysentery in a cup.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Gross.
That sounds fucking awful.
Can you not do that?
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Okay.
So because of dysentery in acup, hundreds of her comrades
fell sick.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Okay, well, I mean, I can't believe thousands didn't,
because that sounds fuckingterrible.
Mm-hmm, ugh, yeah, on April,fucking terrible.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Mm-hmm, ugh yeah, on April 9th.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
April 9th 1864.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Okay, her first and only battle happened, oh, at
Pleasant Hill.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Plot twist Wasn't that pleasant.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
I mean, it was battle , so I can't imagine.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
it would have been yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Wasn't that pleasant.
I mean, it was battle, so Ican't imagine it would have been
.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
So the day before her unit was held in reserve while
the Union Army got pushed back,and on day two the 153rd was
thrown into the battle.
So Wakeman took her place inthe front rank, shoulder to
shoulder with the boys.
Must gets locked and loaded,yep.
And she says, quote.
The next day I had toketslocked and loaded.
(32:17):
And she says, quote.
The next day I had to face theenemy bullets with my regiment.
Oh, dear.
I was under fire for about fourhours and laid on the field of
battle all night.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Jesus Christ, that sounds fucking awful.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
And then she says this to her family.
Quote how would you like to bein the front rank and have the
rear rank load and fire theirguns over your shoulder?
I have been there myself.
End quote.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
That also doesn't sound pleasant.
Yeah, wow, yeah, yeah, yeah,sorry, I was going to say
something, but I won't.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
No.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
She really didn't have any fear over what happened
.
It's just like this is her duty.
Okay, she says quote, I don'tfear the rebel bullets nor the
cannon, but her company lostonly like one soldier.
Wounded plenty, oh I'm sure,but only killed one.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
That's quite fucking impressive, and Rosetta made it
out unscathed.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And she says, quote for my part, I don't care where
we go next, I don't feel afraidto go.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
I mean, there you go.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
So unfortunately, the rest of the campaign was a
little bit of a disaster.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Oh dear.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Yes, the army had to retreat down the Red River and
Wakeman's regiment pulled rearduty, rear guard duty, which
means that they were pretty muchthe last ones to leave.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
First ones to arrive last ones to leave Protecting
their ass.
Basically at that point, yeah,Okay.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
So then there was another battle at Monet's Bluff.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Monet's Bluff.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
On April 23rd.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Okay, and this is still in Louisiana.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
And during this retreat, union forces engaged
Confederate troops at Monáe'sBluff, which, if you're from
Louisiana, is now called CaneRiver Crossing.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Cane.
Why do you think they changedit?
I don't know.
That's weird when they do that.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
I guess I don't know why they're researching a
Russian story and Soviet unionhad one title for things and
russia federation has acompletely different title so
it's funny.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
I was just watching a video from a comedian that are
like saying, like how a lot ofbritish, he's british there's a
lot of people from britain orwhatever it's like.
They call it this but that'snot what they call it when
they're you're actually there.
So it's funny how manydifferent like names for shit
that people have because we callit this thing, but even the
(34:43):
people that live there theydon't fucking call it that.
So it's funny how likeobviously different titles, but
anyways yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
So then 153rd New York Regiment was documented as
participating in that skirmish.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Skirmish.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Skirmish.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
I still like when you say skirmish.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And Rosetta was still with her regiment at that time.
But there are no letters or anylike service records that said
that she was actually in thefight.
Oh, so there's nothing tocorroborate.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Corroborate.
Yeah, yeah, okay, fair enough,we're not sure.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
We think that she was present, but we're not sure if
she participated.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
The union was then cornered between a river and
enemy fire, and everyone wasneeded.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
So it kind of begs to say that she was perhaps in it.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
It would lead you to believe that she was, but
there's just no concrete proofsaying that she was.
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
So food was scarce, Water was disgusting, Soldiers
were dropping like flies, andRosetta later wrote quote quite
a number die every day aroundhere.
End quote.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Dropping like flies in Idiom.
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
She survived combat.
That's wild.
But now she's got a differentenemy.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Yeah, called life Dysentery, yeah, Dysentery.
Do you remember playing OregonTrail?
Oh, fuck, yeah, we might havebrought it up before you died of
dysentery, motherfucker.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Early May 1864 she got really sick.
She reported to the RegimentalHospital on May 3rd, most likely
suffering from dysentery.
After weeks Of relentlessmarching, horrific water and
just poor food, her body justcouldn't quite keep up.
(36:43):
She was evacuated to the MarineUS General Hospital in New
Orleans on May 22nd and theysaid her condition was already
dire.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Oh shit.
So she was in pretty bad shapewhen she showed up.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Rosetta died on June 19th.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Oh, juneteenth.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Juneteenth.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Yesterday.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
August 64 at 21 years old.
So she went into the army at 19.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Fuck, she's only two years.
That's terrible.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
But even in death no one blew her cover that's
impressive there's no recordthat any doctor or orderly ever
discovered that she was a womanor, if they did, did not write
it down.
Um as far as the army knew, shewas private Private Lyons
Wakeman and she was buried underPrivate Lyons Wakeman at the
(37:39):
Chalmette National Cemetery justoutside of New Orleans.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
That's wild.
So like you gotta likespeculate, there might have been
people who said we'll keep hercover.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Yeah, you don't know, it's possible.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
But also at that time time because lots of deaths
yeah they didn't even like doanything, they just sorry yeah
threw you in a grave I mean, shewas technically at a hospital,
so she probably had a little bitmore one-on-one, you would you
would think, obviously, butagain, we don't know, being what
the time was, with the wargoing on and everything, it's a
(38:17):
very good possibility that theydidn't inspect fucking shit.
Yeah, they just did the basicshit.
Well, she's gone.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
Well, she's got dysentery shit.
Let's see what you're talkingabout.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
So what exactly all comes with dysentery?
Speaker 1 (38:32):
The shits.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Is that mainly what it is?
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah, Like you are losing all of your water.
So Like you are weak as fuck.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
That's weird, because I feel like I had dysentery the
other day.
Apparently it was just a lot ofbeers.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Oh for the love of God.
21.
That is so sad, so like there'sAlso like a possibility of like
having blood in the stools, andit's usually spread through
like contaminated food or water.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Right.
So okay, I'm sorry if I'mjumping the gun, if you even
have this yeah, yarp Lions,wakeman, wakeman, right, mm-hmm.
How did they let the familyknow?
Because that was a fake person.
Obviously, same last name.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
But the family knew.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
I understand the family knew, but the people in
the army didn't know that shewas a man or she was man, was a
girl, and then they notify thefamily.
So they knew that they camefrom this she came from this
family, I would assume.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
So Okay, yeah.
So they would write a lettersaying hey sorry for your lines,
they've been passing andthey're like ah yeah, rosetta,
probably.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Okay, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
So for a century she was just another name on a stone
, until someone somewhereactually opened a box of these
old letters in someone's attichow the fuck did they get those
letters in their attic?
That's fucking amazing I knowthat is so cool.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
I know like seriously , like how would you come up?
I want to find I have a veryold fucking house yeah you do.
Why the fuck can I findsomething cool like that?
I apparently just have a carburied in my fucking yard.
That's so fucking weird.
I want to find letters, not aburied car from 1936 or whatever
(40:29):
the guy suggested oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Yeah, isn't that crazy like someone found these
letters no, that's super wild.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
They went to a historian.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
And here you go.
Here's the story of sarahrosetta wakeman.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
You said a hundred years later, right, a century
later a century later so theylasted for a fucking hundred
years, her family never said aword.
That's so wild and like and forthem to show up in some
apparently random fuckingperson's attic.
How did they get there?
That's wild.
Must have been their old house,and that's very possible.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
I mean because clearly she sent these letters
to her family or the letters gotpassed down to siblings because
she had nine of them.
Well, right other siblings.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
That's what I was just going to say.
So obviously she sent theletters to her house, her family
.
They kept them clearly becausethey're still in existence.
So did they get, get to sister,brother, whatever, whoever her
siblings were?
Or did they have them in anattic and then they all moved on
, died whatever, and someoneelse bought the house?
Speaker 1 (41:31):
It's fucking wild.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
I don't know, it's just crazy, it is crazy For
something like that, becausethat's a very throwaway-able
thing for a lot of people.
Yeah, for them to last 100fucking years is just impressive
.
So, that's so cool.
I really think that's awesome,your house comes with a cistern.
Under my kitchen and in mybasement.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
I don't know if what's under my kitchen is
actually a cistern.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Giant well.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
See it's not a well.
Well, see, it's not a well.
I know it's not a well gianthole.
I thought it could have been apool.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
Maybe I have an underground pool like a maybe
it's a like a cool plunge Iwould love one of those.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yeah, you would.
So a long time ago I went to uh, it was actually for my 30th
birthday.
I went to the spa to get amassage and prior to they had
like the whole like hot and cold.
The cold pool they had was at45 degrees, which is cold for
water because it envelops youand your fucking body.
(42:34):
I stayed in there for 45minutes.
It was fucking amazing.
Speaker 1 (42:39):
I think the one at Kohler, I think that was like 65
.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
That's warm.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Tepid yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Okay, so maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
I'm joking.
That's warm for me.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
Oh, I was like I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Anyway, okay, anyway, sorry, sorry to get sidetracked
there.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
Sarah Rosetta Wakeman's identity was
eventually unmasked and in thelate 20th century her
descendants and other historiansbrought her letters out into
the public.
They were published in 1994.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
As a book called An Uncommon Soldier.
Yeah, and it's all her letters,that's awesome so the author is
Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Sorry, excuse me.
So it literally was just likeDracula just letters, just a
book put together of all of herletters.
Yep, that's wild, that'sfucking awesome, yep.
So she must have wrote a lotthen.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
Yeah, she wrote a few .
Speaker 2 (43:34):
To comprise an entire book.
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Quite a different perspective.
You wouldn't usually get to seeor hear or read, I guess,
whatever way you want to saythat.
But um, especially back then,because a lot of people were
illiterate yes, did not write,read whatever.
So I mean, for her to be ableto do that, that's awesome,
first and foremost, and for herto be actually able to get away
(43:58):
with it is spectacular.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
And she is not the only woman documented in the
Civil War as having pretended tobe a man.
That's what I mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
I said there's got to be others.
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yes, there is others.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
I mean that makes sense.
Just too many people to nothave that happen.
I should say it only happenedonce.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
She's like Mulan in union blues.
I never liked that one.
Oh, I love to move on, I justcould never.
Let's get down to business todefeat the huns well, who
doesn't want to defeat the huns?
Speaker 2 (44:36):
am I right?
Um, I just, I think for my ageI was just past that.
Yeah, so I just never got intothat one.
Um, anyways, that seems like acompletely sidetracked notion.
Yeah, I was gonna say somethingand you had to go sing god.
Speaker 1 (44:56):
well, anyway, that's the story of Sarah Rosetta
Wakeman, aka Lions Wakeman.
Speaker 2 (45:01):
That's pretty cool.
I mean, she had obviouslyspecific reasons for what she
did and it was to better herselfand her family.
It wasn't for her country, andthat's okay.
I mean, they had a rough timegoing of it.
They needed money and then theywere trying.
So with her death in that, didyou get a pension or anything
(45:23):
that her family got?
Speaker 1 (45:25):
I don't know, I mean I wonder.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
I don't even know if that was a thing back in the
civil war because you died foryour country, even though she
was fighting for her family.
Basically, yeah, it's just wildthat, um, you know she got away
with it.
That's just impressive, for 150years well basically yeah,
because I mean no one he knewshe had all these letters she
(45:48):
wrote to her family.
They're hidden in a fuckingattic apparently.
Um, like you said that thedoctors didn't say a word or
anything in the hospital she wasat when she died of dysentery.
I mean, she wasn't even on theOregon Trail.
What the fuck?
How many times I died on theOregon Trail?
Speaker 1 (46:07):
of dysentery.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Fuck that game so much so great though I mean that
shit we grew up on, unlike thegames my son likes to play.
He's trying to play this newgame I mean it's's not new, but
called roblox I I don't like it.
It's fucking weird.
And I don't like it because myson can hey, I'm gonna buy this.
(46:30):
No, you're not.
Oh, I'm not spending money onthis shit, so I don't.
Only sarah doesn't want him toplay it at all.
Oh, really, I let him play itlast night.
Is it because he's able topurchase things on there.
It's part of it.
That's part of it.
It's funny because he can'tread yet.
(46:50):
He's only six.
He's learning.
He can read some stuff, but notfluent in reading, whatever you
want to call it.
And her big thing is a lot ofthese have like chat rooms and
shit.
She doesn't want him a part ofthat, which I completely agree
with him.
He's too young for that.
But, um, he made a comment tome when we were done playing it
(47:11):
last night before I put him tobed.
He goes can we play thistomorrow?
I'm like, well, I'm gonna gorecord a podcast tomorrow and
then maybe.
And he goes, I'm like, well, wecan put maybe play it saturday.
Well, we have to play it whenmom and vesper go to bed because
she doesn't want me to playthis.
Like, all right, that's betweenyou and me, buddy, but you can
(47:31):
only play this when I'm around.
Yeah, so, because I just don'twant him buying random shit or
talking to random people.
And he can't talk to randompeople because he can't type
shit out in the chat room orwhatever but so what's the game?
I don't fucking know.
That's the point.
It's weird.
It's got like all thesedifferent things and you pick.
So like the one he was playinglast night was, uh, some
bodybuilding thing where you goand do exercise and you're you
(47:54):
fucking bulk out and shit.
It's weird.
And then you can go incompetitions and like, try and
win money to buy other shit.
It's fucking.
I'm like what is this weird,why?
And I tried to have him playanother game and he gets, he was
getting frustrated and I, likeI was getting frustrated.
I'm like, dude, just do this.
It's called rocket league.
(48:15):
So it's basically you're on agiant fucking field soccer field
, I should say, let me finishthat thought with a car and a
giant ball.
You try and hit the ball, scoregoals.
So he and I played together.
I killed him.
But I'm also been playing videogames for fucking almost 40
years, basically not quite, butalmost and he's been playing for
(48:39):
a year and a half, two yearsmaybe.
He's been playing iPad games, alot different than playing a
video game on a console.
So he's getting frustrated andfrustrated.
He's like, dude, just calm thefuck down.
It's a game, it's fun.
You're supposed to have fun.
Don't get so fucking seriousabout this, but anyways, this
Roblox thing not a fan.
I'm not enjoying it, but hey ifyou know he wants to start
(49:03):
buying shit, maybe we'll sendhim to the army in 1863 and he
can start making 152 signingbonus 13 bucks a month yeah I
mean I wouldn't mind having mykid bring in some money.
Speaker 1 (49:18):
Oh, yeah, oh.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
Jesus Christ, are you okay?
Speaker 1 (49:22):
Yeah, I had a 20, well, 16-minute nap today.
You'd think that would havebeen enough.
Speaker 2 (49:27):
You did say that you heard something that you thought
was your alarm, so you got up.
Speaker 1 (49:32):
Three and a half minutes early.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
Ma, could you imagine if you would have got those
three and a half minutes, howgreat it would be right now?
Yeah, yeah, that'd be nice.
I know you're daydreaming,nightdreaming.
What are you dreaming of?
Speaker 1 (49:47):
I'm dreaming about what you think about your beer.
Speaker 2 (49:50):
I really enjoyed it.
That was actually really good.
Good, I finished both.
I need another one.
What do you think of yours?
Speaker 1 (49:59):
I like the can.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
So not the beer.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
I think the cherry is throwing me off.
Speaker 2 (50:05):
Too much yeah.
Speaker 1 (50:06):
It needs to be like stark cold Okay.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Well, maybe throw the next one you have of those in
the freezer for a minute and seewhat happens.
Speaker 1 (50:15):
It's good, right, I just wouldn't.
I probably wouldn't purchase itagain.
Well, good thing, but I'lldrink what I have, kind of a
thing.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Here's the thing we can't.
We're not in ohio, so you'relucky there yeah we don't have
to worry about that, you and thegood thing is I bought it, so
don't worry about it.
Sorry, stop yawning, welp.
(50:48):
I suppose it's a nap time yet.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
All right, buffoons, that's it for today's episode.
Buckle up, because we've gotanother historical adventure
waiting for you.
Next time feeling hungry formore buffoonery, or maybe you
have a burning question or awild historical theory for us to
explore?
Hit.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
Hit us up on social media.
We're History Buffoons Podcaston YouTube X, instagram and
Facebook.
You can also email us athistorybuffoonspodcast at
gmailcom.
We are Bradley and Kate.
Music by Corey Akers.
Speaker 1 (51:14):
Follow us wherever you get your podcasts and turn
those notifications on to stayin the loop.
Speaker 2 (51:19):
Until next time, stay curious and don't forget to
rate and review us.
Speaker 1 (51:23):
Remember, the buffoonery never stops.
Oh, hey there.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
That was aggressive.
Oh hey there.
Speaker 1 (00:21):
I'm Kate.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
And I'm Bradley.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
How are you?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
And we're the History of Foods, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
And I am good.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
And I'm Bradley, how are you?
And we're the History ofBuffoons.
Oh yeah, and I am good, that'sus, that's us.
We are what you would callbuffooning around here.
This took a minute to get going.
I had a little technicaldifficulties with my camera
setup, which is, in other words,my phone.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
The secret's out.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
Was it really a secret, though?
I mean only if you ever say itlike that again.
That was amazing.
No, it's.
We don't have what you wouldcall a studio.
We don't have what you wouldcall a high class setup.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I'm fucking high class.
I don't know what you'll call ahigh class setup.
Um, I'm fucking high class.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I don't know what you're talking about.
Let's not get carried away.
We do what we can with what wegot.
We still have fun.
It's good times.
I'm warm as fuck because I justset it all up, so let's get
into the beer hey, we went onyeah so we went camping with
some friends, a lot of friends.
A lot of friends and we thoughtit would be fun to bring some
(01:30):
beers back for our podcastbecause, well, we like to drink
beer, and so what we didspecifically is we got some
beers from the states that wedrove through and were in.
So this is the Ohio one,correct?
Yeah, yes, so we were the Ohioone, correct?
Yeah, yes.
So we were in Ohio, camping,camping, and on our way back we
(01:51):
picked up some, well, beer.
Moeller Brew Barn.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Moeller Brew.
Speaker 2 (01:58):
Barn Established in 2015.
So we both each have anindividual flavor that we picked
for this.
I have a honeywagon ipa whatmine comes with jokes does it
really.
Yeah, I wonder if mine does tooI just can't bottom if I wonder
, if I just can't read it, it'sat the very bottom okay, I don't
think mine does then okay, soI've got the berry, cherry,
(02:21):
wheat, and it says berry, punnyjokes.
Speaker 1 (02:27):
And it says what do you call a bear that gets caught
in the rain?
What A drizzly bear.
Oh dear Dad jokes why did thegrizzly bear wear a vest?
Speaker 2 (02:37):
Why.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
Because he had the right to bear arms.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Yeah, okay, I like that one better.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Why don't bears ever look sad?
Why, when they have a problem,they grin and bear it that was a
par, but we'll take it that'sfantastic no, I wish now I feel
cheated that mine doesn't havejokes this one is from maria
stein, ohio, 5.7 ABV, and thisis the Berry Cherry Wheat.
Speaker 2 (03:09):
Mine is, ooh, 6.6.
Hello, and it's a tropical IPAwith honey, malt, sweetness,
mango and pineapple notes andbig aromatics.
Ooh, I almost read that wrong.
I actually kind of did read itwrong.
So we are going to have thisnew beer.
I was instructed to bring Katieback up Medello in case she
(03:32):
didn't like it.
But cheers, cheers, ooh.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
That's very cherry wheat.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Is it very cherry.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
It's very cherry, it's very cherry if you will
cherry, it's very cherry.
Is it Very cherry, if you will?
Speaker 2 (03:47):
I see what you did there.
Thank you, I wish you wouldn'thave but um it's is it too,
cherry Undetermined.
Can you grin and bear it?
Speaker 1 (03:56):
Yeah, I feel like, even though these are cold, yeah
this one in particular needs tobe colder, and you know how I
feel about cold beverages.
I'm not as particular as youare.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
I like my shit fucking cold.
You are typically whatever kindof attitude towards if it's a
little warmer or cooler orwhatever.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yeah, but this one I feel like it needs to be very,
very cold.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
It needs to be very cold.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Very cold.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
Otherwise I can't grin and bear.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
Okay, that's we're beating a dead horse here, but
it's good, it's good, I like it,do you?
I like the cherry, I like thewheat.
It needs to be like frozen.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
Maybe a slushy type thing.
Speaker 1 (04:41):
Just under me, just under slush.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Under slush, under slush.
Yeah, can I have an under slushplease?
What anyways?
Uh, this one's pretty tasty.
I like this one.
It's got some good flavor to it.
So, yeah, thank you, ohio, for,uh, some decent beers here.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
Yeah, this one's awesome I was excited fun fact
ohio has drive-through liquorstores had no idea.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
That was a thing, no idea.
I had to run out and pick upsome beers for some of the
people at one point and I waslooking for I was gonna get them
at a gas station nathan and Igot thirsty yeah and um.
Well, I found a liquor store.
I'm like, oh, I'll stop there.
And I got out of my car and I'mlike, oh, nope, this isn't
(05:23):
happening.
So I got back in the car and Ithen proceeded to drive you
didn't tell me you got out ofthe car.
Speaker 1 (05:29):
I don't think if you did, I forgot I did and you
forgot.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
But that's okay because, remember, I went into
that little parlor with a youorder pizza.
It's like a pizza jointattached with a liquor
drive-thru liquor store and Iwas gonna ask a question but it
took the chick forever to takean order over the phone.
So I just walked out and I'mlike I guess I'm driving through
then, but it's like I can't, Ican't look at all this yeah, you
(05:53):
can't look at it all it's likeif you go in there, it's like
either you say give me a moment,and you like slow, roll it
through it, or you know what thefuck you want yeah, or you have
to like hey, can I see whatthat can says, because I can't
read it?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
nope, that's not what I want.
Give it back.
And they have to put it likeit's weird it was strange, but
you know I mean different.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
I've never I mean I've seen drive through liquor
stores before.
Yeah, I've never experienced itlike that, though and the
limited exposure I had to ohioliquor stores was only
drive-through, so apparentlythat's an ohio thing.
I had no idea.
Yeah, if they have traditionallike what we're used to, beyond
me yeah but it was strange, itwas different but we got there
(06:38):
and we didn't even have to leaveher car.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
So but like when, when?
When we asked the person like,hey, what ohio beers do you have
?
She had no clue they were verynice people though so nice they
were very nice um, didn't havethe knowledge, the one was up
front and saying I don't knowanything about beer, let me go
ask.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
I forget her name.
I'm apologized.
I'm sure they won't listen tothis anyways, but uh, and then
she asked her.
I also didn't really know yeahI had.
I got lucky and said what'sthat?
And I had to like literallyguide her to it, and it just
happened to be an ohio beer, soit fucking worked out perfectly
we're like we'll take it.
Yeah, let's do it, let's, let'sgive it a go, and um, yeah,
(07:20):
anyways.
So this episode's got Ohio beer.
We have another episode thatwill have Indiana beer.
Indiana beer, because, well, wedrove through both states.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
Surely did.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Surely did.
Wow, that just reminds me ofthat.
Was it from Airplane?
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Don't call me Shirley .
Speaker 2 (07:41):
I never jest.
And stop calling me Shirley orwhatever the fuck it is.
Shirley, you jest.
Anyways, what do you got for ustoday?
Speaker 1 (07:50):
I have a story.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
Okay, I know I'm going to bend this way.
No, for a particular reason.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
Okay, wall, I'm just making sure.
And Bradley's shoulder.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Hello shoulder.
Was it the cold shoulder thatwas?
Speaker 1 (08:08):
not a good one.
Is that an idiom?
Speaker 2 (08:10):
Is that an idiom?
I don't know what a stuman is.
Is everything an idiom?
Are you an idiom, am I?
I think so.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
We're going to talk about Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.
Speaker 2 (08:22):
Wakeman Rosetta Wakeman Wakeman.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
She was born in 1843 in Bainbridge, New York.
Can I ask a question real quick?
What have I said already thatdeserves a question?
Is this a sad story?
So?
Speaker 2 (08:40):
this one is.
That means yes, to a degree.
Speaker 1 (08:43):
No, it's a bigger picture story.
It's a bigger picture story.
It's a bigger picture story.
What does that even mean?
Okay, so it's 1843, right?
Speaker 2 (08:52):
I know it well.
Yes, she dead okay.
She died in 1843?
No, oh, she's already dead in1843.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
No she was born in 1843, but because it was so long
ago, you can assume that she isnow dead.
Speaker 2 (09:05):
She almost died 200 years ago, so she's dead right
now.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 2 (09:16):
Cheers to Kate wanting to kill Bradley.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Yeah, okay, so she was the oldest of nine kids.
That's a lot of fucking kids.
Because back then you had afamily to work.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
So how old was she in 1843?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
She was born.
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Oh, that's when she was born.
Speaker 1 (09:34):
I'm sorry, she was zero.
Yeah, she was zero in 1843.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
I'll bust the crickets out again.
Speaker 1 (09:43):
Her family was a farming family.
They struggled.
They had debts.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
And you said this is in New York.
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (09:50):
She worked her tail off even from a young age.
She was eventually like adomestic servant, and all of
this was to help the farm Sure,help her family.
Right by her late teens,marriage was not in the cards
for her.
Her dad was drowning in debtand there wasn't a lot of
opportunity for women at thetime, so she was kind of a.
(10:15):
There was a lot of financialpressure at home, with her
family in deep debt.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Excuse me.
Speaker 1 (10:22):
And the eldest of nine kids.
Speaker 2 (10:23):
She was expected to work, as opposed to marry and
leave oh sure, yeah, becausethey needed her, her help, they
needed her yeah, her hard labor,yeah, um, and marriage wouldn't
mean essentially abandoningthat duty it kind of reminds me
of something my son said theother day about getting
something.
I'm'm like, well, you can get ajob, and then we can get it.
(10:44):
He's six.
So no, he can't get a job, he'ssix.
I'm like, yeah, go ahead, buddyWork.
Speaker 1 (10:56):
The Wakemans were also poor tenant farmers.
Rosetta had very little dowry.
Her name is Sarah Rosetta, butthey call her Rosetta.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
Do you know what their main crop was?
Speaker 1 (11:07):
I don't, I didn't look it up.
Speaker 2 (11:10):
I mean, I don't know what they grow in.
New York area, yeah, Becauseobviously, like well, you're
familiar with corn.
Speaker 1 (11:17):
Having been a corn husker for most of my life.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Well, I mean, I think your bassinet was made out of
corn life.
Well, I mean, I think yourbassinet was made out of corn
now.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Rosetta was a really strong-minded woman.
She was kind of frustrated withhow limited roles women had
back then and she really wantedmore.
She wanted money, she wantedfreedom and she wanted a lot
less family drama, whichapparently there was some
between her parents.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
Okay, I mean with that kind of upbringing, with
needing the help like she did, Ican see why there'd be tension,
even just from that alone yeah,let alone, other factors, I'm
sure.
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (11:56):
In August 1862.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
So she would have been 19.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
19.
She made a bold move.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
Oh, she got a stone, rosetta Stone.
Speaker 1 (12:05):
She slipped on a pair of trousers.
Speaker 2 (12:07):
She slipped on.
Oh, she actually put them on.
I'm like, is she okay?
Speaker 1 (12:16):
That's something.
I would have said what do youmean?
She slipped on trousers.
Is she okay?
Is she okay Okay?
Speaker 2 (12:29):
I mean you can understand why I was confused
there.
Sorry, oh dear, oh dear, Ican't stop it.
It's so funny, Beer me.
Oh my God, my mind did not go.
Does she put on clothes at all?
I don't know how I did that,but that was pretty great.
(12:53):
My cheeks hurt.
Speaker 1 (12:58):
I'm not even going to attempt to drink them.
Okay, she put on a pair ofpants.
Okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (13:04):
She slipped on some trousers.
Oh no, Did Dad leave them inthe floor?
Speaker 1 (13:10):
Shit, oh, my God.
It stops, okay.
She also cut her hair.
Oh, like a boy, uh-huh.
And she picked a new name,lyons Wakeman L-Y-O-N-S, because
I know you got a joke in theresomewhere.
Speaker 2 (13:23):
Is there any other way to spell lions?
I mean seriously.
Speaker 1 (13:28):
So, just like that, she walked out of her old life.
Speaker 2 (13:31):
And into her new.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
And into a new one as a working man.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
But she wasn't a man.
Speaker 1 (13:37):
So her first stop was Chenango Canal, which is in
central New York.
It's a canal.
She landed a job hauling coalonto barges.
Oh, okay, sure, not glamorous,but it paid.
Better than her laundryservices, I'm sure, yep, and it
than her laundry services, I'msure Yep and it offered her some
(13:58):
independence.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Well, right, I mean.
So did she not tell her parentsor her family?
Speaker 1 (14:03):
She just up and left.
She did.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
Her family did know that she, yeah, okay, yep,
perfectly know, so that was kindof part of the plan to let them
know, hey, I'm going to go tryand make more money.
Yeah.
Them know, hey, I'm gonna gotry and make more money.
Speaker 1 (14:18):
Yeah, okay, yeah, I'm not sure if they knew that,
what the details were.
Yeah, I'm not sure if they knewthat she pretended to be a man.
Yeah, gotcha um, they probablydid eventually, but I'm not
remembering offhand, that's allright.
So she was working under thename lions wakeman, but also
occasionally she'd switch itover to edwin wakeman and I'm
not sure why one or the other,but it was mostly lions how did
(14:39):
she come up with lions?
Speaker 2 (14:41):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
That's interesting I mean, that's really interesting
quite a unique, I don't knowmaybe it's her, her dad's middle
name.
Speaker 2 (14:48):
I mean, and it very well could be.
It's hard to say, but that'sjust.
I don know.
I find that rather unique.
Speaker 1 (14:53):
I guess is all so but she could prove that she could
do the hard physical labor justas well as any guy around her.
Sure, um, and she wasn't shyabout it.
She wrote a lot of letters backhome and they have all most of
them, if not all have survivedwhich is why we know the story.
Oh, very cool.
(15:14):
She wrote to her parents quoteI'm as independent as a hog on
ice, and if they don't let mealone, they will be sorry for it
.
Speaker 2 (15:26):
How independent is a hog on ice.
So isn't it kind of sad in theworld we live in that you can't
go back through letters anddevelop a story from someone's
life?
I got to go to your Instagramposts, Fucking stupid.
Speaker 1 (15:42):
Yeah, we don't write letters anymore.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
It's really sad.
I still remember I've mentionedhim to you before our family
friend out in California.
When I was a little kid I usedto actually write him letters
back and forth because, well, Ilike to do that.
I haven't written a letter tosomebody, wow.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
Cherry.
Speaker 2 (16:02):
Cherry In a long fucking time.
So it's kind of sad.
I feel like it's a loss.
I'm sure I know people still doit, obviously, Just in my world
not so much.
It's just kind of sad.
Speaker 1 (16:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Because you can't develop stories like and what
was this person doing?
Speaker 1 (16:19):
yeah but anyways yeah , now you have to go back
through facebook and instagramand twitter x and, yeah, all the
social medias which don't getme started on that text messages
yeah yeah, yeah, but see,that's why I'm not on any of
that we do it for our podcastbecause, well, we like to try
(16:42):
and grow our podcast.
Speaker 2 (16:43):
That's it.
And individually, you and Iboth don't social media very
much so I'm on youtube andpinterest yeah, it's just
because you watch videos onyoutube.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
Yeah, and I'm not even like active doing stuff.
Speaker 2 (16:56):
Right, you're just watching videos and you're
crafting things you like andwhatever but, you know.
So that's a little different tome.
Not like posting, why would youdo that?
Like when someone did something?
So you have to be so negative?
Be fucking positive, yeah, yeah, support people.
That's all I'm saying yes, sosorry that was my social media
(17:19):
rant when.
So she's a hog on ice,apparently independent I think
that might be the name of theepisode hog on ice I already
highlighted it did you reallylook at you go being proactive
Now?
Speaker 1 (17:34):
we're going to use something else.
Quote from the woman.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (17:37):
Okay, she ended up enlisting in the Union Army of
the Civil War.
Oh shit, as Lion's Wakeman,okay Boom.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
She's going to fuck some shit up.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
No longer hauling corn, I'm just going to wear my
Union blues.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
Union Jack hauling corn.
Speaker 1 (18:01):
I'm just gonna wear my union blues union jack and
I'm gonna own, own oh have getreceive my own cash.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
That took a long time to get there yeah, I didn't
know which word I wanted to use,so I just used them.
Oh, that's great slipped ontrousers.
That still might be the titletoo.
Speaker 1 (18:18):
So while working in the canal she ran into some army
recruiters Okay, and With hercart or what she ran into them
with her cart.
Oh for fuck's sake.
Speaker 2 (18:31):
Hey, you started the episode with dad jokes.
That's not on me.
Speaker 1 (18:35):
No, the beer started with dad jokes.
Speaker 2 (18:37):
You did not have to read.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (18:40):
Okay, sorry.
Speaker 1 (18:41):
The 153rd New York Infantry was handing out $152
enlistment bounties.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
Bounties, so like if you enlisted, you got a.
Speaker 1 (18:51):
You got this money you got $152.
Speaker 2 (18:54):
And in 1862, that's quite a chunk of change.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Yes, do you know how much it would be today?
Speaker 2 (19:01):
$3,000?
.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
Yes.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
Seriously.
Speaker 1 (19:04):
Good job?
No fucking way, yeah, $3,112.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
I'll take it High five.
Cross the room, high five, okay, fuck yeah, yes.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So you could say that's going to be amazing for a
poor working family.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
Here's $3,000.
That's kind of I don't want tosay life changing per se but it
could be for some people, forsome people back then.
That was fucking huge, Wow Okay.
Speaker 1 (19:27):
And then, beyond that original enlistment bounty, the
regular pay was $13 a month.
Speaker 2 (19:34):
Right.
Speaker 1 (19:37):
How much is that?
Speaker 2 (19:38):
in today's $3.50.
$2.66.
Overshot it.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
I didn't win the challenge on.
Price is Right but that isgreat money for domestic workers
, for hardworking farm families.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
No, that's huge.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
It was basically survival.
Speaker 2 (19:58):
They had nine kids.
They should have enlisted allof them.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Well, to be fair.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
I'm kidding.
Speaker 1 (20:04):
She was only 19.
Speaker 2 (20:06):
I know, and you said she was the oldest.
So at this point, do you haveany idea how many more of their
siblings were in existence or no?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
No, no, that's okay.
Well, she was, I would assume,all nine.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
but as she was 19 probably oldest, she could not
enlist yet why, is not.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Is she not old enough , or do they have to be 18?
Way back then?
Speaker 2 (20:31):
I assume you had to be 18, but even back then people
enlisted at 16 and 17 for WorldWar II let alone the Civil War.
Speaker 1 (20:39):
She lied, saying that she was 21.
Speaker 2 (20:42):
Oh then maybe I guess , I don't know, I guess I never
knew an age limit back for theCivil War.
Speaker 1 (20:50):
Do we dare look it up ?
Speaker 2 (20:52):
I mean, I feel like you should.
Speaker 1 (20:53):
Yes, yes, there, look it up.
I mean I feel like you should.
Is there, yes, yes?
Is there an age limit in theCivil War?
Let's do it.
Speaker 2 (21:06):
Let's do it.
Sorry, I dipped off a camera.
There we're back.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
Is there an age limit to rent a car For jury duty in
Wisconsin For jury duty to jointhe military on American Idol To
donate blood for Pope?
Oh my God, is there an agelimit to rent a car For jury
duty in Wisconsin For jury dutyto join the military on American
Idol to donate blood For Pope?
Oh my God, is there an agelimit for Pope?
Speaker 2 (21:21):
For Pope.
Does the Pope shit in the woods?
Answer is yes, hard fucking yes.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Okay, 18.
Speaker 2 (21:31):
For a civil war?
Yeah, so why would she say that?
Speaker 1 (21:34):
I wonder why she was like I'm 21.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
That's interesting.
It almost makes me ask thequestion did it benefit her
station within the army?
I have no idea, but that's kindof odd that she would lie to be
21 when you only had to be 18,and she was 19 at this point.
Speaker 1 (21:50):
But at the same time, during their physical exam,
they're like you've got handsand arms and legs, You're good
to be our warrior.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Good thing they didn't have to check other parts
.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Nope.
Speaker 2 (22:05):
Thank goodness for that.
Speaker 1 (22:06):
Nope, she passed as a man, get this.
She was only five foot tall.
Speaker 2 (22:12):
Oh, just like straight.
Five foot, five foot.
Holy fuck, teeny tiny.
That is a short mother fuckingperson fair-skinned, blue-eyed
wow I I, that throws me off justbecause I am six three, so I am
decently tall.
Yeah, I always wanted to be sixfive.
Came up two inches short but,um, wow, five foot.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
That's crazy, that is super short so apparently, all
you have to do is put on somepants and you're a man or you
slip on them whatever trousers.
Yeah, am I right so privatelions wakeman, now officially a
soldier of the 153rd new yorkstate volunteers company h.
A three-year term, no turningback.
Speaker 2 (22:58):
No, turning back.
Speaker 1 (22:59):
By October she was shipping out with the regiment,
heading south to Washington DC.
Okay, and it was the first timeshe traveled so far from home
and probably like the first time, she had to sleep next to like
40 other farting men.
Yep Way to paint a prettypicture but in her letters to
(23:20):
her family she told her parentsnot to worry.
She says, quote I mustn'ttrouble you, you mustn't trouble
yourself about me.
I am contented.
I believe that god will sparemy life to come home once more.
Then I will help you pay yourdebts, end quote well, look at
her, be so just damn fuckinggreat rosetta was ready to be a
soldier, not for glory, not forpolitics, but literally for
(23:44):
money for money to earn her keep, to prove her independence and
to help the family
Speaker 2 (23:49):
exactly yeah, no good for her exactly that's fucking
fantastic.
That's something we don't havetoday.
Speaker 1 (23:54):
Yeah.
So for the first year and ahalf of her armored career she
lived with a soldier's lifeearly mornings, endless drills,
bad food, even worse hygiene.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
How did she keep the ruse up of being a man?
Speaker 1 (24:10):
Well, she didn't have to fucking change in front of
anybody.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
Why.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
She probably had a shiwi, for all we know.
Speaker 2 (24:16):
I don't think shiwis were invented back then.
I'm pretty sure they weren't.
Hold on, let me pull out myplastic thing to cut my vagina
and pee out the front.
I mean seriously, I'm prettysure they weren't fucking
available back then.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
Okay, I purchased one of those over 2020 to help on
Grandpa's farm.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
The farm.
Speaker 1 (24:35):
you told me that I one of those over 2020 to help
on Grandpa's farm, the farm youtold me that I used it maybe
only one time.
Speaker 2 (24:40):
Yeah, because you said it was messy as fuck.
Speaker 1 (24:42):
Yeah, because now I have to put this used cup back
into the holder.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
See, that's weird.
Speaker 1 (24:48):
And I basically had to drop trow anyway.
Speaker 2 (24:51):
Well, right, because you can't just whip it out like
a dude.
No, no, you still have to droptrowel, at least a decent amount
.
Speaker 1 (24:58):
So stupid.
Speaker 2 (24:58):
I mean, I get the concept.
Speaker 1 (25:00):
Great concept, Bad execution.
Well yeah, you know, but whatelse are you going to do?
I'm not going to get a catheter.
Speaker 2 (25:07):
The 153rd Wow that fucking escalated quickly.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
The 153rd New York Regiment was assigned to
garrison and guard duty aroundWashington DC, which meant a lot
of time guarding buildings,manning checkpoints and
occasionally shooing drunks offof Capitol Hill.
But she was stationed in placeslike Alexandria, capitol Hill,
virginia, basically doingmilitary police work.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
Okay, okay, is that what her whole regiment
basically did?
That's what they were just allassigned to?
Speaker 1 (25:39):
Yeah, it was pretty much like the Army starter pack,
so to speak.
Starter pack Intro to the Army.
Exactly Army 101.
That's funny.
In her letters home she made itclear that Army life was just
fine with her.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
So she actually seemed to be enjoying it yes,
she did.
Speaker 1 (25:59):
Yeah, she um drilled regularly.
She pulled guard shifts everyother night and she bragged home
saying, quote I can drill asgood as any man in my regiment
in quotes good for her.
Yeah, so uh, she smoked, she sw, she marched, she got into at
least one fist fight.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
Oh shit.
Speaker 1 (26:20):
With another soldier who got a little mouthy.
She won this little fist fightOkay, but she, in her own words,
said that she lived wildly.
Speaker 2 (26:33):
Well, I mean, if you really break it down what she's
doing, yeah, I mean I wouldagree with that, because I I I'm
not going to say she was theonly one who did this back then
I'm sure there could have beenmore who knows but uh, pretty,
pretty different like mindset tobe able to pull this off and go
(26:53):
through with it actually, causea lot of people would be like
I'm gonna do that and then like,yeah, fuck this, I'm out.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
Yeah, so I mean good, good on her to like stick with
it kind of thing is, I guess,what I'm saying.
So, yeah, yeah.
So she barely mentioned anypolitics or any like patriotic
duty right in her letters homethere it is um, she, it was all
about her, her freedom.
Okay, she mentioned the 13 amonth, equal pay for equal
danger, the independentindependence to send money home
(27:22):
and plan for her future.
It was that's what it was about.
Speaker 2 (27:26):
It wasn't about fighting for a cause for her no
her life was her cause her, yeah, she her cause I mean great
what's doing, but it wasn't forthe country, it was for her and
the benefit of her family.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:39):
So would she actually mail back her money?
Speaker 1 (27:42):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (27:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:44):
Yeah, I think most of it she was planning on giving
when she returned.
Speaker 2 (27:49):
That's why I asked.
Speaker 1 (27:49):
Yeah, because that's what it sounded like.
Speaker 2 (27:51):
That's what it sounded like when you said that
earlier.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Yeah, I was just, but I think she also sent money
back home, just not the wholeentirety, because she also had
to live off that money.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Well, right, Because I mean, but their, I guess,
meals were supplied.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
What do you think she ?
Speaker 2 (28:07):
had to live off of that money with, like, what did
she have to do?
I mean, I'm not saying, youknow.
Speaker 1 (28:12):
I'm just your best guess.
Speaker 2 (28:15):
I'm going to say feminine hygiene products.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Did they?
Speaker 2 (28:19):
have those back then?
Well, at least toilet paper,did they have that back then?
Speaker 1 (28:21):
Yeah, they had leaves when was toilet paper invented?
I don't know, dude.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
Okay, chick, you don't have to look it up or
anything.
You asked, I asked.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
So at one point she did tell her family that she was
about to get four months payall at once.
Speaker 2 (28:42):
Why.
Speaker 1 (28:43):
And she was going to send part of that home.
Speaker 2 (28:45):
Why would she get four months all of a sudden at
once?
I don't know, fuck.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
It wasn't written in the letter.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
It wasn't a part of your research.
That too, but she also didn'twrite it down.
I have to get that in.
Speaker 1 (28:58):
She also hinted that she wasn't going to go back to
like Wearing dresses andpetticoats after the war who
cares?
She wanted to buy land out westand live as a man Running a
farm on her own.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
Out west, like does she have a specific location Out
west?
Or meaning just like Literallywest of where she was Just west.
New Jersey Is New, literallywest of where she was just west.
Oh, so like it could have been,like new jersey is new jersey
west of dc?
Yeah, is it?
Yeah, I always get confused in,like the, the locations of
things, and I've been out to dcand I have as well, but not it
(29:33):
was a long time ago I was notold enough to remember shit.
I think that's funny, that yousaid that, because you are old
enough to remember shit andstill don't Sorry.
Speaker 1 (29:49):
Okay, the Army.
Speaker 2 (29:51):
Don't be mad, because it's true.
Speaker 1 (29:52):
Don't be mad at the Okay Okay.
Anyways the Army ended uptransferring her regiment, then
in 1864, from cozy Washington.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
Where she was just doing military police shit.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
To the swamps of Louisiana.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
That sounds terrible.
Yeah, a lot of mosquitoes, I'mguessing.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
She and others in her regiment had to board board
steamboats and rail cars, and ittook them down the East Coast,
across the Gulf and up the RedRiver.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Oh dear.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
A thousand miles, holy fuck, to join the Red River
campaign.
Speaker 2 (30:30):
What's, and do tell what that is.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
I do eventually.
Okay, I think.
Speaker 2 (30:34):
All right, hold your, is I do eventually.
Okay, I think.
All right, hold your turn.
Speaker 1 (30:38):
Hold your beer.
It was Louisiana in springtime,not cute.
Speaker 2 (30:47):
I can't imagine it would be.
I mean, it's getting steamy,getting mosquito-y.
Speaker 1 (30:51):
That hot little mosquito-y.
Speaker 2 (30:53):
Yeah, lots of whatever.
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Can you imagine their digestive tract situation?
Speaker 2 (31:00):
No, I don't want to, because that sounds fucking
terrible.
Speaker 1 (31:03):
Yeah, I mean, we're talking boiling heat and we're
talking nasty-ass water.
Speaker 2 (31:07):
Oh, my God.
Speaker 1 (31:08):
There's dysentery in a cup.
Speaker 2 (31:11):
Gross.
That sounds fucking awful.
Can you not do that?
Speaker 1 (31:19):
Okay.
So because of dysentery in acup, hundreds of her comrades
fell sick.
Speaker 2 (31:28):
Okay, well, I mean, I can't believe thousands didn't,
because that sounds fuckingterrible.
Mm-hmm, ugh, yeah, on April,fucking terrible.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
Mm-hmm, ugh yeah, on April 9th.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
April 9th 1864.
Speaker 1 (31:41):
Okay, her first and only battle happened, oh, at
Pleasant Hill.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
Oh, okay.
Speaker 1 (31:49):
Plot twist Wasn't that pleasant.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
I mean, it was battle , so I can't imagine.
Speaker 1 (31:52):
it would have been yeah.
Speaker 2 (31:52):
Wasn't that pleasant.
I mean, it was battle, so Ican't imagine it would have been
.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:56):
So the day before her unit was held in reserve while
the Union Army got pushed back,and on day two the 153rd was
thrown into the battle.
So Wakeman took her place inthe front rank, shoulder to
shoulder with the boys.
Must gets locked and loaded,yep.
And she says, quote.
The next day I had toketslocked and loaded.
(32:17):
And she says, quote.
The next day I had to face theenemy bullets with my regiment.
Oh, dear.
I was under fire for about fourhours and laid on the field of
battle all night.
Speaker 2 (32:25):
Jesus Christ, that sounds fucking awful.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
And then she says this to her family.
Quote how would you like to bein the front rank and have the
rear rank load and fire theirguns over your shoulder?
I have been there myself.
End quote.
Speaker 2 (32:40):
That also doesn't sound pleasant.
Yeah, wow, yeah, yeah, yeah,sorry, I was going to say
something, but I won't.
Speaker 1 (32:49):
Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
No.
Speaker 1 (32:52):
She really didn't have any fear over what happened
.
It's just like this is her duty.
Okay, she says quote, I don'tfear the rebel bullets nor the
cannon, but her company lostonly like one soldier.
Wounded plenty, oh I'm sure,but only killed one.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
That's quite fucking impressive, and Rosetta made it
out unscathed.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And she says, quote for my part, I don't care where
we go next, I don't feel afraidto go.
Speaker 2 (33:23):
I mean, there you go.
Speaker 1 (33:26):
So unfortunately, the rest of the campaign was a
little bit of a disaster.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Oh dear.
Speaker 1 (33:30):
Yes, the army had to retreat down the Red River and
Wakeman's regiment pulled rearduty, rear guard duty, which
means that they were pretty muchthe last ones to leave.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
First ones to arrive last ones to leave Protecting
their ass.
Basically at that point, yeah,Okay.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
So then there was another battle at Monet's Bluff.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
Monet's Bluff.
Speaker 1 (33:51):
On April 23rd.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Okay, and this is still in Louisiana.
Speaker 1 (33:55):
And during this retreat, union forces engaged
Confederate troops at Monáe'sBluff, which, if you're from
Louisiana, is now called CaneRiver Crossing.
Speaker 2 (34:05):
Cane.
Why do you think they changedit?
I don't know.
That's weird when they do that.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
I guess I don't know why they're researching a
Russian story and Soviet unionhad one title for things and
russia federation has acompletely different title so
it's funny.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
I was just watching a video from a comedian that are
like saying, like how a lot ofbritish, he's british there's a
lot of people from britain orwhatever it's like.
They call it this but that'snot what they call it when
they're you're actually there.
So it's funny how manydifferent like names for shit
that people have because we callit this thing, but even the
(34:43):
people that live there theydon't fucking call it that.
So it's funny how likeobviously different titles, but
anyways yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
So then 153rd New York Regiment was documented as
participating in that skirmish.
Speaker 2 (34:59):
Skirmish.
Speaker 1 (35:00):
Skirmish.
Speaker 2 (35:01):
I still like when you say skirmish.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
And Rosetta was still with her regiment at that time.
But there are no letters or anylike service records that said
that she was actually in thefight.
Oh, so there's nothing tocorroborate.
Speaker 2 (35:16):
Corroborate.
Yeah, yeah, okay, fair enough,we're not sure.
Speaker 1 (35:20):
We think that she was present, but we're not sure if
she participated.
Speaker 2 (35:23):
Okay, okay.
Speaker 1 (35:27):
The union was then cornered between a river and
enemy fire, and everyone wasneeded.
Speaker 2 (35:35):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
So it kind of begs to say that she was perhaps in it.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
It would lead you to believe that she was, but
there's just no concrete proofsaying that she was.
Yeah, okay.
Speaker 1 (35:48):
So food was scarce, Water was disgusting, Soldiers
were dropping like flies, andRosetta later wrote quote quite
a number die every day aroundhere.
End quote.
Speaker 2 (36:01):
Dropping like flies in Idiom.
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (36:04):
She survived combat.
That's wild.
But now she's got a differentenemy.
Speaker 2 (36:10):
Yeah, called life Dysentery, yeah, Dysentery.
Do you remember playing OregonTrail?
Oh, fuck, yeah, we might havebrought it up before you died of
dysentery, motherfucker.
Speaker 1 (36:23):
Early May 1864 she got really sick.
She reported to the RegimentalHospital on May 3rd, most likely
suffering from dysentery.
After weeks Of relentlessmarching, horrific water and
just poor food, her body justcouldn't quite keep up.
(36:43):
She was evacuated to the MarineUS General Hospital in New
Orleans on May 22nd and theysaid her condition was already
dire.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
Oh shit.
So she was in pretty bad shapewhen she showed up.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
Rosetta died on June 19th.
Speaker 2 (37:00):
Oh, juneteenth.
Speaker 1 (37:03):
Juneteenth.
Speaker 2 (37:04):
Yesterday.
Speaker 1 (37:05):
August 64 at 21 years old.
So she went into the army at 19.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Fuck, she's only two years.
That's terrible.
Speaker 1 (37:15):
But even in death no one blew her cover that's
impressive there's no recordthat any doctor or orderly ever
discovered that she was a womanor, if they did, did not write
it down.
Um as far as the army knew, shewas private Private Lyons
Wakeman and she was buried underPrivate Lyons Wakeman at the
(37:39):
Chalmette National Cemetery justoutside of New Orleans.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
That's wild.
So like you gotta likespeculate, there might have been
people who said we'll keep hercover.
Speaker 1 (37:52):
Yeah, you don't know, it's possible.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
But also at that time time because lots of deaths
yeah they didn't even like doanything, they just sorry yeah
threw you in a grave I mean, shewas technically at a hospital,
so she probably had a little bitmore one-on-one, you would you
would think, obviously, butagain, we don't know, being what
the time was, with the wargoing on and everything, it's a
(38:17):
very good possibility that theydidn't inspect fucking shit.
Yeah, they just did the basicshit.
Well, she's gone.
Speaker 1 (38:24):
Well, she's got dysentery shit.
Let's see what you're talkingabout.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
So what exactly all comes with dysentery?
Speaker 1 (38:32):
The shits.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Is that mainly what it is?
Speaker 1 (38:34):
Yeah, Like you are losing all of your water.
So Like you are weak as fuck.
Speaker 2 (38:42):
That's weird, because I feel like I had dysentery the
other day.
Apparently it was just a lot ofbeers.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Oh for the love of God.
21.
That is so sad, so like there'sAlso like a possibility of like
having blood in the stools, andit's usually spread through
like contaminated food or water.
Speaker 2 (39:03):
Right.
So okay, I'm sorry if I'mjumping the gun, if you even
have this yeah, yarp Lions,wakeman, wakeman, right, mm-hmm.
How did they let the familyknow?
Because that was a fake person.
Obviously, same last name.
Speaker 1 (39:25):
But the family knew.
Speaker 2 (39:28):
I understand the family knew, but the people in
the army didn't know that shewas a man or she was man, was a
girl, and then they notify thefamily.
So they knew that they camefrom this she came from this
family, I would assume.
Speaker 1 (39:41):
So Okay, yeah.
So they would write a lettersaying hey sorry for your lines,
they've been passing andthey're like ah yeah, rosetta,
probably.
Speaker 2 (39:49):
Okay, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:52):
So for a century she was just another name on a stone
, until someone somewhereactually opened a box of these
old letters in someone's attichow the fuck did they get those
letters in their attic?
That's fucking amazing I knowthat is so cool.
Speaker 2 (40:08):
I know like seriously , like how would you come up?
I want to find I have a veryold fucking house yeah you do.
Why the fuck can I findsomething cool like that?
I apparently just have a carburied in my fucking yard.
That's so fucking weird.
I want to find letters, not aburied car from 1936 or whatever
(40:29):
the guy suggested oh my gosh.
Speaker 1 (40:30):
Yeah, isn't that crazy like someone found these
letters no, that's super wild.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
They went to a historian.
Speaker 1 (40:36):
And here you go.
Here's the story of sarahrosetta wakeman.
Speaker 2 (40:39):
You said a hundred years later, right, a century
later a century later so theylasted for a fucking hundred
years, her family never said aword.
That's so wild and like and forthem to show up in some
apparently random fuckingperson's attic.
How did they get there?
That's wild.
Must have been their old house,and that's very possible.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
I mean because clearly she sent these letters
to her family or the letters gotpassed down to siblings because
she had nine of them.
Well, right other siblings.
Speaker 2 (41:10):
That's what I was just going to say.
So obviously she sent theletters to her house, her family
.
They kept them clearly becausethey're still in existence.
So did they get, get to sister,brother, whatever, whoever her
siblings were?
Or did they have them in anattic and then they all moved on
, died whatever, and someoneelse bought the house?
Speaker 1 (41:31):
It's fucking wild.
Speaker 2 (41:32):
I don't know, it's just crazy, it is crazy For
something like that, becausethat's a very throwaway-able
thing for a lot of people.
Yeah, for them to last 100fucking years is just impressive
.
So, that's so cool.
I really think that's awesome,your house comes with a cistern.
Under my kitchen and in mybasement.
Speaker 1 (41:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:53):
I don't know if what's under my kitchen is
actually a cistern.
Speaker 1 (42:00):
Giant well.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
See it's not a well.
Well, see, it's not a well.
I know it's not a well gianthole.
I thought it could have been apool.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
Maybe I have an underground pool like a maybe
it's a like a cool plunge Iwould love one of those.
Speaker 2 (42:13):
Yeah, you would.
So a long time ago I went to uh, it was actually for my 30th
birthday.
I went to the spa to get amassage and prior to they had
like the whole like hot and cold.
The cold pool they had was at45 degrees, which is cold for
water because it envelops youand your fucking body.
(42:34):
I stayed in there for 45minutes.
It was fucking amazing.
Speaker 1 (42:39):
I think the one at Kohler, I think that was like 65
.
Speaker 2 (42:42):
That's warm.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (42:45):
Tepid yeah.
Speaker 1 (42:46):
Okay, so maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (42:47):
I'm joking.
That's warm for me.
Speaker 1 (42:49):
Oh, I was like I don't know, maybe I'm wrong.
Speaker 2 (42:52):
Anyway, okay, anyway, sorry, sorry to get sidetracked
there.
Speaker 1 (42:55):
Sarah Rosetta Wakeman's identity was
eventually unmasked and in thelate 20th century her
descendants and other historiansbrought her letters out into
the public.
They were published in 1994.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Oh, wow, okay.
Speaker 1 (43:10):
As a book called An Uncommon Soldier.
Yeah, and it's all her letters,that's awesome so the author is
Sarah Rosetta Wakeman.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Sorry, excuse me.
So it literally was just likeDracula just letters, just a
book put together of all of herletters.
Yep, that's wild, that'sfucking awesome, yep.
So she must have wrote a lotthen.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
Yeah, she wrote a few .
Speaker 2 (43:34):
To comprise an entire book.
That's awesome.
Speaker 1 (43:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
Quite a different perspective.
You wouldn't usually get to seeor hear or read, I guess,
whatever way you want to saythat.
But um, especially back then,because a lot of people were
illiterate yes, did not write,read whatever.
So I mean, for her to be ableto do that, that's awesome,
first and foremost, and for herto be actually able to get away
(43:58):
with it is spectacular.
Speaker 1 (44:00):
And she is not the only woman documented in the
Civil War as having pretended tobe a man.
That's what I mentioned earlier.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
I said there's got to be others.
Speaker 1 (44:10):
Yes, there is others.
Speaker 2 (44:12):
I mean that makes sense.
Just too many people to nothave that happen.
I should say it only happenedonce.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
She's like Mulan in union blues.
I never liked that one.
Oh, I love to move on, I justcould never.
Let's get down to business todefeat the huns well, who
doesn't want to defeat the huns?
Speaker 2 (44:36):
am I right?
Um, I just, I think for my ageI was just past that.
Yeah, so I just never got intothat one.
Um, anyways, that seems like acompletely sidetracked notion.
Yeah, I was gonna say somethingand you had to go sing god.
Speaker 1 (44:56):
well, anyway, that's the story of Sarah Rosetta
Wakeman, aka Lions Wakeman.
Speaker 2 (45:01):
That's pretty cool.
I mean, she had obviouslyspecific reasons for what she
did and it was to better herselfand her family.
It wasn't for her country, andthat's okay.
I mean, they had a rough timegoing of it.
They needed money and then theywere trying.
So with her death in that, didyou get a pension or anything
(45:23):
that her family got?
Speaker 1 (45:25):
I don't know, I mean I wonder.
Speaker 2 (45:26):
I don't even know if that was a thing back in the
civil war because you died foryour country, even though she
was fighting for her family.
Basically, yeah, it's just wildthat, um, you know she got away
with it.
That's just impressive, for 150years well basically yeah,
because I mean no one he knewshe had all these letters she
(45:48):
wrote to her family.
They're hidden in a fuckingattic apparently.
Um, like you said that thedoctors didn't say a word or
anything in the hospital she wasat when she died of dysentery.
I mean, she wasn't even on theOregon Trail.
What the fuck?
How many times I died on theOregon Trail?
Speaker 1 (46:07):
of dysentery.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Fuck that game so much so great though I mean that
shit we grew up on, unlike thegames my son likes to play.
He's trying to play this newgame I mean it's's not new, but
called roblox I I don't like it.
It's fucking weird.
And I don't like it because myson can hey, I'm gonna buy this.
(46:30):
No, you're not.
Oh, I'm not spending money onthis shit, so I don't.
Only sarah doesn't want him toplay it at all.
Oh, really, I let him play itlast night.
Is it because he's able topurchase things on there.
It's part of it.
That's part of it.
It's funny because he can'tread yet.
(46:50):
He's only six.
He's learning.
He can read some stuff, but notfluent in reading, whatever you
want to call it.
And her big thing is a lot ofthese have like chat rooms and
shit.
She doesn't want him a part ofthat, which I completely agree
with him.
He's too young for that.
But, um, he made a comment tome when we were done playing it
(47:11):
last night before I put him tobed.
He goes can we play thistomorrow?
I'm like, well, I'm gonna gorecord a podcast tomorrow and
then maybe.
And he goes, I'm like, well, wecan put maybe play it saturday.
Well, we have to play it whenmom and vesper go to bed because
she doesn't want me to playthis.
Like, all right, that's betweenyou and me, buddy, but you can
(47:31):
only play this when I'm around.
Yeah, so, because I just don'twant him buying random shit or
talking to random people.
And he can't talk to randompeople because he can't type
shit out in the chat room orwhatever but so what's the game?
I don't fucking know.
That's the point.
It's weird.
It's got like all thesedifferent things and you pick.
So like the one he was playinglast night was, uh, some
bodybuilding thing where you goand do exercise and you're you
(47:54):
fucking bulk out and shit.
It's weird.
And then you can go incompetitions and like, try and
win money to buy other shit.
It's fucking.
I'm like what is this weird,why?
And I tried to have him playanother game and he gets, he was
getting frustrated and I, likeI was getting frustrated.
I'm like, dude, just do this.
It's called rocket league.
(48:15):
So it's basically you're on agiant fucking field soccer field
, I should say, let me finishthat thought with a car and a
giant ball.
You try and hit the ball, scoregoals.
So he and I played together.
I killed him.
But I'm also been playing videogames for fucking almost 40
years, basically not quite, butalmost and he's been playing for
(48:39):
a year and a half, two yearsmaybe.
He's been playing iPad games, alot different than playing a
video game on a console.
So he's getting frustrated andfrustrated.
He's like, dude, just calm thefuck down.
It's a game, it's fun.
You're supposed to have fun.
Don't get so fucking seriousabout this, but anyways, this
Roblox thing not a fan.
I'm not enjoying it, but hey ifyou know he wants to start
(49:03):
buying shit, maybe we'll sendhim to the army in 1863 and he
can start making 152 signingbonus 13 bucks a month yeah I
mean I wouldn't mind having mykid bring in some money.
Speaker 1 (49:18):
Oh, yeah, oh.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
Jesus Christ, are you okay?
Speaker 1 (49:22):
Yeah, I had a 20, well, 16-minute nap today.
You'd think that would havebeen enough.
Speaker 2 (49:27):
You did say that you heard something that you thought
was your alarm, so you got up.
Speaker 1 (49:32):
Three and a half minutes early.
Speaker 2 (49:34):
Ma, could you imagine if you would have got those
three and a half minutes, howgreat it would be right now?
Yeah, yeah, that'd be nice.
I know you're daydreaming,nightdreaming.
What are you dreaming of?
Speaker 1 (49:47):
I'm dreaming about what you think about your beer.
Speaker 2 (49:50):
I really enjoyed it.
That was actually really good.
Good, I finished both.
I need another one.
What do you think of yours?
Speaker 1 (49:59):
I like the can.
Speaker 2 (50:01):
So not the beer.
Speaker 1 (50:03):
I think the cherry is throwing me off.
Speaker 2 (50:05):
Too much yeah.
Speaker 1 (50:06):
It needs to be like stark cold Okay.
Speaker 2 (50:10):
Well, maybe throw the next one you have of those in
the freezer for a minute and seewhat happens.
Speaker 1 (50:15):
It's good, right, I just wouldn't.
I probably wouldn't purchase itagain.
Well, good thing, but I'lldrink what I have, kind of a
thing.
Speaker 2 (50:23):
Here's the thing we can't.
We're not in ohio, so you'relucky there yeah we don't have
to worry about that, you and thegood thing is I bought it, so
don't worry about it.
Sorry, stop yawning, welp.
(50:48):
I suppose it's a nap time yet.
Speaker 1 (50:49):
All right, buffoons, that's it for today's episode.
Buckle up, because we've gotanother historical adventure
waiting for you.
Next time feeling hungry formore buffoonery, or maybe you
have a burning question or awild historical theory for us to
explore?
Hit.
Speaker 2 (51:00):
Hit us up on social media.
We're History Buffoons Podcaston YouTube X, instagram and
Facebook.
You can also email us athistorybuffoonspodcast at
gmailcom.
We are Bradley and Kate.
Music by Corey Akers.
Speaker 1 (51:14):
Follow us wherever you get your podcasts and turn
those notifications on to stayin the loop.
Speaker 2 (51:19):
Until next time, stay curious and don't forget to
rate and review us.
Speaker 1 (51:23):
Remember, the buffoonery never stops.
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