Sarah Rosetta Wakeman was a woman who served under the name Lyons Wakeman in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Born in Afton, New York, on Jan. 16, 1843, she was one of nine children raised on the family’s farm.
Wakeman moved to Chicago, passing as a man in 1862, to work as a boatman. She later enlisted in the Union Army, claiming she was 21 years old. She spent her first years in the Army stationed in Alexandria, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. She wrote home to her family frequently, describing the experience she was having as a soldier.
In February 1864, Wakeman first saw battle during the Red River Campaign in Louisiana. Afterwards, she became ill with dysentery and was sent to a Marine Hospital in New Orleans.
Wakeman died from her illness on June 19, 1864. Today, she is buried at Chalmette National Cemetery, which is managed by our federal partners at the National Park Service.
For further reading about Wakeman’s life, check out the American Battlefield Trust’s story on her life.
This #VeteranOfTheDay is from the Veterans Legacy Program. To learn more about the VLP, our partnerships and how we share the stories of Veterans in our national cemeteries, please visit the VLP webpage.
Nominate a Veteran
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s “Honoring Veterans” social media spotlight is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission
Topics in this story
More Stories
In honor of National Park Service's National Park Week, this week's Honoring Veterans spotlight honors the service of Army Veteran Michael Trevino, who today works as a facility manager at Reconstruction Era National Historical Park.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Navy Veteran Ken Mattingly, who served as a pilot during the 1950s and later became an astronaut during the Apollo missions.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Air Force Veteran Gavino Cavazos, who served from 1949 to 1973 during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.
