The woman circled in red is Lucy Higgs Nichols, a remarkable figure whose life story speaks to resilience and dedication. Born into slavery in Tennessee, she escaped during the Civil War and found refuge with the 23rd Indiana Infantry Regiment nearby. She stayed with them, serving as a nurse throughout the conflict, caring for soldiers amid the hardships of war.

After the war ended, Lucy moved north with the regiment, settling in Indiana and working alongside veterans of the 23rd. When Congress passed the Army Nurses Pension Act of 1892, allowing Civil War nurses to claim pensions, Lucy applied. However, the War Department had no record of her service and initially denied her pension.

In an extraordinary show of support, fifty-five surviving veterans of the 23rd petitioned Congress on her behalf, insisting she deserved this recognition. Their efforts succeeded, and Lucy was granted her pension. The photograph captures Nichols alongside her fellow veterans at a reunion in 1898, a testament to the bond they shared.

Lucy Higgs Nichols passed away in 1915 and rests in a cemetery in New Albany, Indiana, her legacy a powerful reminder of courage, loyalty, and the fight for justice. See less

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