ASIN: B00IC6SXSA
Publisher: Ship Street Press
Pages: 64
On a hot June afternoon, in 1750, a young soldier named James Gray made an announcement that shocked a London tavern crowd into silence. He declared, 'James Gray will cast his skin like a snake and become a new creature. In a word, gentlemen, I am as much a woman as my mother ever was and my real name is Hannah Snell!' And so began the public life of Britain's most famous female soldier. In 1750, Hannah Snell captivated London theatre audiences with tales of her disguise as a man. She told them of her enlistment in the marines and her journey to India, where she fought in the siege of Pondicherry and was severely wounded. Managing to conceal her sex, she returned to London and broke the news of her adventures. Two sell-out editions of her biography were published in 1750 and her portrait was available on every street corner. Later that year, the Royal Chelsea Hospital granted her a ...
