WOMAN IN BATTLE.

"I tell thee, proud Templar, that not in thy fiercest battles hast thou displayed more of thy vaunted courage, than has been shown by a woman when called upon to suffer by affection or duty." IVANHOE.

WOMAN IN BATTLE.

IN the Gentleman's Magazine for July, 1739, page 383, is the following entry amongst the list of deaths for that year:"7th July-Christiana Davis, who several years served with great Valour as a Dragoon in the Inniskilling Regiment, but receiving a Wound in the Battle of Aghrim was discovered. She was afterwards in Flanders, and was very useful in a Battle or Siege to supply the Soldiers with Water and other Necessaries, even to the Mouth of a Cannon. For her gallant Behaviour, she obtained the late King's Letter for an allowance of 1s. per Day out of Chelsea College during Life. She was interred, as she desired, in the Pensioners' Burying Ground, and three grand Vollies fir'd over her Grave."

This statement, extraordinary as it is, does not correctly give the services of this remarkable woman, for she was not wounded at Aghrim, neither was she in the Inniskilling Regiment, now the 6th Dragoons, but in the 2nd Dragoons or Scots Greys. The father was wounded in the above battle, which accounts for the mistake. Her adventures were published, and may now be considered a scarce work; there is a copy in the British Museum, to which reference has been made in preparing this notice.

The Title Page of which the following is a copy, is sufficient, of itself, to excite attention, and although some portions of the book are coarse, the adventures are highly interesting and bear every impress of truth:

Who served as a Foot-Soldier and Dragoon, in several Campaigns, under King William and the late Duke of Marlborough; containing Variety of Transactions both serious and diverting:

Wherein she gave furprising Proofs of Courage, Strength, and Dexterity in handling all Sorts of Weapons, rarely to be met with in the contrary Sex;

For which, besides being otherwise rewarded, she was made a Pensioner of Chelsea College by Queen Anne, where her Husband now is a Serjeant, and she continued

to her Death.

The whole taken from her own Mouth, and known to be true by Many Noblemen, Generals, and other Officers, &c. mentioned in her Life, and still living, who served in those Wars at the fame Time, and were Witnesses of her uncommon Martial Bravery.

THE SECOND EDITION.

To which is added,

An APPENDIX, containing several remarkable Paffages, omitted in the former Impreffion.

LONDON.

Printed for R. MONTAGU. M,DCC,XLI.

The book is illustrated with a frontispiece showing her in the uniform of a dragoon and also as a suttler.

"She was born in Dublin, in the year 1667, of Parents whose Probity acquired them that Respect from their Acquaintance, which they had no Claim to from their Birth!"

Her father was a maltster and brewer; she became active and strong in all the labours of industry.

To use her own words :-" While my Father bore arms for King James, the neighbouring Papists, in time of divine Service, came to, and blocked up the Church Door of Leslip, with Butchers' Blocks and other Lumber. My mother was then in the Church; I was at home, but hearing the Noise, and fearing my Mother might receive some Hurt, I snatched up a Spit, and thus armed, sallied forth to force my Way, and come to her Assistance; but being resisted by a Serjeant, I thrust my Spit thro' the Calf of his Leg, removed the Things which had blocked up the Door, and called to my Mother, bidding her come away, for Dinner was ready."

Although a pardon had been obtained for her father having appeared in arms, and levied men for King James, yet all his effects were seized by the Government.

Her aunt's business, that of a public-house, was left to her, and she married a Richard Welsh, who remained there in the same capacity as when her relative was living. It appears that she made the first overtures through a female friend. He proved a tender, careful, and obliging husband; but taking a bottle with a schoolfellow, he was persuaded to go on board a vessel with recruits, and have a bowl of punch

G