Hazel Carter (writer)

Hazel Carter (1894–1918) was an American farmer who attempted to disguise herself as a serving soldier.

Early life

Carter was born in 1894 in the Huachuca Mountains outside of Douglas, Arizona Territory.<ref name=":3">Template:Cite news</ref>{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= Template:Fix }} She was known as a skilled hunter and farmer.<ref name=":3" /> According to her father Peter Blauser, Carter graduated from college but chose to live a life on a ranch where she tended to 200 cattle and 16 saddle horses.<ref name=":6">Template:Cite web</ref> She married John J. Carter on December 12, 1916.<ref name=":9">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":8">Template:Cite book</ref>

World War I involvement

When her husband was sent to France on the first American contingent to fight in World War I, she first tried to join the Red Cross in Douglas, but was not accepted.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> Carter then cut her hair short and stole an Army uniform.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite book</ref> She boarded the same train as the one carrying her husband and went undetected for two days when she was forced off the train and told to go back to Douglas.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0" /> However, she got back on the train.<ref name=":1" /> At the port, she was able to get onto a ship and stow away.<ref name=":0" /> Carter claims her husband did not know of her presence on the train until they neared Chicago.<ref name=":7">Template:Cite news</ref> The contingent was five days at sea when her identity was revealed.<ref name=":8" /> Her voice was what eventually gave her away and Captain Eugene D. Rideout realized that she was a woman.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> Upon arrival on the shores of Europe, she was not permitted to disembark from the ship's deck.<ref name=":7" />

A request by Carter to remain as a nurse was refused.<ref name=":7" /> Her husband was demoted from corporal to private as a result of the debacle.<ref name=":7" /> Carter states that her mother did not know she was stowing away. Carter's American Civil War veteran grandfather, H. Clark remarked how proud he was of his granddaughter, stating "I knew she would do it…That girl sure has grit. I wish she could stay and fight the Germans. You ought to have seen her in uniform. She made a better looking soldier than John, I do believe. She can handle a rifle better than most men. They sure should have let her stay."<ref name=":9" />

On return, she was detained and questioned at the police headquarters in Hoboken, New Jersey.<ref name=":0"/> She then moved on to Atlantic City, New Jersey.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":2" /> A hero's welcome was planned for her return to Douglas.<ref name=":3" /> Carter was met by a brass band and supporters.<ref name=":9" /> She also wrote about her experiences and her account was published by The Bell Syndicate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Carter authored a series of four articles detailing her experience that were serialized nationally by several newspaper companies.<ref name=":9" />

Death

Before her death, she intended on earning enough money to return to France to serve as an Army nurse.<ref name=":8" /> Carter died in Lordsburg, New Mexico, on July 11, 1918, after being ill for two days.<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":5" /> Her husband was still fighting overseas when she died.<ref name=":4">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=":5">Template:Cite news</ref> It was said by friends that her health declined after her return and they believed she died of a "broken heart."<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Carter's body was returned to Douglas for burial and she was given a military funeral with a military chaplain and six soldiers as pallbearers.<ref name=":9" /><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In a newspaper report of the funeral, it was said that Carter's was the first military funeral held in the United States for a woman.<ref name=":4" />

Further reading

• Template:Cite web

External links

• "The Sad Home Coming" – Des Moines Tribune, August 21, 1917