The story of Sarah Rosetta Wakeman mirrors that of countless male soldiers. A youth so filled with vigor and an urge to escape the mundanity of what was their antebellum existence. While the unfortunate state of her family at the time of her enlistment into the military was most definitely an encouraging factor, her true motivation lay in her just being sick and tired of the mundanity of everyday life. Upon deployment, she found the adventure she so desperately sought. The following is an analysis of Private Wakeman’s motivations and experiences as a soldier leading a double life. Wakeman, under her male persona – “Lyons” – joined up with the New York 153rd Volunteer Infantry Regiment on what was seemingly a whim. She first began her exploration…show more content… The Wakeman family was not destitute, but they were sufficiently indigent to break away from societal norms and have Sarah work an occupation almost entirely exclusive to men. The $125 signing bonus likely made Sarah, who was fatigued with her sleepy existence, even more convinced to escape into the life of a soldier. In nearly every one of her letters to her family, she emphasizes her wish that the funds she sent home be used for the betterment of the household. From the information available on the Wakeman tribe, they seemingly lacked much in the way of financial wisdom; a number of Sarah’s letters mention the extent to which the family was struggling with bills. Military life offered her both an escape and a resolution to her unease at home. The question remains, however, the extent to which the promising portrait of the life of a serviceman was entirely accurate. The 153rd Volunteer Infantry was deployed to the garrison of Washington D.C, acting as defenders of the political heart of the nation. To Sarah’s benefit, much of her time in the District of Columbia was spent either drilling with her company or standing guard
