A military genius

A biographical sketch assembled from family records and official documents traces the subject's ancestry, upbringing on a plantation, education, early writings, and growing engagement with the Union cause. It chronicles her development of military ideas, the formulation and delivery of a campaign plan to government authorities, subsequent pamphlets and testimony, and efforts to secure formal recognition. Congressional committees examined the papers and offered varied endorsements while political opposition complicated official acknowledgment. The volume collects correspondence, testimonials, and documentary reports and raises questions about women's capacities and treatment in public life.