A courageous woman from the South.

Alice Thompson, an example of the courageous women of the South. Picking up a fallen battleflag and rallying the Confederate soldiers.

                           (  From the 1900 issue of Confederate Veteran -- )

On the morning of March 3, 1863, the battle of Thompson Station was fought. Before day the inhabitants of this little village were in great confusion. Most of the women and children who lived here left and went a mile or two away to their neighbors. The lines of the battle ran east and west, the Confederates south, and the Federals north of the station. The Confederates were commanded by Gens. Van Dorn and Forrest, and the Federals by Gen. Colburn. The battle began about nine o'clock in the morning, and lasted nearly all day. The roar of the cannon and small arms, mixed with the groans of the wounded and dying, was incessant.

Before the battle began, Alice Thompson, a young girl of sixteen, left home and started across the country to a neighbor‘s, but the Confederate and Federal sharpshooters began shooting at one another, and, seeing her danger, she took refuge in Lieut. Bank’s cellar with his family, he being engaged in the battle. They had to remain here all day. The Confederates charged, but were driven back. This did not seem to discourage them, for they charged the third time and were being driven back the third time, and as they passed the cellar where the women were, their color bearer was shot down. When Alice Thompson (after whose father, Dr. Elijah Thompson, the place was named) saw this, she sprang out of the cellar, caught the flag, and waved it over her head. Col. S. G. Earle, of the Third Arkansas Regiment, saw her and shouted, “Boys, a woman has your flag.” Then the Rebels raised a yell and drove the Yankees back. While she upheld the flag, a bombshell fell within a few feet of her throwing dirt all over her, but fortunately did not explode. The soldiers pushed her back in the cellar. She took her skirts off, and gave them to bind up the wounds of the Confederates.

Alice Thompson had a brother and a lover in this battle. She afterwards married that lover, Dr. D. H. Dungan, who was a brigade surgeon.

( Thanks to the VA Flaggers for posting this )