Albert D. J. Cashier

Biography

Albert Cashier, born Jennie Irene Hodgers in Clogherhead, Ireland, was a transgender man who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He enlisted in the 95th Illinois Infantry in 1862 and fought in numerous major campaigns, including the Siege of Vicksburg. His comrades knew him as a brave and capable soldier, and his identity as a person assigned female at birth remained a secret throughout the war.

After the war, Cashier settled in Saunemin, Illinois, where he continued to live as a man, working as a church janitor, cemetery worker, and street lamplighter. He voted in elections and drew a veteran's pension.

In 1911, after being hit by a car, a doctor discovered his secret while treating his broken leg. The discovery led to a legal battle to retain his pension, which he ultimately won with the support of his former comrades who testified to his military service and character. However, in his final years, he was institutionalized and forced to wear women's clothing, a distressing end to a life of quiet courage and authenticity. He was buried in his uniform with a tombstone bearing his chosen name.