The early life of Lucy Higgs probably resembles many African-Americans' stories in the 19th century. Born into slavery, she was later sold to the Higgs family of Tennessee, from whom she took her last name. She served that family for a couple generations, met her husband who was also a slave there, and the two had a daughter named Mona.
However, Lucy's life took a turn when the Higgs were forced to evacuate their plantation and move to Atlanta. Seeing her opportunity to escape, Lucy took her daughter and ran until they stumbled upon the Union Camp of the 23rd Indiana Regiment. It was here where she found refuge. Unfortunately, her daughter died during the siege of Vicksburg.
Under the tutelage of Dr. Magnus Brucker, Lucy gained practical knowledge on how to be a medic. She learned how to dress wounds, administer medicine, and even went into the battlefield as a combat nurse, although she bore no arms.
After the war ended, Lucy had been convinced by her fellow regiment troops to settle with them in New Albany, Indiana. It was there where she married John Nichols. Compensation and pension for war nurses had not been instituted until much later. Even then, they barely had any documents to show for their service, unless they had someone to vouch for them.
Fortunately for Lucy, she had a whole battalion, as shown in the photo. Despite being denied military pension for six years, through a special act of Congress, signed by President William McKinley, Lucy's application for pension had been finally approved in 1898, giving her $12 per month.
When Lucy died in 1915, she was given a military funeral. In honor of her memory, a limestone sculpture of her holding her daughter had been dedicated at Second Baptist Church, New Albany.
(Image credit: Floyd County Public Library/Wikimedia Commons)