QueerStory
The Story of "ALBERT"
The Story of “ALBERT”
Albert Cashier was a transgendered pioneer from the nineteenth century, who’s best known for valiantly fighting for the North in the Civil War.
Albert was born in Clogherhead, Ireland in 1843, and became a stowaway to America at a young age. Working in shoe factories and as a farmhand, Albert presented as a boy in the years leading up to the Civil War, so as to live and work independently. He first enlisted in 1862 and was assigned to the 95th Illinois Infantry, where he fought for three battle-hard years until being honorably discharged in 1865. Upon returning to Illinois, he had all intentions of living his life as the quiet man his fellow soldiers knew him to be. He succeeded for the most part, working odd jobs here and there as a janitor, cemetery worker, and street lamplighter. Even when a few people in his life discovered his sex due to illness or injury, he was so beloved that they never disclosed it to anyone else.
It wasn’t until he started showing signs of dementia in 1913, and was placed in a State Hospital, that his sex assigned at birth was discovered and he was forced to wear women’s clothing again - after 50 years of living life as his true self. Once the Veterans Pension Board discovered this, they threatened to cancel his pension because, in their minds, he had committed fraud. However, the men from the 95th regiment appealed to the board, arguing that Albert was the person they fought side by side with in the war, and that his payments should continue for life. When Albert died on October 10, 1915, the men from his regiment ensured he was buried in his uniform, and with full military honors. They also made sure his tombstone was inscribed "Albert D. J. Cashier, Co. G, 95 Ill. Inf."
Albert Cashier was a transgendered pioneer from the nineteenth century, who’s best known for valiantly fighting for the North in the Civil War.
Albert Cashier
Albert was born in Clogherhead, Ireland in 1843, and became a stowaway to America at a young age. Working in shoe factories and as a farmhand, Albert presented as a boy in the years leading up to the Civil War, so as to live and work independently. He first enlisted in 1862 and was assigned to the 95th Illinois Infantry, where he fought for three battle-hard years until being honorably discharged in 1865. Upon returning to Illinois, he had all intentions of living his life as the quiet man his fellow soldiers knew him to be. He succeeded for the most part, working odd jobs here and there as a janitor, cemetery worker, and street lamplighter. Even when a few people in his life discovered his sex due to illness or injury, he was so beloved that they never disclosed it to anyone else.
Albert's tombstone
It wasn’t until he started showing signs of dementia in 1913, and was placed in a State Hospital, that his sex assigned at birth was discovered and he was forced to wear women’s clothing again - after 50 years of living life as his true self. Once the Veterans Pension Board discovered this, they threatened to cancel his pension because, in their minds, he had committed fraud. However, the men from the 95th regiment appealed to the board, arguing that Albert was the person they fought side by side with in the war, and that his payments should continue for life. When Albert died on October 10, 1915, the men from his regiment ensured he was buried in his uniform, and with full military honors. They also made sure his tombstone was inscribed "Albert D. J. Cashier, Co. G, 95 Ill. Inf."