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'{{Short description|British woman who disguised herself to become a soldier (1723–1792)}} {{more citations needed|date=December 2022}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox person | name = Hannah Snell | image = HannahSnell.jpg | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = 23 April 1723 | birth_place = [[Worcester, England|Worcester]], [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] | death_date = {{Death date and age|1792|02|08|1723|04|23|df=y}} | death_place = [[London]], [[Kingdom of Great Britain|Great Britain]] | resting_place = [[Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea]], London, Great Britain | nationality = | years_active = 1745-1750 | other_names = | occupation = Soldier | education = | alma_mater = | parents = | spouse = | children = | relatives = | known_for = Disguising herself as a man to serve as a soldier | notable_works = }} '''Hannah Snell''' (23 April 1723 – 8 February 1792) was a British woman who [[List of wartime cross-dressers|disguised herself as a man and became a soldier]]. Hannah Snell was mentioned in James Woodforde's diary entry of 21 May 1778 selling buttons, garters, and laces.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://projectbritain.com/moneyold.htm |title=Understanding old British money - pounds, shillings and pence |first1=Mandy |last1=Barrow |year=2013 |website=Project Britain }}{{self-published inline|date=December 2022}}</ref> == Early life == Hannah Snell was born in [[Worcester, England]]<ref name="Creighton">{{cite book |last1=Creighton |first1=Margaret S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZAWKSLubwpQC&pg=PA38 |title=Iron Men, Wooden Women: Gender and Seafaring in the Atlantic World, 1700-1920 |last2=Norling |first2=Lisa |date=1996 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=978-0-8018-5160-5 |page=38}}</ref> on 23 April 1723. She was the youngest daughter of her family, with five sisters and three brothers. Snell’s father, Samuel Snell was a hosier and dyer. Due to Snell’s grandfather’s service in the military and the money they inherited from him, Samuel and his second wife, Mary Williams<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=2011 |title=The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Female Soldier, by Anonymous |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg eBook |page=3}}</ref> were wealthy enough to live comfortably and provide adequate education for all their children.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=2011 |title=The Project Gutenberg EBook, the Female Soldier, by Anonymous |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg eBook |page=3}}</ref> Despite this, however, Snell never learned to write, but they could read very well.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=2011 |title=The Project Gutenberg EBook, the Female Soldier, by Anonymous |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg eBook |page=3}}</ref> Locals dubbed them as the ‘young Amazon Snell’ and they often played soldier as a child.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wheelwright |first=Julie |date=23 September 2004 |title=Snell, Hannah [alias James Gray] (1723–1792), sexual impostor. |url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-25975. |access-date=21 March 2023 |website=Oxford Dictionary of National Biography}}</ref> In 1740, after the death of her parents, she moved to [[London]] to live with her sister. She married James Summes, a Dutch seaman,<ref name="worcesternews.co.uk">{{cite news |date=9 May 2018 |title=Blue plaque: Britain's most famous female soldier Hannah Snell was a Worcester girl |work=Worcester News |url=https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/16214445.blue-plaque-britains-famous-female-soldier-hannah-snell-worcester-girl/}}</ref> on 18 January 1744. Towards the end of Snell's pregnancy with their daughter, her husband abandoned her, leaving her in debt.<ref name=":0">{{cite book |title=The female soldier; or, the surprising life and adventures of Hannah Snell, Born in the City of Worcester, who took upon herself the name of James Gray; and, being deserted by her husband, put on mens apparel, and travelled to Coventry in quest of him, where she enlisted in Col. Guise's Regiment of Foot, and marched with that Regiment to Carlisle, in the Time of the Rebellion in Scotland; shewing what happened to her in that City, and her Desertion from that Regiment. Also a full and true account of her enlisting afterwards into Fraser's Regiment of Marines, then at Portsmouth; and her being draughted out of that Regiment, and sent on board the Swallow Sloop of War, one of Admiral Boscawen's Squadron, then bound for the East-Indies. With the many Vicissitudes of Fortune she met with during that Expedition, particularly at the Siege of Pondicherry, where she received Twelve Wounds. Likewise, the surprising Accident by which she came to hear of the Death of her faithless Husband, whom she went in quest of. The Whole Containing The most surprising Incidents that have happened in any preceding Age; wherein is laid open all her Adventures, in Mens Cloaths, for near five Years, without her Sex being ever discovered |date=1750 |oclc=642217841 |id={{Gale|CW0104689797}}}}</ref> Her daughter, Susannah, died a year later. Snell borrowed a man's suit from her brother-in-law James Gray, assumed his name, and began to search for Summes.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Creighton |first1=Margaret S. |last2=Norling |first2=Lisa |title=Iron Men, Wooden Women: Gender and Seafaring in the Atlantic World, 1700-1920 |date=1996 |publisher=JHU Press |isbn=978-0-8018-5160-5 |page=11 }}</ref> She later learned that her husband had been executed for murder. According to her account, following the death of her daughter, on 23 November 1745,<ref name="Ams">{{cite book |last1=Snell |first1=Hannah |title=The Female Soldier: Or the Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell |date=1989 |publisher=William Andrews Clark Memorial Library, University of California |isbn=978-0-404-70257-1 }}{{page needed|date=December 2022}}</ref> she joined [[Guise Baronets|John Guise]]'s regiment, the [[6th Regiment of Foot]], in the army of the [[Duke of Cumberland]] against [[Bonnie Prince Charlie]]. == Military career == She deserted when her sergeant gave her 500 lashes and moved to [[Portsmouth]] and joined the [[Royal Marines|Marines]]. She boarded the ship ''Swallow'' at Portsmouth and sailed to [[Lisbon]]. Her unit was about to invade [[Mauritius]], but the attack was called off. Her unit then sailed to [[India]].{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} In August 1748, her unit was sent to an expedition to capture the [[France|French]] colony of [[Pondicherry]] in India. Later, she also fought in the battle in [[Devicottail]] in June 1749. She was wounded in the legs eleven times.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} She was also shot in her groin and, to avoid revealing her sex, she instructed a local woman to take out the bullet instead of being tended by the regimental surgeon.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Pennington |first1=Reina |last2=Higham |first2=Robin |title=Amazons to Fighter Pilots: A-Q |date=2003 |publisher=Greenwood Press |isbn=978-0-313-32707-0 |page=404 }}</ref><ref name="Druett">{{cite book |last1=Druett |first1=Joan |title=She Captains: Heroines and Hellions of the Sea |url=https://archive.org/details/shecaptainsheroi00drue |url-access=limited |year=2000 |publisher=Simon & Schuster |location=New York |isbn=978-0-684-85690-2 |page=[https://archive.org/details/shecaptainsheroi00drue/page/106 106]}}</ref> In 1750, her unit returned to Britain and traveled from Portsmouth to London, where she revealed her sex to her shipmates on 2 June. She petitioned the [[Duke of Cumberland]], the head of the army, for her pension. She also sold her story to London publisher Robert Walker, who published her account, ''The Female Soldier'', in two different editions.<ref name="Ams" /> She also began to appear on stage in her uniform presenting military drills and singing songs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hannah Snell, 1750 (c) |url=https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1963-05-63-1 |website=National Army Museum |location=London |id=NAM Accession Number 1963-05-63-1 }}</ref> Three painters painted her portrait in her uniform and ''[[The Gentleman's Magazine]]'' reported her claims. She was honourably discharged and the [[Royal Hospital Chelsea|Royal Hospital, Chelsea]] officially recognized Snell's military service in November, and granted her a pension in 1750 (increased in 1785), a rare thing in those days.{{citation needed|date=December 2022}} == End of life == [[File:Bodleian Libraries, Hannah Snell, born at Worcester, 1723.jpg|thumb|228x228px|Hannah Snell, engraving, 1789.]] Snell was shot and wounded in the marines; they were shot 12 times in the legs and once in the groin.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |year=June 18, 2011 |title=The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Female Soldier |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |page=15}}</ref> Snell decided to live with the pain, however horrible it was, hiding the wound they had in their groin and dealing with it themselves.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |year=June 18, 2011 |title=The Female Soldier Or, the Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |page=36}}</ref> This led to them digging the bullet out themself while allowing the surgeon to operate on all their other wounds.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=June 18, 2011 |title=The Female Soldier Or, the Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |page=36}}</ref> Snell feared that their sex would be discovered and would have negative repercussions.   After Snell was shot, they returned to Britain. They continued to fear that their sex would be found out and they would not get their soldiers pay. The only people that knew of their sex were their brother-in-law, sister and the women they lived with.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=June 18, 2011 |title=The Female Soldier; Or, The Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell. |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |page=36}}</ref> In London, on the 9th of June, Snell and other marines went to Westminster to collect their pay and be discharged; they also sold some belongings to make money as they believed that once people knew of their sex, they would not get paid.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=June 18, 2011 |title=The Female Soldier; Or, The Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell. |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |pages=38}}</ref> Following this interaction, they told their comrades about their sex. Instead of being met with disappointment from the marines, they praised Snell and applauded them for their courage as a soldier.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=June 18, 2011 |title=The Female Soldier; Or, The Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell. |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |page=39}}</ref> After Snell’s close friends found out about their sex, they told Snell they should petition for pension to the Duke of Cumberland for their service and wounds that they had gotten received. Although, Snell received an allowance from the Chelsea College they started to appear on stage.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=June 18, 2011 |title=The Female Soldier; Or, The Surprising Life and Adventures of Hannah Snell. |url=https://www.gutenberg.org/files/36461/36461-h/36461-h.htm |website=The Project Gutenberg |page=30}}</ref> Snell's performances consisted of them singing military songs and performing military exercises while dressed in uniform.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Women's Museum of California |date=January 31, 2018 |title=Hannah Snell – The Female Solider |url=https://womensmuseum.wordpress.com/2018/01/31/hannah-snell-the-female-solider/ |website=Women's Museum of California}}</ref> Eventually their fame decreased, and they quit performing.   Sources claim that after receiving their pension, Snell retired to [[Wapping]] and began to keep a pub named ''The Female Warrior''<ref>{{cite web |title=Trans and Gender-Nonconforming Histories |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/lgbtq-heritage-project/trans-and-gender-nonconforming-histories/ |website=Historic England }}</ref> (or ''The Widow in Masquerade'', accounts disagree) but it did not last long.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |title=Hannah Snell: The Famous ‘Woman in Men’s Cloaths |url=https://janeausten.co.uk/blogs/military-history/hannah-snell-woman-in-mens-cloaths |access-date=March 23, 2023 |website=JaneAusten.co.uk}}</ref> By the mid-1750s, she was living in [[Newbury, Berkshire|Newbury]] in [[Berkshire]]. In 1759, she married Richard Eyles there, with whom she had two children. In 1772, she married Richard Habgood of [[Welford, Berkshire|Welford]], also in Berkshire, and the two moved to the [[English Midlands|Midlands]]. In 1785, she was living with her son George Spence Eyles, a clerk, on Church Street, [[Stoke Newington]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Anonymous |date=March 26, 2023 |title=Hannah Snell: The Famous "women In Men's Cloaths |url=https://janeausten.co.uk/blogs/military-history/hannah-snell-woman-in-mens-cloaths |website=Jane Austen Centre}}</ref> In 1791, her mental condition suddenly worsened. She was admitted to [[Bethlem Royal Hospital|Bethlem Hospital]] on 20 August and died on 8 February 1792. She was buried at Chelsea Hospital (now the [[Old Burial Ground, Royal Hospital Chelsea]]).<ref name="worcesternews.co.uk"/> ==Legacy== [[File:The strange story book - illustration at page 041.png|thumb|Snell portrayed by [[Henry Justice Ford|H. J. Ford]], 1913]] Playwright [[Shirley Gee]] has written two fictional dramatisations of Snell's life: a radio play, ''Against the Wind'' (1988) and a stage play, ''Warrior'' (1989).<ref>{{cite magazine |date=16 November 2007 |url=http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/501705/-Warrior--a-feast-for-senses-and-mind.html |title='Warrior' a feast for senses and mind |magazine=The Mining Journal |last=Bradley |first=B.G |archive-date=14 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314172826/http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/501705/-Warrior--a-feast-for-senses-and-mind.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Hannah Snell is mentioned in the 1969 film ''[[The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (film)|The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie]]'' as a woman who was prepared to "serve, suffer and sacrifice."{{cite quote|date=December 2022}} ==References== {{Reflist}} ==Further reading== * Matthew Stephens - ''Hannah Snell: The Secret Life of a Female Marine, 1723–1792'' ==External links== {{Wikisource1911Enc|Snell, Hannah}} *[http://www.hannahsnell.com/ Hannah Snell Homepage] *[https://www.amazon.com/Hannah-Snell-Secret-Female-1723-1792-ebook/dp/B00IC6SXSA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1392185211&sr=8-3&keywords=Hannah+snell/ Excerpts from ''Hannah Snell: The Secret Life of a Female Marine, 1723-1792'' by Matthew Stephens] *[http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/hsnell.html Royal Berkshire History: Hannah Snell] *{{cite encyclopedia |first=Julie|last =Wheelwright | publisher = Oxford University Press | encyclopedia= Oxford Dictionary of National Biography | title= Snell, Hannah [alias James Gray] (1723–1792), sexual impostor| year = 2004 | url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/25975|doi= 10.1093/ref:odnb/25975 }} {{ODNBsub}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Snell, Hannah}} [[Category:1723 births]] [[Category:1792 deaths]] [[Category:Female wartime cross-dressers]] [[Category:Women in the British Army]] [[Category:Royal Marines ranks]] [[Category:Military personnel from Worcester, England]] [[Category:18th-century English women]]'