Widows in the Army: The Tragic Tale of Mrs Cochan

The suffering and privations of soldiers during the Long 18th and 19th Centuries is a common one on this channel. Yet, while I have expounded at length across many videos on the mental and physical pains of the soldiery from this time period, as anyone could tell you who knows, or has known someone serving in the armed forces, the pain and trauma of war is not limited to just the soldierly class.

It was not uncommon in the 18th Century for soldiers' wives to accompany their husbands on campaign. They were not simply tagalongs, but were often vital to the functioning of the army, and they usually endured the same terrible conditions as well. So, in this video, I should like to recount for you one of many such tragic tales from the Napoleonic Wars, that we might better understand the tragedy of a woman widowed by war.

For those who are interested in the song which plays at the end of this video, in lieu of my usual more upbeat march, it is an excellent rendition of "My Bonny Light Horseman," and it may be found here

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