Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, known by her alias Private Lyons Wakeman, was one of the many women who disguised themselves as men to fight in the American Civil War. Born in 1843 in Chenango County, New York, Wakeman grew up in a farming family and worked as a laborer before enlisting in the Union Army in 1862.

Wakeman joined the 153rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment under the guise of a man named Lyons Wakeman. She served as a private and participated in several military campaigns, including the Red River Campaign in Louisiana and the Battle of Pleasant Hill.

During her service, Wakeman wrote extensively in her letters home about her experiences as a soldier. Her letters provide valuable insights into the daily life of a Civil War soldier, including details about camp conditions, army life in the defenses of Washington D.C., combat experiences, and her longing for home.

Wakeman expressed her pride in being able to "drill just as well as any man" 

Her letters are the only such correspondence known to exist.  

Tragically, Wakeman contracted a severe illness, likely dysentery, and died in a military hospital in New Orleans in 1864 at the age of 21. Her true gender was only discovered after her death when her body was prepared for burial.

She was buried under the name Private Lyons Wakeman at Chalmette National Cemetery near New Orleans.