Remembering the Legacy of Lucy Higgs Nichols

There are only two known photographs of Lucy Higgs Nichols. And yet, her legend paints a portrait that extends beyond a simple picture.

Nichols was born into slavery in North Carolina in 1838, and by the time her life came to an end in 1915, she had become something of a war hero. She and her daughter Mona managed to make their way from North Carolina to Tennessee around the start of the Civil War, and there she encountered the volunteer 23rd Indiana Infantry Regiment – which hailed from New Albany, Ind.

It was then that her life changed forever.

Lucy was taken in by the regiment, in which she became not just a trusted friend, but a nurse, a cook and more. In return, they promised to ferry her back to freedom in the North. And that’s how she ultimately wound up in Floyd County. 

But the story runs deeper. Mona, who reportedly was beloved by the regiment, unexpectedly died, and Lucy’s husband had been taken farther south, still entrapped in slavery. Having nowhere to turn, Lucy decided to remain in the front lines of the Civil War. And that’s how she cemented her impressive legacy.

She trained to be a nurse, and accompanied the regiment through major battles, including the battles at Vicksburg and Atlanta, in addition to General William Tecumseh Sherman’s March to the Sea from Atlanta to Savannah. Through it, she became a Union Army legend.

Post-War Life

After the conclusion of the war, Nichols settled in New Albany, and she remained affiliated with her comrades who were in the 23rd, which is somewhat remarkable, given it was an era in which both black people and women were generally minimized. She married again, and in 1898, after a long campaign, was granted a monthly pension for her service – even though it was a service that was largely undocumented and unpaid.

But in her quest for the pension, 55 of her friends from the 23rd stepped up to testify to her service.

Nichols lived out her life in New Albany and died on January 29, 1915. She was buried with military honors in New Albany’s West Haven Cemetery – and sadly, her grave was not marked, so today its location remains unknown.

Honoring Lucy’s Legacy

But Nichols, fortunately, has not been forgotten. As it happens, some years ago, a local historian came into contact with a local woman – Pearl Kimbrough – who remembered Lucy’s story, and that led to enough research by Pamela Peters to tell the story in her book, “The Underground Railroad in Floyd County, Ind.”

A book released in 2025, “The Tenacious Nurse Nichols: An Unsung African American Civil War Hero” by Eileen Yanoviak, digs a bit deeper into Nichols’ inspiring story.

Nichols’ legacy might be best summed up in an 1898 photo of a reunion of the 23rd Regiment – she is the only woman and the only person of color pictured. And she is literally front and center in the group shot.

According to Albertus Gorman, Coordinator of Public Programs and Engagement for the Floyd County Carnegie Library Cultural Arts Center in New Albany, while few records remain, in her time, Nichols was a “minor celebrity.”

Gorman said her legacy is owed to, “Just the incredible grace she had in administering to people who were dying on the battlefield in a time before we even knew the causes of diseases. She could have walked away, but she didn’t. A bond was made in the heat of battle – maybe she believed in a better country, too.”

Nichols is remembered at the Cultural Arts Center in a special exhibit titled “Remembered: The Life of Lucy Higgs Nichols,” as well as through a monument located at the Second Baptist Church (aka Town Clock Church) in New Albany, of which Nichols was a member. At the Cultural Arts Center, visitors can experience Civil War artifacts, a map of her life and an exhibit that documents her pension process, per Gorman. 

Historic SoIN and America 250

A historical marker honoring Nichols is now part of Historic SoIN: Red, White and Billie, a new digital passport from SoIN Tourism guiding people to historic sites of significance in Clark and Floyd counties. Sign up for free today to learn more about Nichols’ story, explore additional historic stops, and win exclusive prizes!

Check out our America 250 page for more details on the passport and related events happening in SoIN.