Mrs. Ricketts is the daughter of English parents, though born at Elizabeth, New Jersey. She is the wife of Major-General Ricketts, United States Volunteers, who at the time of their marriage was a Captain in the First Artillery, in the United States Army, and with whom she went immediately after their union, to his post on the Rio Grande. After a residence of more than three years on the frontier, the First Artillery was ordered in the spring of 1861, to Fortress Monroe, and her husband commenced a school of practice in artillery, for the benefit of the volunteer artillerymen, who, under his instruction, became expert in handling the guns.

In the first battle of Bull Run, Captain Ricketts commanded a battery of light artillery, and was severely, and it was supposed, mortally wounded and taken prisoner. The heroic wife at once applied for passes to go to him, and share his captivity, and if need be bring away his dead body. General Scott granted her such passes as he could give; but with the Rebels she found more difficulty, her parole being demanded, but on appeal to General J. E. Johnston, she was supplied with a pass and guide. She found her husband very low, and suffering from inattention, but his case was not quite hopeless. It required all her courage to endure the hardships, privations and cruelties to which the Union women were, even then, subject, but she schooled herself to endurance, and while caring for her husband during the long weeks when his life hung upon a slender thread, she became also a minister of mercy to the numerous Union prisoners, who had not a wife's tender care. When removed to Richmond, Captain Ricketts was still in great peril, and under the discomforts of his situation, grew rapidly worse. For many weeks he was unconscious, and his death seemed inevitable. At length four months after receiving his wound, he began very slowly to improve, when intelligence came that he was to be taken as one of the hostages for the thirteen privateersmen imprisoned in New York. Mrs. Ricketts went at once to Mrs. Cooper, the wife of the Confederate Adjutant-General, and used such arguments, as led the Confederate authorities to rescind the order, so far as he was concerned. He was exchanged in the latter part of December, 1861, and having partially recovered from his wounds, was commissioned Brigadier-General, in March, 1862, and assigned to the command of a brigade in McDowell's Corps, at Fredericksburg. He passed unscathed through Pope's Campaign, but at Antietam was again wounded, though not so severely as before, and after two or three months' confinement, was in the winter of 1862-3, in Washington, as President of a Military Commission.

General Ricketts took part in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg, and escaped personal injury, but his wife in gratitude for his preservation, ministered to the wounded, and for months continued her labors of love among them.

In Grant's Campaign in 1864, General Ricketts distinguished himself for bravery in several battles, commanding a division; and at the battle of Monocacy, though he could not defeat the overwhelming force of the Rebels, successfully delayed their advance upon Baltimore. He then joined the Army of the Shenandoah, and in the battle of Middletown, October 19th, was again seriously, and it was thought mortally wounded. Again for four months did this devoted wife watch most patiently and tenderly over his couch of pain, and again was her tender nursing blessed to his recovery. In the closing scenes in the Army of the Potomac which culminated in Lee's surrender, General Ricketts was once more in the field, and though suffering from his wounds, he did not leave his command till by the capitulation of the Rebel chief, the war was virtually concluded. The heroic wife remained at the Union headquarters, watchful lest he for whom she had perilled life and health so often, should again be smitten down, but she was mercifully spared this added sorrow, and her husband was permitted to retire from the active ranks of the army, covered with scars honorably won.