I'm not sure if you read my previous message to mean that I thought there were a large number of women posing as men? I meant that of the women who did pose as men (which I know was not a large number, but probably a few larger than any official reckoning ;o), a number of them (I suspect the majority) came from working backgrounds and were used to hard physical labor (and probably would have been more able to carry a heavy weapon than their male counterparts would have suspected!)

I'm remembering this from a book called Amazons and Military Maids: Women Who Dressed as Men in Pursuit of Life, Liberty, and Happiness (London: Pandora, 1990), which is now unfortunately out of print, and I am still seeking a copy :o(