1 8 5 8 ▁to ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁ ▁Her ▁a unt , ▁Hann ah ▁Maria ▁Cat lin , ▁married ▁Benjamin ▁K . ▁Ph el ps , ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁County ▁District ▁Att orney . ▁ ▁During ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁ ▁Julia ▁turned ▁her ▁Ch âteau ▁d ' An nel ▁in ▁Long ueil ▁d ' An nel ▁into ▁a ▁ 3 0 0 - bed ▁Al lied ▁military ▁hospital ▁at ▁the ▁front ▁lines ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁I . ▁It ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁hospital ▁for ▁the ▁Al lies ' ▁wounded ▁soldiers ▁opened ▁in ▁France ▁by ▁an ▁American ▁so ▁near ▁the ▁front . ▁ ▁She ▁fled ▁for ▁England ▁after ▁the ▁German ▁army ▁had ▁made ▁progress ▁towards ▁Paris , ▁but ▁ended ▁up ▁returning ▁after ▁they ▁had ▁retre ated . ▁Her ▁actions ▁moved ▁many ▁other ▁Americans ▁living ▁in ▁France ▁to ▁open ▁military ▁hosp it als . ▁She ▁received ▁France ' s ▁highest ▁military ▁award , ▁the ▁Leg ion ▁d ' honneur , ▁and ▁the ▁Cro ix ▁de ▁Guerre ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁and ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁American ▁female ▁to ▁be ▁awarded ▁this ▁honour . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁President ▁Raymond ▁Po inc ar é ▁of ▁France , ▁upon ▁the ▁recommendation ▁of ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁War , ▁con ferred ▁a ▁gold ▁medal ▁on ▁her ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁her ▁hospital , ▁along ▁with ▁a ▁letter ▁written ▁by ▁Justin ▁God art , ▁the ▁Under ▁Secretary ▁of ▁War . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁during ▁World