Women and the Civil War

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Women and the Civil War

• Click below to explore the unique and similar
  experiences of Northern and Southern women

Southern Women
Northern Women
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Southern Women

• Dealing with shortages
• Running farms and businesses
• Supporting the soldiers
• Medical care
• Fighting women and spies

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Northern Women

• Running farms and businesses
• Medical Care
• Supporting the soldiers
• Fighting women and spies

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Phoebe Yates Pember
The most famous individual woman who provided
medical care in the South, Pember worked in in
the Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond, VA where she
rose to the position of Chief matron. A Jewish
widow of one of Savannahs leading families, she
served from December 1962-April 1865 when the war
ended. Chiamborzo was the largest military
hospital in history and during the war 76,000
soldiers were treated there.
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Suffering From Shortages
One of the Unions most powerful tools against
the South was the blockade which created
shortages of luxury and ordinary items. Wealthy
women dressed in homespun fabric, combs, forks
and toothbrushes wore out. Imported foods -
coffee, tea, sugar - were impossible to get. In
additon, prices skyrocketed. Bacon and butter
cost 20. A pound, and chickens sold for 50.
Each. Bread riots occurred in Richmond and other
cities.
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Supporting the Soldiers
In addition to caring for their homes and
families, women on both sides volunteered many
services to support troops.

• Sewing
• Nursing at home
• Sanitary Commission

• Aid Societies
• Letters
• Patriotism

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Patriotism
The numerous contributions women on both sides
made to the war effort reveals a strong sense of
patriotism. Women bravely encouraged their men to
fight, and bravely suffered losses. Mrs. John
Banks of Georgia had nine sons in the war, three
killed in Atlanta. Mrs. Oran Palmer lost 4 sons
at Gettysburg, and in 1862 an Iowa woman learned
from a single letter that her husband, father and
brother had all been killed. In many cases the
sacrifices of loves ones increased the intensity
of their support of their country.
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Letters
Perhaps the hardest thing for women was waiting
at home not knowing where her husband or son was,
and in what condition. While letters from their
men were eagerly awaited, letters they wrote to
the soldiers provided a lifeline to home and
something to read during the long days between
battles. Since most Americans were literate,
letters were written (and diaries were kept) on a
regular basis.
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The Sanitary Commission
Organized by Elizabeth Blackwell, the
commission was created to set up supply stations
and hospitals, hire nurses and collect donations.
To meet shipping costs,and supply needs
donations were solicited from citizens. At one
point the Chicago Sanitary Commission ran a fair
that raised over 100,000.
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Aid Societies
Worked to make the supplies needed by the army ,
especially bandages. In addition they ran fairs
to raise donations to buy supplies and pay
shipping costs. In the South women met trains
carrying wounded soldiers with meals. In
Columbia, S.C. a group of young women set up a
refreshment stand for wounded soldiers waiting
for connecting trains. As time went on each
soldier received a bath, a change of clothes and
a cot for a nap in addition to a meal.
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Nursing at Home
The medical corps of both armies were much to
small to deal with the great numbers of injured
soldiers, so frequently wounds would be treated
in field hospitals and the soldiers would be sent
home to recuperate. Friends and relatives
therefore became nurses of their loved ones in
addition to the many other tasks they were called
upon to perform in their daily lives.
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Sewing
Women at home supplied the armies with many of
their needs. Each soldier carried with him a
uniform, bedding, socks, and, if he was lucky, a
few comforts all made at home. Women outfitted
entire companies not only with personal supplies
but flags and tents as well. Women brought their
knitting everywhere, and their sewing if it was
done by hand. Supplies were produced in such
great numbers the women organized distribution
systems to get them to the troops.
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Medical Care
Prior to the Civil War, women were considered
too delicate for nursing. The war changed that
perception and a number of women distinguished
themselves providing medical care to Union
soldiers.

• Dorothea Dix
• Clara Barton
• Mary Bickerdyke

• Mary Walker
• Power Sisters
• Nuns

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Nuns
Catholic nuns contributed their services in the
treatment of wounded soldiers in many places. The
Sisters of Charity cared for soldiers at Harpers
Ferry, Richmond, Lynchburg and Gettysburg.
Sisters of Mercy worked in Vicksburg and
Sisters of St. Dominic served in Memphis.
Although numbering less than 200, their previous
training and devotion to service resulted in
contributions far beyond that expected of 200
women.
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Power Sisters
The five Power Sisters were all teachers in
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In their twenties at
the time of the battle, they were among the 2400
residents of the town who cared for the 24000
wounded in the battle. They set up hospitals in
two homes and cared for as many as 28 soldiers
in the emergency following the battle
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Mary Walker
The only woman to receive the Congressional
medal of honor during the Civil War, Mary began
her service as a nurse with the Army of the
Potomac. In 1863 she transferred to the armies
in the west, where, on one occasion she performed
the duties of an assistant surgeon when none were
available. Due to her gender, she was not
eligible, a situation she remedied by writing to
President Lincoln who saw to it that she
received her salary.
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Mary Bickerdyke
Called Mother by the soldiers, Mary served the
wounded soldiers in the Western Theatre of the
War. She searched battlefields with a lantern at
night to locate wounded soldiers, washed clothes,
brewed coffee, and did anything else that would
make the soldiers lives easier. She was the only
woman William Tecumseh Sherman would allow in his
camps.
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Dorothea Dix
Nicknamed Dragon Dix for her strict rules,
Dorothea served as Superintendent of Union Nurses
for four years without pay. Turning away any
volunteers she felt were seeking romantic
adventures, she wanted only plain women - no
curls, hoops, jewelry, bows or bright colored
clothing. Not only did she oversee nurses, she
also worked to see that hospital conditions and
care of the wounded were greatly improved.

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Running Farms and Businesses
Women in the North and South were called upon
during the war to fill in for the men who went
off to war. This meant running farms and
plantations, supporting families and working in
factories. Women became the producers of food,
textiles and weapons, and entered the previously
male dominated professions of government workers
and teachers. In most cases, they were paid
lower wages than their male colleagues
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Union Soldiers and Spies

• Harriet Tubman
• Sarah Edmonds
• Francis Clalin
• Jennie Hodgers
• Elizabeth van Lew

Neither the Confederacy nor the Union recruited
female units. Many women who tried to fight were
quickly discovered and sent home. An estimated
400, however successfully disguised themselves
and saw action. Both sides willingly employed
female spies.
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Harriet Tubman
Famous for her work conducting slaves to
freedom, Harriet Tubman organized a a group of
former slaves to hunt for Rebel camps and report
Confederate troop movements to the Union army. In
addition, she worked as a nurse, cook and
laundress for Union troops. Later in her life the
US government paid her a pension for her services.
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Sarah Edmonds
Sarah began masquerading as a man years before
the war began. In 1861 she enlisted in an
infantry unit as a male nurse, went through basic
training, saw action and served as a spy as well
as a nurse. He true identity was never discovered
by her comrades. After the war she married, gave
birth to three children and adopted two. In
1880, her fellow soldiers learned of her identity
when she asked for their aid in getting a pension
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Frances Clalin
Few details are known of Francis Clalins
service, except that she served in the Union
Calvary. She is pictured here in her uniform and
in womens dress.
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Jennie Hodgers
Jennie fought in the war under the name Albert
Cahier. She served in the 95th Illionois
Volunteer infantry for four years, and continued
her disguise for many years. Only in 1911 was
here true identity discovered after he/she was
involved in an automobile accident. At first the
pension board reviewed her pension claim (already
paid since 1899) for fraud, but her service was
verified and she collected the pension until her
death in 1915.
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Elizabeth Van Lew
Known as Crazy Bet by her neighbors,
Elizabeth a northern born resident of Richmond
used her eccentric reputation to cover here
espionage activities. She created a a network of
agents to carry information to the Union army,
including Elizabeth Bowser, a former slave who
worked in the Confederate White House. Her
messages, written in invisible ink and carried in
hollowed out shoe heels were invaluable as the
Union planned the capture of Richmond.
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Confederate Soldiers and Spies

• Loreta Velazquez
• Belle Boyd
• Rose Greenhow
• Sue Monday
• Nancy Hart

Many Southern women did unofficial spy work by
smuggling badly needed supplies across lines to
the Rebel army, counting on the gallant nature of
guards not to search among their petticoats. One
woman was arrested wearing a voluminous (50
yards) petticoat that was destined to become an
observation balloon.
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Loreta Velazquez
With her hair cropped short and a false
mustacher, Loreta disguised herself and recruited
a batallion. Known as Harry Buford, she saw
action at a number of battles and was temporary
commander of a company after all other officers
disappeared at the Battle of Balls Bluff in
Virginia.
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Belle Boyd
Perhaps the most famous female spy of the war
was the Confederate, Belle Boyd. She wrote her
messages in longhand and signed them, resulting
in her arrest on several occasions. Thanks to
her personally delivered information, Stonewall
Jackson won one of his most famous victories at
Front Royal, VA. She fell in love with and
married a Union soldier (her prison guard, who
was arrested and imprisoned for treason. Although
he was released, his health was ruined and Belle
was a widow at 21.
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Rose Greenhow
Rose Greenhow lived and worked for the
Confederates in Washington, D.C. He reports
helped the South win its important victory at the
First Battle of Bull Run. Soon after Greenhow was
arrested and held in prison for one year before
being sent to the South. In 1864 she traveled to
Europe to collect money for the Confederacy, and
drowned running the blockade as a result of of
the weight of gold sewn into her clothes.
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Sue Monday
As an officer in a band of guerilla fighters,
Monday saw considerable action. Known as
Lieutenant Flowers she wore a full Confederate
uniform and led the soldiers in Kentucky where
they harassed federal outposts and loyal citizens
plundering riches for the Confederate cause. Her
special talent was to relieve captives of any
jewelry they were carrying. Her position was not
recognized by the Confederate government.
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Nancy Hart
Well acquainted with her home area of western
Virginia, Hart was able to offer much information
about Union troop movements to Stonewall Jackson.
She even led his cavalry on several raids against
Union posts. Once imprisoned, she escaped by
grabbing a gun from one of her guards and
shooting him dead.