Roles of the Women in the Civil War

My project is on the jobs and/or roles of the women in the Civil War, on the battlefield or at home. My research question is ‘’What were the roles of the

women in the Civil War?’’

Civil War 1861-1865

SPIES

In the Civil War, some people worked as spies, but the

ones we know about were mostly women. If you were a

spy you would have to disguise yourself, too. For

example, Sarah Emma Edmonds was a spy. Sarah

and other spies would travel into the enemy’s territory to gather information and once they did they usually shared

the information they collected with the other

women and the generals.

Sarah Emma Edmonds (Spy)

Sarah Emma Edmonds, as a woman, with a horse.

NURSESDid you know that there were between 3,000 and 8,000 volunteered nurses

during the Civil War? The nurses did not have proper tools, like we do today, to perform surgery with, but one of the tools I know is called a bone saw. Also, the nurses set up tents and that was what they would work inside of. I did not know but Dorthea Dix was chosen as the first superintendent of the U.S Army nurses in

June 1861. Clara Barton was another famous and important nurse during the Civil War, she later founded the American Red Cross, too. Dorthea Dix and Clara

Barton were two of the important nurses during the Civil War.

Dorthea Dix (Nurse) Clara Barton (Nurse and Founder of the Red Cross)

WOMEN AS MEN?

You may not think so but hundreds of women disguised as men to enlist and fight in the Civil War. First the ‘’women’’ would have to disguise their outfits to look like men soldiers. Then, the ‘’women’’ would change their

name, and finally they would enlist. Most women who disguised themselves said that they felt they needed to do it for their country.

Sarah Emma Edmonds disguised herself as a man, she wasn’t just a spy. Her ‘’man’’ name was Franklin Flint Thompson. So, if you were

wondering, yes women did fight in the Civil War.

Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, a private, decided to leave home August of 1862 disguised as a man. Her reason for this decision can be guessed, people say- she had no prospects of marriage, her father was in debt, and her small earnings as a ‘’domestic’’ would not have been much help to the family.

Franklin Flint Thompson or Sarah Emma Edmonds disguised as a man.

WHAT DID WOMEN DO TO HELP THE SOLDIERS?

Women did a lot to help the soldiers during the Civil War. The women who helped the soldiers would donate food that then would get sent off to the soldiers and some women would cook food, and then the soldiers would come and eat there. They also would set up

campgrounds and tents for the soldiers at night. Other women washed clothes and for the soldiers the next day. As you can see,

some women were very generous to and for the soldiers.

This is a picture of soldiers eating food that the women would have cooked for them during the Civil War.

WOMEN AT HOME

Once the war began, when the husbands or men were out fighting, women had to fill in for what the men used to do and take care of their children if they had any. If some

women already worked on farms they had to add planting, weeding and harvesting to their usual jobs. Their usual jobs were cooking, cleaning, sewing, and caring for their

children. Also, women would leave home to work in factories that produced weapons once the war broke out. The wives of shopkeepers would tend to their family stores during the Civil War, too. Now you know, that the women had a lot to do once their

husbands and friends left for war.

Here is a picture that shows women working in a factory during the Civil War.

This is a picture of women taking over the man’s job on a farm.

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT WOMEN DURING THE CIVIL WAR

Some women encouraged men to enlist in the Army Also, other women would join organizations that prepared supplies

and delivered them to the battlefield and camps From the beginning to the end of the Civil War, women with or

without jobs would write diaries and/or letters from home During the Battle of Bull Run, a female spy provided the

Confederate Army with the battle plans of the Union, I found that very interesting and surprising

Civil War letters and pictures from home or Civil War memorabilia

THE END

To summarize, some of the roles of the women were to work as spies,

nurses, disguise as men to be soldiers, help soldiers, and work in

stores, factories, and on farms. Now, you can't just say that men were important in the Civil War

women were, too.