In the 19th century, American women were predominantly perceived only in the domestic context, which was probably one of the factors that led to the underestimation of their roles in the Civil War (1861-1865). Despite being closely connected to the family and home life, females actively participated in the home front and battlefields, exhibiting commitment to the nation and following their personal beliefs (McPherson, 2015). Women worked in factories that produced clothing and equipment, acted as spies and soldiers, and also supported the armies as nurses (Gallagher & Waugh, 2016). In addition to complex conditions, many females lost their sons and husbands, which meant that they became vulnerable financially and emotionally. The role that women played in the Civil War was heavily underestimated and under-appreciated since their contribution to the strength of the army through supplying medical aid, mental support, supplies of crops and money, etc. went mostly unnoticed or was taken for granted.
Women Supported Physical and Mental Health of the Army
It was largely accepted that a war is a man’s business. However, in the 19th century, the participation of women in a war, not only as medical personnel, but also with arms in hand, becomes a reality. This phenomenon became especially widespread during the Civil War in the US. They were ready to help, but what they had to during the war was much more challenging than expected (McPherson, 2015). It is always difficult for a civilian to reorganize into a military style, especially for a woman. Nevertheless, the brave females of all professions, ages, and nationalities decided to help their armies, acting as patriots.
Working as nurses in hospitals was an area available to women. The social composition of female nurses was not uniform as there were both women from the lower strata of American society and those who came from the social elite (Jensen, 2017). For all of them, nursing was an opportunity to help their nation, soldiers, close ones, and also it was a necessary step on the path to political and social independence. Gallagher and Waugh (2016) state that “in all, thousands of women, including Catholic nuns, performed nursing duties during the Civil War” (p. 50). A lot of men would not have returned from the war without the nurses’ assistance, which would affect thousands of families.
Nurses fostered the sick and wounded soldiers, while also providing mental and even spiritual support. However, nursing was not yet developed as a profession, which caused difficulties in treating wounds and participating in surgeries since women had no special education (Strickler, 2018). As a rule, a woman who followed her husband to an army camp or a woman who came to an army location to care for an injured son stayed there to nurse other wounded. In addition, religious missionaries were often helpers in field hospitals. For example, Clara Barton, also known as an angel of the battlefield, spent three years of the war on the battlefields and bravely endured the hardships of the frontline life. This courageous and devoted woman slept in a tent or barracks, burned under the scorching sun, freezing rain in a storm, and exhausting herself with hard work day after day in the trenches (Strickler, 2018). Throwing up her skirts, she removed bullets, handed out oatmeal to soldiers, and held the hands of the dying men.
The demands of both armies for medical support were extremely high, and military capacity could not fully cover them. Along with serving on the battlefields, women even opened their homes to accept the wounded and provide health care services (Jensen, 2017). In some cases, more experienced females educated others to improve their awareness of the necessary care, which was of great importance to keep soldiers healthy and reduce mortality among the troops.
The direct participation in battles should also be noted while discussing the important role of women in the given period. In the time of the Civil War, the American society was far from recognizing women as equal to men. In the armies of the Union and the Confederation, the recruitment of women was prohibited (Parish, 2020). Therefore, female soldiers adopted male names and concealed their personalities and femininity. Since they behaved like men, it was quite difficult to know the exact number of women who fought in the Civil War. For the Confederate army alone, a figure of 250 is noted in some sources (McPherson, 2015). Hidden in a veil of secrecy, such females had to behave like men and uncovered their feminine nature by accident or injury.
Women Provided Food Supplies and Savings to Soldiers
Provision and financial aid were two more areas to which contributed significantly during the Civil War. Jensen (2017) points out that soldiers needed clothing, shelter, and food, which was largely provided by women of all ages, nationalities, and social statuses. The authorities of the states called ladies to help and organize Sewing Societies to provide garments for soldiers. For example, it was stated that women of New Jersey, Delaware, and Pennsylvania were expected to cooperate “for approaching humane and patriotic undertaking” (Great Central Fair for the U. S. Sanitary Commission, 1864). Some women worked on the mass production of textile, while others acted as volunteers by sewing and knitting garments. The Library of Congress also contains the examples of documents proving the input of women (To the patriotic women of Philadelphia, 1861). The ladies were asked to contribute the items for the army and gather to discuss further volunteer initiatives.
Many American women did not remain indifferent to newspaper reports from the front, which described the plight of field hospitals and the acute shortage of medical equipment and medicines. In the states of the North, women have organized about ten thousand societies and raised a total of $ 3 million for humanitarian aid to help the army (Green, 2020). It should be stressed that “women helped plan and direct numerous fund-raising efforts that lifted morale and provided money for the armies” (Gallagher & Waugh, p. 49). The funds gathered were spent to buy food, supplies, and other required products, but not all families could offer monetary assistance. For example, Revels (1999) mentions the women of Florida, many of whom were unable to provide themselves with the basic food as they were devastated by the war. Nevertheless, other women tried to help their neighbors to support their spirit, which reflects the power of relationships and empathy (Belanger, 2018). The responsiveness with which females approached each other shows that they were greatly committed to the national ideas and achieving them.
A special place among the female population was occupied by those who worked on factories. Namely, “by 1864, more than 4,000 southern women toiled as seamstresses making clothes for soldiers” in the army of Confederates (Gallagher & Waugh, 2016). According to Giesberg (2013), women who were hired in factories lived in difficult financial conditions and were often humiliated and discriminated against by men. For those from the working class, the possibility of a decent life was unlikely. The rate of death, illness, and injury among female workers were quite high, while they received half as much as men for the same amount of work (Parish, 2020). With the aim of supplying the troops, women worked as cooks, laundresses, and matrons, and they also made sparkplugs and other machinery items.
Many women had come to the industries and master new professions right in the workplace. With the arrival of a large number of women in factories, their training as well as improving production skills became important. Even though the work in factories was difficult, it was an opportunity for women to provide for their families on their own in the absence of men. Inflation and food shortage were the two aggravating factors that strengthened starvation and devastation, leading to the increase in mass anxiety. To help facilitate the working conditions in the industrial sector, women began to establish organizations that advocated for better pay and an appropriate environment (McPherson, 2015). Even though the majority of strikes were unsuccessful, they represented a sign that women were aware of their rights as citizens. It was the beginning of the long path to emancipation and achieving the rights equal to those of men.
The Civil War assigned women a set of new responsibilities and roles, many of which were complicated and stressful. In spite of such challenges as a lack of money, family breakage, deaths, harsh working environment, and poor living conditions, females managed to find the ways to support their men (Gallagher & Waugh, 2016). During these difficult years, the moral and ethical features of the society were maximized. The war endured not only the suffering from the loss of relatives and friends, but also the greatest hardships of wartime for women, who worked in the home front of the country and withstood the issues of industrial labor. Without the provision of food and clothing, men would have less strength and poorer health to combat, which could affect their overall performance on the battlefields. Without proper nutrition, sufficient clothing and medication, as well as other resources, men would be less effective in the Civil War.
Conclusion
To conclude, one should agree that women were not among the prominent commanders and heroes of the American Civil War, but their role is greatly underestimated. The critical analysis of the academic literature shows that women provided medical, financial, and moral support to the army, contributing to both the battlefield and home front. Some females changed their appearance and dressed to look like men and took the initiative as soldiers, and others opened their homes for soldiers to offer health care. They actively participated in fund-raising activities, worked on factories to produce textile and other products, and served as nurses to treat the wounded men. Without women, soldiers would suffer from malnutrition, a lack of weapons and shelter, and moral weakness.
References
Belanger, E. (2018). “A perfect nuisance”: Working-class women and neighborhood development in Civil War St. Louis. Journal of the Civil War Era, 8(1), 32-63. Web.
Gallagher, G. W., & Waugh, J. (2016). The American war: A history of the Civil War era (2nd ed.). Flip Learning.
Giesberg, J. (2013). Waging war their own way: Women and the Civil War in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania Legacies, 13(1-2), 16-27. Web.
Great Central Fair for the U. S. Sanitary Commission. (1864) Department of useful and fancy articles Home-made in aid of the Great Central Fair, for the United States sanitary commission. It is purposed to hold a “Great Fair” in this city, in the first week of June next, on behalf of the United States S. [PDF]. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, Web.
Green, H. (2020). Women in the Civil War era. In N. A. Hewitt & A. M. Valk (Eds.), A companion to American women’s history (2nd ed, pp. 157-173). John Wiley & Sons.
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McPherson, J. M. (2015). The war that forged a nation: Why the Civil War still matters. Oxford University Press.
Parish, P. J. (2020). The American Civil War. Routledge.
Revels, T. J. (1999). Grander in her daughters: Florida’s women during the Civil War. The Florida Historical Quarterly, 77(3), 261-282. Web.
Strickler, J. (2018). Clara Barton: Angel of the battlefield. Nursing2020, 48(3), 43-45.
To the patriotic women of Philadelphia. A meeting of the ladies of the City of Philadelphia will be held this day, at 4 o’clock, P. M., at the School Room, in Tenth Street… to devise means to give aid and comfort to our noble soldiers… [PDF]. (1861). Web.