Most heroic tales and historical facts from the Civil War focus on male generals, soldiers, and politicians. After all, warfare was considered a man’s job, but the view ignores that the conflict affected everyone in the country. Women could not sit idly while their husbands and children continued getting wounds or dying. Some went as far as joining the fight, but others made significant contributions from home.
For women, the war was a time of great opportunities and unity. They held meetings to discuss potential ways to help their male relatives and gathered materials to distribute later (“To the patriotic women of Philadelphia,” 1861). Women also attempted to organize entertainment for soldiers through fairs while collecting funds and supplies (Great Central Fair for the U. S. Sanitary Commission, 1864). It was not unusual to offer handmade goods, as a woman could cooperate with others in knitting and sewing societies (Giesberg, 2013). Other activities included nursing wounded soldiers and preparing the fallen ones for burial (Jensen, 2017). Some women managed to find a job, even if it meant manufacturing ammunition for the work (Jensen, 2017; Purcell, 2019). Working female citizens became more outspoken about their views, and they could sympathize with the enemy, which earned them scorn (Belanger, 2018). The other side of the conflict had women performing similar roles, although they were more loyal to the Confederate cause (Revels, 1999). Altogether, women during the Civil War assisted soldiers and acquired atypical jobs, which made them more outspoken regarding political issues.
Wars mostly bring destruction and pain, and it is a miracle that it could serve as a basis for women to unite, express themselves, and show their worth. While they were forced into that predicament, the efforts were genuine, as everything was for the sake of loved ones. More time would be necessary for women to obtain equal rights, but those four years and the subsequent period of Reconstruction indicated that female citizens were deserving of them.
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.
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. Web.
Jensen, J. L. (2017). Women on the home front: Their essential roles during the Civil War. Military Images, 35(1), 38-40. Web.
Purcell, S. J. (2019). This Grand Experiment: When women entered the federal workforce in Civil War-Era Washington, D.C. by Jessica Ziparo [Review of the book This Grand Experiment by J. Ziparo]. Journal of the Civil War Era, 9(2), 326-328. Web.
Revels, T. J. (1999). Grander in her daughters: Florida’s women during the Civil War. The Florida Historical Quarterly, 77(3), 261-282. Web.