Women's role during the Civil War
By Kyle Baker
The affects of the Civil War on Women
The Civil War significantly affected the lives of American women. A handful disguised themselves as men and joined the fight. Others served as spies and nurses. Many more took on new roles at home after their husbands, brothers, and fathers were to the call to arms.
Mary Todd Lincoln
Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln, was the First Lady during the Civil War and was a prominent figure of her era.
Lucretia Mott
Lucretia Mott was an abolitionist as well as a women’s rights activist. She was elected the first president of the American Equal Rights Association.
Clara Barton
Clara Barton was a civil war nurse who began her career at the Battle of Bull Run, after which she established an agency to distribute supplies to soldiers. Often working behind the lines, she aided wounded soldiers on both sides.
Woman Nurses
Between 2,000 to 5,000 women volunteered as nurses during the Civil War. According to the book Women in the Civil War, so many women eagerly volunteered for the job
Secret Soldiers
Although women were forbidden to join the military at the time, over 400 women still served as secret soldiers in the Civil War. A handful of these women even fought in the famous battles of Gettysburg and Antietam.
Woman Spies
Information about the enemy was a key weapon on war, and hundreds of women spied for the Union and Confederacy. Harriet Tubman, best known as a "conductor" on the Underground Railroad, worked as a cook and nurse for the Union before she was asked to organize former slaves in South Carolina into a spy network.