Introduction
The generally accepted point of view is the idea of the American Civil War (1861-1865) as a war of men. Women were mostly portrayed as selfless nurses, romantic spies, or brave ladies who cared for the household without their husbands. However, men were not the only ones who waged battle; and women also carried weapons, went on the attack, lived in camps, suffered in prisons, and died for their just cause. The American Civil War was one of the major armed conflicts in the history of the United States, in which not only men but also women who served as paramedics and fighters bravely fought for justice.
Analysis
It is no secret that the American Civil War was not exclusively male, and about a thousand women participated in it and played a crucial role in changing the internal foundations of the country. Some dressed up as men and rushed into battle with weapons; some provided care and humanitarian aid to wounded soldiers, working as self-taught nurses. Nevertheless, among the most famous women who bravely fought in the Civil War, Clara Barton, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, Harriet Tubman, Sarah Rosetta Wakeman, Belle Boyd, and Elizabeth Van Lew should be singled out separately (Kennedy, 2020). In this case, it is necessary additionally to focus individually on a brief biography of these great women defending the freedom and independence of the motherland.
Primarily, it should be noted that Clara Barton was an “angel on the battlefields” of the American Civil War, the creator of the American Red Cross, a social reformer, and a philanthropist. She risked her life caring for wounded soldiers and distributing supplies to them on battlefields (Kennedy, 2020). Clara was persistent, tenacious, tough, and purposeful; she worked all her life tirelessly until her death at the age of 90 (Reynolds, 2020). Thus, due to the work of this woman, many lives were saved. In addition, Harriet Tubman also partook in the Civil War directly in the detachments of the armed forces of the North as a nurse, cook, scout, and participant in armed operations for the liberation of enslaved people. In general, she is known as a courageous and insightful “conductor” (Kennedy, 2020). Nevertheless, she is most remembered as a veteran of military operations and one of the most important symbols of the struggle of black residents of the United States for their rights.
In particular, female spies have played a significant role in tactical intelligence. Thus, Rose O’Neal Greenhow was a spy who helped win the Confederacy. At the beginning of the war, she used all her contacts to be helpful to the Southern. Her fame was brought by the first major military success of the Confederates — the victory in the first battle of Bull Run in July 1861 (Reynolds, 2020). It is believed that her information about the time of the federal troops’ appearance at Manassas station helped General Beauregard adequately prepare for a meeting with the enemies.
Moreover, Belle Boyd was a spy who worked for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. At the beginning of the war, she lived in Front Royal, where she supplied General Thomas Jackson with information. She managed to warn the Southerners that the enemy was preparing to destroy the bridges over the Shenandoah River. Boyd did not abandon her espionage activities even after her arrest. Separately, it is worth mentioning Elizabeth Van Lew, who also became one of the most famous spies of the North. Miss Van Lew did not hide her hatred of slavery, and when the war broke out, it was not surprising that she supported the North. Miss Lizzie managed to get a job as a nurse in the Libby military prison, where Northern prisoners of war were kept, and to use her position, she organized several escapes. In addition, she transmitted information about the enemy troops received from prisoners of war.
Furthermore, many women in the war presented themselves as men and fought with weapons. For instance, Sarah Rosetta Wakeman was a woman who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War under the male name Lyons Wakeman. No one knew her secret until 1976 when they read her letters stored in the attic of relatives (Kennedy, 2020). As one knows, she began to live a “man’s life” long before the war and entered the service solely because of financial benefits.
Conclusion
Thus, it should be emphasized that the American Civil War was one of the significant and bloody events in which both men and women participated. Often, women took male names, disguised themselves as men, and hid their femininity, helping mainly as fighters, medics, and spies. Although their service could not have had a severe impact on the course of the war, female soldiers deserve to be remembered because they were extraordinary revolutionaries who valiantly opposed Victorian views on the proper role of women. Women fought not only with the enemy’s guns but also with the gender prejudices of their society. However, today, women are allowed to serve in the military but do not have the right to participate in direct combat. The women soldiers of the Civil War proved themselves capable warriors, and from a historical point of view, the women who fought from 1861 to 1865 were not only ahead of their time; they were ahead of our time, too.
References
Kennedy, B.N. (2020). Civil War women. Blue and Gray Education Society. Web.
Reynolds, D. (2020). The Civil War. New York, NY: Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC.