Women of the Battlefield During the Civil War
While men answered the call to arms when the Civil War began in 1861, women across the country were also spurred to action. On both sides, women at home gathered in aid societies and circulated petitions to support war causes. A smaller number of women, however, took their support one step further and joined men on the battlefields. A few even shouldered rifles.
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Vivandieres
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Both armies had vivandieres. These were women who marched alongside the men, provided some medical assistance, and carried ammunition or messages down the line. One of the most famous was Marie Tepe, who served a Zouave unit. She wore the same loud colors the male Zouave's did, but a red skirt instead of red pants. She was injured at the Battle of Fredericksburg and was honored for her bravery there.
Examples
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Loreta Janeta Velazquez raised and equipped a 236-man infantry unit, the Arkansas Grays, at her own expense. She created a system of wires and braces to hide her breasts and adopted the name of Harry Buford. She was twice cited for gallantry in battles in Kentucky and Tennessee before being discovered as a woman. Though she never fought on the battlefield again, Velazquez acted as a spy for the rest of the war. In contrast, Mary Steven Jenkins enlisted in a Pennsylvania regiment while still at school. She served for two years, received several wounds, and was discharged without ever being detected.
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Care
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Despite the fact that some generals did not want them near the battlefield, several female nurses and caregivers distinguished themselves during the Civil War troops. Clara Barton served through most of the war. In the 1862 battle of Antietam, she felt her sleeve quiver while tending an injured soldier. She looked down to see a bullet hole in the arm of her dress, and that the bullet had killed the man she was helping. Barton went on to start the American Red Cross. Mary Edwards Walker of New York was a nurse and surgeon, who was eventually appointed the chief surgeon of an Ohio regiment. She eventually received a Medal of Honor in 1866, becoming the first woman and civilian to be so honored.
Reaction
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Although around 250 women served in the Confederate army and 400 in the Union army, they all did it in disguise and most were never officially recognized by the government. Sarah Edmonds, for example, enlisted under the alias of Franklin Thompson and fought in the battles of Bull Run and Antietam. She was also an effective spy, but she deserted rather than be treated for an illness that would have exposed her as a woman. However, her service record was so strong she was eventually granted a military pension in 1886. Some women had their work acknowledged sooner. Mary Owens, who served 18 months under the name John Evans, got a warm welcome home in Pennsylvania after she was injured in battle.
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