Essay about The Role of Women in the American Civil War

When the American Civil War began on April 12th, 1861, over 3 million Union and Confederate soldiers prepared for battle. Men from all over America were called upon to support their side in the confrontation. While their battles are well documented and historically analyzed for over a hundred years, there is one aspect, one dark spot missing in the picture: the role of women in the American Civil War. From staying at home to take care of the children to disguising themselves as men to fight on the battlefield, women contributed in many ways to the war effort on both sides. Though very few women are recognized for their vital contributions, even fewer are The women during the war felt an obligation to assist in one form or another. Many†¦show more content†¦Mrs. Gordon Example (Confederate Wife) Union and Confederate generals brought their wives either because they longed for their company or the wives determination to accompany their husbands could not be ignored. I wish the Yankees would capture Mrs. Gordon and hold her till this war is over (Volo 170). Hawks (Union Nurse) Esther Hill Hawks, M.D. is one of the many women that decided to stay away from the battlefields in order to support the Union Army. She and her husband were well to do doctors that worked in a hospital that took in and cared for black soldiers. On one day Hawks was to expect over five hundred wounded soldiers. Two severe amputations today neither surviving but a few hours. One of these, a boy hardly 20 years old, Charley Reason formerly a slave, but of late years resident in Syracuse NY., I have taken a great interest in; he is such a noble looking fellow, and so uncomplaining (Hawks 51). I know what I am fighting for, only a few years ago I ran away from a man in Maryland who said he owned me and since then Ive worked on a farm in Syracuse but as soon as the government would take me I came to fight, not for my country, I never had any, but to gain one (Hawks 51). Sally Louise Tompkins (Confederate Nurse) Sally Louise Tompkins, of Virginia, was 28 years old when the Civil War broke out. At the time Tompkins was an established nurse and philanthropist. She feltShow MoreRelatedThe Civil War: Changing Roles of African Americans and Women2269 Words   |  10 PagesLopez, Robert Gillis-Smith, Beth English M01A The Civil War: Changing Roles Of African Americans And Women There were several events that lead to the American Civil War. The Northern states wanted African Americans to be free from slavery, while the Southern states wanted to continue owning them. The Northern states didn’t need slaves for their economy to thrive, as opposed to the Southern states, where their economy relied heavily on the slave’s free labor. 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