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What Role Did Women Play In The Civil War

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Everyone knows what the men did during the civil war. They fought for their side on the battlefields. They were almost never home because they were always fighting. They were risking their lives for their side. Everyone loves and praises all that the men did, but what about the women? Did they do anything heroic? In recent wars, the women stayed home to protect their families, but the women in the Civil War changed this.
During the Civil War, the women didn't just cook and clean, they were nurses for the injured and some spied on the other side. Women played many roles in the Civil War. They did not just sit and wait for the men in their lives to come home from the battlefield (The Roles of women in the Civil War). Some even disguised as …show more content…

“Although the exact number is unknown, it is speculated that hundreds of women served as spies for the Confederate and Union armies in the Civil War (The Roles of Women in the Civil War).” This information explains to us that a lot of women were spies during the Civil War. They would spy on the other side and try to find battle plans and other important information that would be necessary to winning specific battles or the war in general. An example of a famous women spy is Rose O’Neal Greenhow. “Rose O’Neal Green (aka Wild Rose) become one of the most renowned spies in the Civil War (Women in the Civil War).” This information tells us that Greenhow was very important spy at the time of the Civil War. “She began spying for the Confederacy in 1861. One of her most important messages allegedly helped Gen. P.G.T. Beauregard gather enough forces to win the First Battle of Bull Run (5 Women Spies of the Civil War).” Another famous spy is Elizabeth Van Lew. “Van Lew was a Richmond-born abolitionist whose sympathy for the Union, and the cause of freedom, compelled her to bring food and other comforts to the Union officers imprisoned a few blocks from her house at Libby Prison (5 Women Spies in the Civil).” This information shows us that Elizabeth Van Lew helped a lot of people on the Union side of the Civil War. “Her loyalties were under suspicion, but her wealth and social status protected her for the most part (5 Women Spies in the Civil) .” Another important spy was Pauline Cushman, a spy for the Union. Pauline Cushman was an American actress and spy during the Civil War. “She was caught and nearly executed, but was freed. She later toured the country recounting her exploits in lectures and one-woman plays (Pauline Cushman) .” This information explains to us that Pauline

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There is very little written record of their service though a few of the more famous names left accounts. At the beginning of the war, nurses were merely volunteers who showed up at military hospitals. But after Battle of Bull Run, Clara Barton and Dorethea Dix organized a nursing corps to help care for the wounded soldiers. http://www.historynet.com/civil-war-nurses Most of the women valorized for their contributions to the war effort were white. Yet African American women, for whom the outcome was of the greatest importance, found their own way to the battlefields.

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The Civil War, fought mostly by men, is often referred to as the war of brother against brother. Although there were a few women who engaged in the battles alongside the men, the number was very small and their direct contribution to battle was probably not very significant. This is not to say that women were not important to the Civil War. Women were very influential in the national crisis and their contributions were arguably just as important as the male soldier’s on the battlefield. On both sides of the war, women employed their strength, intelligence, and compassion in the critical roles of abolitionists, civil right’s advocates, nurses and spies.

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Women had a strong contribute towards the American Civil War. Women around the civil war were noted as nurse, spies and the maintainers of the household in the absence of their man. All with those notions, surprisingly enough, women along with the men, bore arms and charged into the battle. The vast majority of the actions, contributions, activities, and assistance towards the war went unnoticed. Jane E. Schultz, an associate professor in American studies and women’s studies at Indiana University stated in the book Women at the Front that the women contribution in the war were of all different race, religion, class and region.

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Between 1861 and 1865 men were obligated to leave their homes and fight either on the union or confederate side of the United States. As a result women were forced to maintain the households while the primary breadwinners were gone. The Civil War challenged the ideology of the roles of women in the antebellum era. The roles of women in the north and south transformed tremendously and became a pivotal aspect to the war. One duty women took during the Civil War was become supporters of their male loved ones, which proved to be influential since it raised the morals of the men and gave them something to survive for.

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In fact, women play a small role in the events leading to the Civil War and the result of the Civil War itself. There existed differences in a woman’s life when living in the North versus the South; such as, the opportunity to work in a factory. The South maintained its conservative culture which revolved around the dominance of the white man, and women had little role in society. Overall, opportunities presented itself in the North for women to integrate into society and be something besides being a staple to man. Regarding women in the civil war, their most substantial role consisted of being a spy; Harriet Tubman was the most famous Union spy.

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The Civil War opened so many new opportunities for people. But it especially opened opportunities for women. The war established the importance of unity and equality between people. It was a time of change and innovation, with people finding new opportunities to pursue their dreams. Louisa May Alcott, an American novelist who served as a nurse in World War II, wrote in her journal, “I long to be a man, but as I can’t fight, I will content myself with working for those who can.”

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During the Civil War, women spies were very successful at their jobs for a great deal of reasons. They were perfect for the role of spy because women were easily trusted and viewed as non-threatening by soldiers who, would often let their guard down around them. Men didn’t expect women would get involved in such a dangerous job, so women spies often went undetected during the early part of the Civil War. Women often gathered information about the enemy’s plans, troop size, fortifications and supplies on scraps of paper or fabric and then sewed them into their blouses or rolled them into their hair. If they were to smuggle goods such as morphine, ammunition or weapons, they often attached them to the frame of their hoop skirts or hid them in baskets and inside dolls.

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On the other hand, many question why women had the oppurtunites to be spies in this time period when they had many other general restrictions. However, women were well fit for the job being due to the fact that they could be trusted and were not threatening to others (soldiers) in war. It is also true that women would have to volunteer for the job while a very few percentage of spies were recruited by spymasters. Typically in the Civil War women spies were young, white, and umarried. They also tend to be more attractive, charming, and intelligent which are all the necessary charcteristics when gathering all of the information from soldiers.

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Female Confederate Spies Ever since the establishment of the new world, women have held less power and privileges than men. As history progressed, the female role began to change. During the American Revolution, women supported the war by providing blankets and care for the hurt soldiers. In the Civil War, women took on new roles in the fight that were not as innocent as the jobs in the preceding events.

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When their husbands went away for war women had to take over businesses and farms, defend their homes, serve meals and cook for the continental army even some of them were on the battlefields as nurses and soldiers. The war showcased the social significance of women and it showed how some tasks that were considered feminine like spinning became highly appreciated. It also gave them an opportunity to show what they can really do. Women wanted to do things like own businesses but socially that was unacceptable so they fought for their civil rights which allowed gender classification to no more be a thing.

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Men were always the workers within the family, the ones that were expected to provide for their families. When they went to war, their role within community life needed to be filled. That is when their wives, daughters, and sisters stepped up and took over. “In addition to caring for their families, [women] were left to supervise businesses and farms while the men were away fighting” (Senker). Women were already cooking, cleaning, and caring for their children, but still made time to work and provide as a father figure every single day.

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The Civil War disrupted women’s lives. Some took on roles during the actual conflict. Lady Anne Cunningham was a warrior leading Scottish troops into battle. Lucy Hutchinson organised the defence of her village against Royalist troops when her husband was away, Lady Brilliana Harley died defending Brampton Bryon Castle. With their husbands away for large periods fighting for the King or Parliament, women often took centre stage in running of the estates.

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Any part played in the war was a major one. Women would stay home and take care of the children, and if needed help their husbands fight. Women were nurses and housewives. Women were in big demand as nurses because the bloodshed had become too hard to handle. But do women often get credit?

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Women were able to participate meaningfully in the war effort by working as nurses, clerks, and other support personnel. Although women did not engage in combat roles, they still made a great deal of sacrifices

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In the United States, every student can expect to take at least one class that covers the Civil War. The event was far too important to out history to skip, but however, the lessons mainly revolve around the men. Why is that? We hear tons of stories of war victories, and learn the names of famous male Generals. While at the same time, all we hear about the women is "they stayed home, and took over the job 's the males weren 't there to do."

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