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Women's Role In The Civil War Essay

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A nation divided. Friend vs friend, North vs South, Union vs Confederacy. The American Civil War, starting in 1861 and ending in 1865, was the war fought over the controversy of slavery. The North wanted to abolish slavery while the South believed that slavery should be allowed Before the war had taken place, a countless number of men believed that women were too frail and weak to take part in the war effort. However, amongst the lines of men praised for their nobelity stood courageous women. The pivotal role of women in the Civil War through taking part in tasks such as caring for the hurt by being nurses, being spies on either side, and even dressing up as men to serve in the army, shows that they played just as equal of a role as men when contributing to the battles of the Civil War. An abundant amount of women contributed to the war effort by being nurses and taking care of the wounded. During the start of the war, numerous women helped at home by taking care of the families and homes, but women wanted to help more. As a result, women in the North tried to find a way in which the could …show more content…

During the time of the Civil War, “historians believed that at least 400 women served as soldiers, in disguise” (Zeinhart, 23) . Although the reasons behind some women joining in battle are varied. Some “female soldiers often joined the fight to be near loved ones. Some fought to earn money for their families, while others wanted to fight for their individual causes” (“Women in the Civil War”). Despite the individual reasons behind why a certain woman decided to fight in the Civil War, all of the women put themselves at risk for the sake of their country and in order to contribute, even though only a few were actually

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There were all different kinds of women with all different kinds of backgrounds. Through the war, women like Clara Barton, Belle Boyd, Harriet Tubman helped out a lot during the war. Even though Clara Barton was well known for starting the American Red Cross, she made a big Impact on helping the soldiers in the Civil War. Although Barton was a huge

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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

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Last but not least, women became nurses, spies, business women, and others also volunteered at war. Although men were the ones to take on the role of being nurses out in the battle field, women interfered and got involved. For one, a young lady named Louisa May Alcott a nurse stated that "my ward is divided into three rooms, in one room armed with a dressing tray and rollers, in another room books, and games, the third lullabies and consolation"(Alcott 47). Stipulating that she wasn't just put in one spot, but was in multiple areas helping out those who were wounded. In addition, an abolitionist like Sojourner Truth was a former slave that also helped out in the underground railroads, crossing and freeing people.

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According to history.com, “More then 400 women disguised themselves as men and fought in the Union and Confederate armies during the civil war” (“history.com staff”). The military strategies and women played a role in the Union’s victory over the Confederacy. The Union’s army just about doubled in size of the Confederate army, which gave the North a greater advantage over the South helping to utilized military strategies. The women helped the Union with everything they needed as well as worked as nurses. However women helped the Union a lot throughout the war, but military strategies played a greater role in the war outcome than women did.

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Women participated in the war as secret soldiers, nurses, and even spies. Women dressed up as males to replace their fathers or husbands in the Civil War. Women also joined the war for the reliable wages, promise of adventure and excitement, and to not experience the dreadful news that awaited them at home. Women played a significant role during the Civil War in the home and on the battlefield. Women in the Home Women knew that the beginning of the Civil War would change their lives and their families lives.

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They had a reason to fight, but had to sneak in and had the punishment of being caught, and more. There were between 400-750 women who fought in the civil war. Many women were violent fighters and that some “women soldiers fought in some of the biggest and most famous Civil War battles (“Women Spies in the Civil War”). During the Civil War, some women maintained a male persona for months or even years.

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Aileen Cole Stewart was one of the first African-American women to serve in the Army Nursing Corps, and despite the demand for nurses, women of color had to fight for their roles and faced discrimination, lower pay, and had no chance for promotion. While these are just three women whose contributions impacted the war, their stories are representative of many women at that time. Before the war, women's roles were primarily limited to home and domestic duties. They were expected to get married and have children; educational and career opportunities weren’t even a part of the equation.

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