Women, Slaves, and Free Blacks in the Civil War What roles did the Northern women play in the war effort on the Union side during the Civil War? What roles did the Southern women play in the war effort on the Confederate side during the Civil War? How did the war affect each group? “There were just shy of 400 documented cases of women who served as soldiers during the Civil War, according to the records of the Sanitary Commission.” (Brown, 2012) Women during the 19th century, according to Historian Barbara Welters were “hostage of the home”. (Brown, 2012) Women were considered what we know now as home wives, without really the option of doing anything outside of the home. When the Civil War began, that meant that men left home …show more content…
There were others that were about of the regiments in which the male relative was serving. These women “camp followers” tended to the sick, cleaned weapons, cooked, and help take care of the sick. (Middle Tennessee State University Teaching with Primary Sources, 2015) In my own opinion I believe the war had a great effect on the women of both the North and the South. Without them, I don’t believe there would have been enough nurses to have saved the men they did and there wouldn’t have been anything “at home” for all left on the home-front. Because of the war, we have great American History about women and the impact they had on the Civil War and after. Which I believe led to a huge part of the Women’s Rights Movement. What roles did the Black slaves play in the Civil War? What roles did the free Blacks play in the Civil War? How did the war affect each group? “It took a clear and dire urging from the beloved General Robert E. Lee to convince the Confederate Congress to begin enlisting black soldiers.” (Civil War Trust, 2015) Black men had tried to volunteer their services to the Union but because of President Lincoln being afraid of what it would do to the white men’s morale, he rejected the blacks from volunteering for the war. However, in saying that, it did changed. President Lincoln passed the Emancipation Proclamation, which stated “All persons held as slaves within any States…in rebellion against the United States, shall
When word of African Americans enlisting in the Union Army got out, the Confederate Army lashed out many threats. They
Even though men said the battlefield was no place for women, these ladies contributed in their own ways. One of the main ways women committed to the war effort was by taking the job of a nurse (Youhn). Women had a lot more experience caring for the sick and wounded, along with keeping a room sterile, than men (Youhn). Some of these
In Conclusion, the women in the Civil War were really important because of what they did and why they did it. I hope I gave enough information to tell you why they were so important when the war had happened. Even some of them risked their lives for their side and country. Maybe not a lot of women died but they tried their hardest. It must have been hard for them to go and fight like that and it was sad because what if some of them had a loved one back home then they would’ve been really
Although this was a huge let down for many Black men, Black men were still determined to aid the cause. For black people the fate of the union was recognized because it tied into the issue of slavery and the fate of slavery tied into the outcome of the war. Many black people understood this concept long before northerners and this is why African Americans offered their services. (Chapter 11 pg. 236)
As most of us know the women of the Civil War were a lot different I believe than the
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
If the women’s secret had been discovered, the soldiers did not do much except send the women back home. Some women treated soldiers who were wounded or sick coming from the battlefield, and they supplied the men with the equipment and other necessities they would need on the field. During the Civil War, Columbus, Mississippi became a well-known hospital town, taking in hundreds of the wounded. Women offered to become spies for the Confederacy to help the military gain useful information about the opposing side, and men did not commonly consider women, such as Rose O’Neal Greenhow capable of doing acts such as spying. Some Southern Democratically-involved women turned their noses from the Northern women in disgust, thinking it unbecoming to be around Republicans, and they continued this attitude for quite some time. But not all Southern women wanted the war, and they did not want to be rude to the “enemy”. One woman, Sarah Morgan, who had been treated well by the enemy said, “Fine, noble-looking men they were. One cannot help but admire such foes! . . .” In these cases where the enemy showed such acts of kindness, many Southern women felt respect and sympathy towards the Union soldiers. Though many of these opportunities for new roles for women opened up during the war, most women stayed at home and took care of their house and children.
Black soldiers played a significant role during the Civil War, for their contributions, on and off the battlefield, greatly assisted the North in the Union victory. During the Civil War, colored men served in military intelligence roles, as well as non-combat and active combat positions. (Numerous individuals possessed significant roles in the Union Army and greatly assisted the North to be triumphant in the Civil War. In addition, colored black soldiers offered psychological and physical advantages for the North. Colored Black soldiers truly intimidated the enemy. President Lincoln expressed in a letter to Governor Andrew Johnson, “the bare sight of fifty thousand armed, and drilled black soldiers on the banks of the Mississippi, would end the rebellion at once.” All colored soldiers fought bravely for the Union Army, as well as for their personal rights and freedoms. For them, participation in the Civil War dispelled all prejudices against colored people, and demonstrated that they deserved equal freedoms and opportunities as citizens of the United States. Approximately four thousand colored soldiers died in the Civil
The Civil War forever changed America. It took place between 1861 to 1865, and was influenced by women in multiple ways. It was influenced by women of the time period in multiple ways. Throughout the Civil War, the standard of medicine advanced through women’s determination, African American nurses, organizations that formed, and influential women. Women such as Clara Barton and Mary Ann Ball Bickerdyke went onto the battlefield and cared for the wounded and sick soldiers. The Women’s Central Association of Relief for the Sick and Wounded of the Army was formed and aided many soldiers by supplying them with necessary supplies to survive. The WCAR put pressure on the government to create the US Sanitary Commission in 1861, which was the primary
The foundation for black participation in the Civil War began more than a hundred years before the outbreak of the war. Blacks in America had been in bondage since early colonial times. In 1776, when Jefferson proclaimed mankind 's inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the institution of slavery had become firmly established in America. Blacks worked in the tobacco fields of Virginia, in the rice fields of South Carolina, and toiled in small farms and shops in the North. Foner and Mahoney report in A House Divided, America in the Age of Lincoln that, "In 1776, slaves composed forty percent of the population of the colonies from Maryland south to Georgia, but well below ten percent in the colonies to the
The day is July 21, 1861. Two armies are clashing in a battle that marks the beginning of a long war that split their country. Throughout the battle, a Union soldier is brought into the the army hospital tent on a stretcher with four bullet holes in his chest. He is escorted to the nearest bed for treatment and is shocked to find a woman performing the operation. On the same day, in the battle, another man is astonished to find a soldier that looks like and may be a woman fighting the enemy beside him. Like these women, many others took part in the war. Contrary to what many believe, women had played a role in the civil war as spies, nurses, soldiers and on the home front.
The number of women serving as men in the war was hard to determine, because they were disguised as males. The predicted number ranges from 250-500 women (civilwar.org). Women were not allowed to fight in the war because they were needed to take care of the family home while the husband fighting. Women who were really passionate about the war would use pseudonyms, so no one would be able to figure out their true identities when they enlisted as soldiers. To disguise themselves, women had to also cut their hair very short and wear very baggy uniforms. The reason these women could slip into the military so easily is because in the 1800s, the soldiers were not given any physical body exams. “The Union and Confederate army were willing to take any person that could fight... Some women even teamed up with their husbands to fight in the war with them” (library.mtsu.edu). Most women served because they had strong motivations for wanted to help out America. “75% of soldiers that were women fought in major battles including the Battle of Gettysburg and Antietam” (Historical Society of Pennsylvania). Factors that motivated women were, “the thirst they had for adventure since they couldn’t do much, to accompany their sons or husbands, their dedication to their country, and to gain some money for their families” (library.mtsu.edu). Women went out of their way to serve for their country even if they were not allowed
There are many Primary documents on women who fought in the war as a soldier one of those women were Loreta Velazquez . Loreta joined the Civil War after her husband died as a soldier fighting for the confederacy.Loreta then joined the ranks to avenge her husband's death, even though she married three more times being widowed every time.Loreta while in the ranks of confederacy was not found out about her gender, until one day in New Orleans when she was discharged because of her gender. Even though before she was found out she fought in the battles of Bull Run, Ball's Bluff, and Fort Donelson. This was only her first attempt though She tried again and fought at the Battle of Shiloh, Still she was discovered afterwards. Then again she tried
Before the Civil War, laws and traditions restricted women’s choices this quote from “breaking tradition” by Kathleen Ernst shows how before the civil war women did not have as much of a role as they do today in the modern world versus the 1800s.
The Civil War was roaring on, men were fighting on the bloodied battlefields, but they were not the only ones that were fighting in the line of duty. Many women served in combat on both sides during the Civil War, stood up for their selves placing their lives at risk for patriotism, independence and to prove that they had hearts as strong as men. However, the war might have been distractive, but it helped strengthen the pride of women along with new experiences outside those of home.