Women+in+the+Civil+War+1861+1899

History of Women in the Civil War (1861-1899)

• Women took on increased responsibilities during the Civil War, supervising businesses and farms while men were away.

• They contributed significantly to the war effort by collecting supplies, serving as nurses, spies, and scouts.

• Over 3,000 women worked as nurses under challenging conditions; around 400 disguised as men to fight as soldiers.

• The chapter focuses on three main groups of women: Union women, Confederate women, and enslaved or formerly enslaved women.

Union Women

• Union women were more actively engaged than Confederate women in the war effort.

• Responsibilities included taking jobs in factories, government offices, schools, and farms while men served in the army.

• Sanitary Commissions, organized by Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, formed 7,000 local chapters that raised over $50 million for the Union Army, providing essential supplies.

• Many women volunteered to sew clothes and supported fundraising efforts for injured soldiers.

Roles of Nurses

• Civil War nurses provided crucial medical care, meals, and maintained cleanliness in hospitals.

• Dorothea Dix dedicated her life to improving mental health treatment and served as the superintendent of Union nurses during the war.

• Clara Barton, known for risk-taking, delivered supplies directly to front lines and nursed wounded soldiers.

Confederate Women

• Southern women faced greater hardships due to the invasions and destruction from the war.

• With most eligible men in the army, women often managed farms alone, dealing with resentful enslaved laborers who began to resist.

• Practical challenges included severe shortages of goods, inflation, and lack of maintenance knowledge for machinery.

• Despite challenges, they participated in sewing uniforms, donating resources, and nursing.

• Sally Louisa Tompkins established a private hospital in Richmond, earning a cavalry captain position from President Jefferson Davis to maintain authority.

Fighting to Abolish Slavery

• The 13th Amendment passed in 1863 aimed to free enslaved people in Confederate states.

• Both black and white women linked the struggle for women’s rights with the abolition of slavery.

• Free black women formed anti-slavery societies but faced challenges in collaboration due to white women’s racial biases.

Prejudice Against Black Women

• Black women encountered significant disadvantages—limited access to education and media representation.

• Notable activists like Sojourner Truth and Sarah Parker Remond managed to outreach and advocate for abolition.

• Free black women also provided aid to escaping slaves during the war, with Harriet Tubman as a notable figure.

White Women Abolitionists

• Although fewer than men, white women played critical roles in the abolition movement, canvassing and petitioning Congress.

• They formed the National Woman's Loyal League in 1863 to consolidate support for abolition, elevating it as a national issue.

• After slavery was abolished, many became involved in the women’s rights movement.

Women After the Civil War

• The war resulted in freedom for four million enslaved people, many of whom sought independence by refusing to return to plantations.

• Sharecropping became a common practice due to the lack of land ownership among former slaves.

• Both men and women focused on family life, especially in reuniting families separated by slavery and war.

Education Efforts

• Prior to emancipation, teaching slaves to read was illegal. After 1865, Freedmen's Bureau established schools and provided medical assistance.

• By 1876, 70,000 black people attended schools in the South, a significant increase from none in 1860.

• Nearly half of the teachers in these schools were women, enduring hardships but committed to education due to their students' enthusiasm.

Economic Problems for Southern Women

• The Civil War resulted in overwhelming loss for Confederate families, with half of the men either dying or severely wounded.

• Many women became widowed, facing a dire shortage of eligible men for marriage and pressured to seek work.

• Women entered the workforce in various roles - factories, teaching, or clerical positions, with some relocating to Northern cities for better opportunities.

• The war catalyzed a transformation in gender roles for both black and white women in the North and South.