Roles of Women in the Civil War

            When the men were out at war fighting for the country, what were the women doing? The obvious would be that they were taking care of their children and the household chores. However, they were not just at home; rather they played many roles in the Civil War. Some key roles that women took on during the Civil War were nurses, spies, war relief workers, and even secret soldiers. An estimated 400 women disguised themselves and fought in the Civil War and some without ever revealing their identity. Over hundreds of women were spies for the Union and Confederate. By communicating with soldiers, they got military information to tell their supporting side. The spies also secretly smuggled supplies across enemy zones in their large hoop skirts. They carried ammunition and medicine as well as other useful necessities. During the Civil War, there were over 2,000 nurses that the press nicknamed them "Florence Nightingales." Nursing could have been a horrifying job, for they had to look at the sickly wounds of hurt soldiers. They cleaned and bandaged the wounds, dispensed medicine, and assisted surgeons during amputation procedures. Even if they weren't in the battlefields women still supported the war at home, women began charities to support the soldiers. They participated in sewing circles and made clothes for the men as well as held charity drives, where they gathered food and medicine for the troops. Also, they held fundraisers to raise money, like the  1863 Sanitary Fair in Chicago. Therefore, women should also be remembered for their war efforts.  

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The Women of the War