Women's Role In The Civil War

The Civil War was a very deadly war for America. The Civil War had American casualties on both sides. Many people lost a person close to them or a family member. The war lasted from 1861 – 1865 and many soldiers died or were injured. Women in the war played a big role. This was the first time that women participated in a war. This was unusual because women would not normally participate in a war. They got involved because they wanted to help their side of the war win. In the Civil War women acted as nurses and doctors, undercover soldiers and spies, and encouraged men to join the war.

One job women did in the Civil War was nursing. Dorothea Dix, a nurse, appointed superintendent of all female nurses in the Union Army. Women had to have good
One well known spy was an actress called Pauline Cushman. She would pretend to support the Confederacy, and while doing so, gathered information. With the information, she made lists of people who were against the Union and supported the South. After some time, confederates had a rising suspicion of her and arrested her in 1863. She was sentenced to hang. The Union heard about this and set off to help her. Union solders managed to help her escape three days before her death sentence, and she later returned to being an actress. Lincoln recognized her actions and made her an honorary major in the Union Army. Another spy who was a risk taker was Elizabeth Van Lew. Van Lew lived in the state of Virginia ( a Confederate state) and secretly supported the Union. She often had Confederate leaders at her house as guests. She would listen intently to what they would say then later pass it on to the Union leaders. Van Lew also had a spy ring which had many free slaves. The spy ring would carry maps, documents and messages in code to the North. Spies would hide the information in food baskets, hooped skirts and secret compartments inside their shoes. One of the spies in Van Lew’s ring was Mary Elizabeth Bowser. Bowser went undercover as a maid for President Jefferson Davis. During work, she would read Davis’ documents and eavesdrop on Confederate plans. She would pass the information to other spies who would stop by Davis’ house to make deliveries. When the Confederates became suspicious of her, Bowser fled to the North. Later, Bowser was placed in the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Corps Hall of Fame. Harriet Tubman also served as a spy. While under disguise of an old woman, she easily moved in Confederate territory. “In 1863 [Tubman] led a raid in South Carolina that resulted in the escape of over 700 slaves” (Flanagan 40). (Flanagan