American Civil War was an obstinate fight not only between the States, but also between families, neighbors, or friends, and numerous women participated in it along with men. It is known from various military records and historical researches that during the War millions of women were serving as nurses, or spies, or unrevealed soldiers, who were living in camps, bearing arms, fighting for their home and lands, suffering in prisons and dying.
History keeps countless names of American women, who devoted themselves to looking after wounded and dying soldiers, without any rest and reward.Clara Baron was among the ladies, who have been traveling along the battle lines and providing soldiers of both Union and Confederate sides with medical help. Another woman, Phoebe Yates Pember, became a nurse and final companion to hundreds of soldiers dying on the battlefields.
Other brave ladies tried to help with obtaining secret military information. Ambitious and passionate spirit helped Rose O’Neal Greenhow start spying activities and deliver a lot of important information, for what later on she received warm public appreciation.Finally, some women, as Sally Louisa Tompkins, joined army as officers or unrevealed soldiers. The significance and importance of the role of women in the War must not be undervalued. Those were courageous American ladies, who shouldered full responsibility of taking care about wounded and dying, or did all their best to struggle next to men at the battlefronts and deliver other priceless help in the situations, when men could not succeed. Also, they opened a new era in military.After wide public recognition of heroic acts of women during the Civil War, it was officially allowed to engage women in military service.
Besides, the Civil War became a turning point for reconsidering the role of women in American society. After achieving success on such a “manly” field as fighting at war, American women started recognizing their own position and place in the society, claiming for their civil and personal rights, as well as understanding their competence and importance as an influential social part of our community.Bibliography:• Clara Barton, 1821-1912. (n. d. ). American Civil War.
March Through Times. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from <http://americancivilwar. com/women/cb.
html>.• Hall, R. (2000, March 7). “Known But to God”: Female Soldiers in the Civil War. An Official Internet Page of Richard Hall. Retrieved March 21, 2007, from <http://www.
hallrichard. com/civilwomen. htm>.
