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Civil War Nurses

Civil War Medicine

Clara Barton

Some Civil War nurses such as Clara Barton who later founded the American Red Cross and Dorothea Dix who prior to war had worked for improved treatment of the mentally ill, are well-known.

Barton worked independently, depending on donations to bring supplies and other volunteers where she saw fit.

Dix, one of the few nurses to actually be hired by the federal government, was the strict, no nonsense superintendent of army nurses.

The opportunity to nurse or to take leadership positions in the many volunteer organizations that collected supplies for the soldiers enhanced women’s views of their own capabilities and led some to join the women’s suffrage movement after the war.

The selfless service to the wounded of both sides and all faiths by hundreds of Catholic nuns lessened the anti-Catholic feeling that many white Protestants had held before the war.

Mother Angela (Eliza Maria Gillespie), a relative of General Sherman and the founder of the Sisters of the Holy Cross, supervised sixty nuns who cared for men at the large Mound City Naval Hospital, in Illinois; wounded troops from both sides were brought to this hospital by ship and at one point Mother Angela protected a wounded Confederate officer from an angry crowd who wanted to lynch him.

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Feb 19, 2010, Advertising Disclosure

Advertising Disclosure. This site is my personal site. It accepts advertising and other forms of compensation.

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Dec 5, 2009, Civil War, American Civil War, Reconstruction

The Civil War was a horrific four years for the nation. When it was over, more than 620,000 Americans had died from battle and war-related causes. American had fought against American and in some cases, brother had literally fought against brother.

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Nov 9, 2009, Brass Band, Civil War Music, Civil War Bands

The brass band of the Civil War played a very important role for both armies. They played at recruitment rallies and their music often helped to encourage young men to enlist.

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Nov 9, 2009, Civil War Ships, Civil War Marines, Hunley, Civil War Ironclad ships, USS Monitor

Civil War ships played an important role during the war, more important than most people think

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Nov 9, 2009, Blockade Runner, Civil War Blockade, Civil War Ships

A Blockade runner was a ship that attempted to get through the Union blockade of Southern waters during the Civil War. One of the main goals of the North against the South was to starve them and cut off supplies and transports to and from the South.

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Nov 9, 2009, Belle Isle Prison, Civil War Prison Camps, Civil War Prisoners

Belle Isle Prison is located west of Richmond Virginia. It is a small island located in the James River that was used as a Civil War Prison for captured Union soldiers.

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Nov 5, 2009, Sherman's March, March to the Sea

Sherman's March to the Sea would set the south ablaze. The sea was the goal, the end result, for the Union leader. General Sherman was a rogue if only for a few months, the general of the Union army stationed in the heart of the Confederacy was on a rampage.

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