Assess the roles of both northern and southern women on the home front during the Civil War.

1. Women in Disguise

1.1. a handful of women disguised themselves as men and joined the fight

1.1.1. Mary Livermore in 1888 noted that 400 women served in both the armies of the Union and Confederacy

1.2. Women had previously been confined to the domestic areas of the home

1.3. DeAnne Blanton - Women, once accepted into the armies had similar roles to that of men in the army

1.3.1. In some cases would have been decisive in battles and would have taken the load of white men.

1.3.2. Women soldiers were maimed, wounded and killed in action

1.4. Motivations for women

1.4.1. three months service as a private resulted in 39 dollars - previously women would not have been able to earn the same as men - Economic Equality

1.4.2. to seek the privileges and social opportunities that were closed to them as women

2. Women as Nurses

2.1. Women wanted to help the effort and so many volunteered as nurses

2.2. impossible to know numbers as many did not record their time but estimated in the 10,000s - Elizabeth D. Leonard

2.2.1. Many former slaves, once they had reached Union lines were deployed into hospitals to help the men

2.3. Many became attached to certain regiments, followed their brothers, sons and husbands

2.4. Lesi Favour - there was not a proper nursing profession at the time of the Civil War or training courses

2.5. It was a way, as John R. Brumgardt says, for women to seek direct involvement in the national struggle

2.5.1. They provided invaluable aid to the sick and wounded soldiers on both sides

2.6. Dorothea Dix - most famous Civil War nurse

2.6.1. women had to be aged 35-50, strong health and come in pairs

2.7. Women would take soldiers into their homes using spare bedrooms, parlours and attics as wards

3. Desertions of Men

3.1. women grew helpless with the situation of men being away

3.2. Slaves became difficult to control - Fannie Christian "no one to correct them"

3.3. The possibility of loved ones dying, extreme horrors of war encouraged women to appeal to men to desert

3.3.1. Women argued that they had done their bit

3.4. Faust - women encouraged desertion of men

3.4.1. Seen in the 2003 film Cold Mountain, where Ada encourages Inman to desert

3.5. Leaders of both sides began to blame women for increased desertion rates, it only happened because it was encouraged

4. Motivators

4.1. Women at the beginning of the war on both sides were enthusiastic for the fight - Nina Silber

4.2. Alice Fahs - many stories emerged, in popular literature, stressing the roles of women

4.2.1. One of these was encouraging men to go and fight

4.2.1.1. Young women were applauded for ousting and chastising men who hesitated in enlisting

4.2.1.2. One of the most noble things a women could do was give up her son for the cause

5. Women's aid and societies

5.1. women provided uniforms, food, medicines, stationary, blankets and much more for soldiers

5.2. Elizabeth Leonard - it is impossible to calculate the amount of societies that were set up

5.2.1. Did vital work for keeping enthusiasm up, making socks, mittens, clothing and other things to send to the front

5.2.1.1. Women such as Susan B. Anthony in the North had a massive effect in encouraging women that it was their duty to help

5.2.1.2. Faust - the women in the South, lost their initial enthusiasm and this is what lost the war

5.3. Jeanie Attie - there was an explosion of female help

5.3.1. The gifts women made were owed to the State