Women Spies of the Civil War Essay - 1615 Words

Women Spies of the Civil War â€Å" [At first] it was not deemed possible that any danger could result from the utterances of non-combatant females†¦ That this policy was a mistaken one was soon fully proved†¦Ã¢â‚¬  - Allan Pinkerton, The Spy of the Rebellions, 1883 (Leonard 1). In antebellum America there was little tolerance for autonomous women. Usually females, spanning all classes, were attached to households, dependent on males for status and wealth. Society demanded that domesticity be the woman’s domain, any deviations from this constricting edict was met with disdain. The cultural myth of the model genteel women permeated the fabric of 19th century life. However, with the advent of the Civil†¦show more content†¦Beauregard received the missive in time and was able to strategically rearrange his troops. Rose is credited as a crucial component to the Confederate victory at the first Battle of Bull Run. Isabelle Buchanan Edmondson, nicknamed Belle, was an uncontrollable, wild young woman living with her family in Elm Ridge, Tennessee. Searching for an outlet for her restless energy she began smuggling and spying for her beloved South. In 1863, Belle began working for Captain Thomas Henderson’s Independent Scouts based out of Memphis. She transported contraband: basic necessities, medicine, weapons, and hundreds of letters between rebel soldiers and their families across the Yankee picket lines. To hide all of these illegal goods, Belle utilized the traditional Southern style dress of hoop skirts and elaborate hairdos, which concealed much. Sometimes she could not walk because of the heavy weight of hidden items under her clothes and would have to hire a ride. Yankee spy Pauline Cushman was born Harriet Wood in New Orleans, Louisiana. However her father lost all of his money when Harriet was young and moved the family to Grand Rapids, Michigan. From this rugged, outdoor life, she developed a passion for adventure that would last a lifetime. At age eighteen, Harriet decided to leave home to discover the rest of the world. HerShow MoreRelatedWomen Spies in the American Civil War2015 Words   |  9 Pagesmillion deaths the most gruesome war in American history drove citizens to action. The suffering during this era was so great many were inspired by nationalism to act. For those who were unable to join the fight upon the battlefield, espionage represented a chance for personal involvement. Although it is believed that many agents never sought recognition for their service, especially Confederate scouts, documentation depicts the espionage present during the American Civil War to be surprisingly sophisticatedRead MoreThe Importance Of Me n And Women Spies During The American Civil War1392 Words   |  6 PagesKarissa Gilmore Prof. Froese Hist. 12 15-March-2017 The Importance of Men and Women Spies in the American Civil War The American Civil War started because the North and the South disagreed on the main issue of slavery and lasted for four years. They could not agree whether to prohibit slavery in territories that had not become states yet. After the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, the Southern states had a major conflict with Lincoln becoming president and seven slave states succeeded fromRead MoreWomen s Role During The Civil War1301 Words   |  6 Pagesdegradation of Women the very foundations of life are poisoned at their source† (Rose 1). Lucretia Mott was only one of many women in which had to go through this tough time known as the Civil War (Biography.com Editors 2). Women during this time threw away their old ways of being a housewife and everyone helped contribute in the war somehow, whether if they were young or old they helped (History.com Staff 1). Though not often mentioned, women played a huge role in the Civil War. The Women stood up toRead MoreWomen During The Civil War1049 Words   |  5 PagesFor Civil War women in the 1860s it was predictable wisdom that a â€Å"woman’s place is in the home,† but the Civil War challenged this view. There were many women who played an important role in the Civil War. It is normal to think the Civil War was a man’s fight. However during the war, many women challenged the role of the women and took on different roles. While the men marched off to war, the women had to work hard and try to provide for their families. Women became doctors, spies, nurses, couriersRead MoreWomen Of The Civil War885 Words   |  4 Pages For women in the 1860s it was predictable wisdom that a â€Å"woman’s place is in the home,† but the Civil War challenged this view (Civil War Academy, 2015). There were many women who played an important role in the Civil War. It is normal to think the Civil War was a man’s fight. However during the war , many women challenged the role of the women and took on different roles. While the men marched off to war, the women had to work hard and try to provide for their families. Women became doctors, spiesRead MoreWomen In The Civil War1674 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿ Women Who Fought In the Civil War Submitted By: Tierahnee Balfour History 2010 Enhanced Mrs. Teresa Prober 19 October 2012 It is an accepted convention that the Civil War was a man’s fight, but to the women in that time period, it was not. Many women sacrificed their lives to fight for their family and for their country. The Civil War is symbolic in American history because it shaped society, as we know it today, â€Å"Free of slavery†. During the Civil War, women were mostlyRead MoreWomen During The Civil War1523 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Civil War, some of the more notable names were: Ulysses S. Grant, Thomas â€Å"Stonewall† Jackson, and George Custer. These names are synonymous with great generals who fought great battles during the war, but what about Sarah Emma Edmonds, Clara Burton, Dorthea Dix, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, and Loreta Janeta Velazquez? These names are not as known as their male counterparts, but these ladies of the Civil War Era did their part to aide their respective sides in the war. What these and other women didRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Second Cit y And American Rose Essay1410 Words   |  6 Pagesher book â€Å"Lair, Temptress, Solider, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War† was published by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins in 2014 contends that four major powerful women had endangered their lives to become a soldier spy during the Civil War. Karen Abbott analyzes based on a true story of how women s roles are portrayed to accommodate political work, used primary sources including dairies, letters, newspaper. The author describes the individual women in varied personality in a way of lairRead MoreWomen s Roles During The Civil War1261 Words   |  6 PagesWomen s Roles During The Civil War Women were considered frail, unintelligent, and unable to make decisions in eighteen-hundredths America. It was traditional wisdom that a woman’s place was in the home. The Civil War marked a turning point for women and their role in society. Through my research consisting of books, letters, speeches, and articles, I will tell the story of a time in America when women rose to satisfy the needs of the country when most men were away fighting the war. This essayRead More Womens Roles During Times of War Essay1307 Words   |  6 PagesDuring Times of War Despite the prevalence of war goddesses in most traditions from China to Greece to Ireland, women have been separated from the front lines of war for centuries. Western tradition claims that women are not made for war, but for household work: sewing, cleaning, cooking, and looking after children. Society told women to carry brooms in lieu of swords; to collect firewood instead of ammunition, and to keep house rather than protect a nation. Yet, for centuries, women have fought