Nurses

** Civil War Nurses "The Angels of the Battlefield" **

Introduction
toc Often when one envisions the [|American Civil War], they picture the brave soldiers and generals who died in one of the most brutal wars in history. One of the most important aspects of the war that is frequently disregarded by many, is the nursing service and the thousands of brave woman who volunteered in it. Historians estimate that somewhere between 3,000 and 8,000 women volunteered, however an exact number will never be pinpointed due to the fact that several women refused to have their names recorded and did not accept pay.

Although these brave women did not charge into a hail of bullets for their country, their work was vastly significant and will always remain in the hearts of the dying soldiers whose last moments were made pleasant thanks to them. For many of our nation's soldiers, these caring women filled the roles of sisters, mothers, and wives during the war and provided invaluable assistance to the medical force and to the soldiers on both sides of the battle. For that, America is truly grateful to these courageous women: the "Angels of the Battlefield".

//Watch the video below for a brief explanation of how the American Civil War began and a montage of photos from the Civil War era. Skip to the end [3:00] to hear a Civil War Nurse's recollection of an experience she shared with a soldier who died of Typhoid Fever:// media type="youtube" key="3oL1vak82Ss" height="385" width="480"

Women in the Civil War
During the Civil War era, women filled vastly different roles than the women of today do. Within this time period, females were not only thought to be the inferior gender, but were also believed to be ignorant as well as entirely dependent on the males. As news of the Civil War circulated, the men and boys of America flocked to enlist while the women and girls were forbidden to do so by both the Union and Confederate armies. During the 19th century, it was thought to be the job of the men to engage in bloody warfare, perish in prisons, and die heroically for their loved ones back home. Meanwhile, it was the job of the women to raise the children and maintain the household while their husbands, brothers, and fathers fought in the war.

Directly preceding the American Civil War, the majority of society was opposed to the idea of female nurses. Not only was this idea considered absurd, but it had also never been heard of before the mid-1800s. When the concept of female nurses first emerged, society overtly opposed it, thinking that the women would be an inconvenience to the male surgeons. Also, as well as being a nuisance, the women who volunteered were also accused of simply seeking love and unnecessary attention instead of volunteering for the benefit of their country. Another common idea believed by the public, was that war was a place for men and that exposing an innocent woman to the bloody war would ruin her and destroy her refined "lady-like" nature. Despite the fact that the majority of society objected to the idea of female nurses, a small percent thought that the soldiers would benefit from female sensitivity and tenderness. Either way, those who disapproved of the idea agreed that if women could not be of any other use, they could at least clean the floors and cook meals for the soldiers. Furthermore, women who strived to take part in the war began to volunteer by the thousands. These dedicated women sought to take on whatever duties that they could in order to help their country, even when most other work was discouraged simply because a woman was a woman.

Nursing Requirements
//The following document was written by Dorothea Dix, an activist and the superintendent of the female nurses. This document was written to lay out the requirements and regulations for the women who volunteered as nurses in the nursing service during the American Civil War. //  Washington, D. C., July 14, 1862,
 *  Circular No. 8., by Dorothea Dix **  

No candidate for service in the Women's Department for nursing in the Military Hospitals of the United States, will be received below the age of thirty-five years, nor above fifty.

Only women of strong health, not subjects of chronic disease, nor liable to sudden illnesses, need apply. The duties of the station make large and continued demands on strength.

All applicants must present certificates of qualification and good character from at least two persons of trust, testifying to morality, integrity, seriousness, and capacity for care of the sick.

Obedience to rules of the service, and conformity to special regulations, will be required and enforced.

Compensation, as regulated by act of Congress, forty cents a day and subsistence. Transportation furnished to and from the place of service.

Amount of luggage limited within small compass.

Dress plain, (colors brown, grey, or black,) and while connected with the service without ornaments of any sort.

No applicants accepted for less than three months service; those for longer periods always have preference.

Approved, William A. Hammond, Surgeon General.

 Daily Life and Duties of Nurses
Irrespective of what society thought, the work of the nursing volunteers during the Civil War was highly significant. Due to the fact that they were female, the nurses' responsibilities mainly revolved around all things domestic. During this time women were often discouraged to take part in further medical procedures and were never present on or near the battlefield, as these jobs were filled by the male doctors and surgeons. However, few brave and renowned nurses such as Clara Barton witnessed surgeries, assisted operations, and courageously aided the wounded on the battlefield.



Overall, the Civil War nurses served for three distinctive purposes. Firstly, they regulated, prepared and served the soldiers' meals for the duration of their hospital visit. During this time, the male surgeons prescribed either a "full" "half" or "low" diet to a patient according to his condition and the severity of his injuries. A nurse would then be assigned to that soldier and she would be in charge of managing his diet and meal cycle according to what had been prescribed. For example, if a patient was either significantly ill or wounded, he would be prescribed a "low" diet until he became more stable. Ordinarily, a "low" diet consisted of food that was easily digested, including items such as hot coffee and farina, a flour or meal type substance composed of grains, nuts, cereal, or starchy roots. Secondly, the nurses tended to the physical needs of the patients. This job included the distribution of clean linens, clothes, bedding, and any in-coming supplies from the U.S. Sanitary Commission or other foundations. In general, the nurses would see to it that all patients were comfortable, clean, and in good hands.

Lastly, and most importantly, the nurses tended to the emotional and spiritual health of the nations wounded. This duty was by far the most extensive of all the nurses' responsibilities, and vastly depended on how each individual nurse dealt with it. Some individuals would merely engage in a friendly conversation, others would read to their patients, some even sang to them or even danced. In addition, the nurses would occasionally lay flowers in the soldier's cots as they wrote goodbye letters for them to send to their loved ones. Essentially, a nurse's job was to lighten the mood of the wounded and dying in any possible way in order to make their last days enjoyable. As a result of this job, the thousands of women in the nursing service played the most important roles in the American Civil War. These women substituted as sisters, mothers, grandmothers, and wives in the hearts of the countries soldiers. These tender women offered their gentle kindness and love to the dying and soothed the fiery hearts of the soldiers. For that, they will always be remembered in our nation's history and also the hearts of the brave and valiant soldiers who died for what they believed in.

Nurses' Clothing
When Dorothea Dix created the regulations for female nurses she intended for them to center around the idea that no one was there to look at them. Due to that concept, a woman was required to dress plainly, either in the colors brown, black, or gray, and their attire must also be manageable in a stressful work environment. Owing to the fact that there was always a constant flow of nurses up and down the aisles, large hoop skirts and crinolines were banned as they may have been hazardous to the soldiers. For instance, if a patient recovering from a grueling surgery was nudged by a nurse in a hoop skirt, his wound might re-open and he would be susceptible to death by blood loss. As well as that restriction, any dresses with curls, bows, or jewelry of any sort were never permitted.



Over the course of the Civil War, many of the female nurses began to alter their attire to fit the circumstances and adapt to the situation at hand. Essentially, the nurses learned as the war progressed what was best for which tasks and adjusted their style according to personal preference as well. The nurses were able to do so, due to the fact that aside from the overall rule of "plain dress" nurses did not have a concrete uniform unlike the soldier's clothing, which was more definite and clear-cut. As a result of this, the nurses' attire contrasted among religions and customs according to where the nurse grew up. Overall, a typical nurse wore an outfit consisting of a dark (either plain or patterned) dress, boots, a white apron, and some form of hairnet or bonnet with a tightly wound bun at the nape of the neck.



Clara Barton
Clara Barton was not only one of the most respected nurses during the time of the Civil War, but was also one of the few who courageously aided the wounded on the battlefield. Clarissa Harlowe Barton was born on December 25th 1821, in Oxford Massachusetts. She was born into the respected family of Captain Stephen and Sarah Barton who made a steady income based on farming. Clara developed basic nursing abilities at the early age of eleven when she nursed her sick brother David back to health and helped him recover from an almost life threatening illness. Thus it became evident that young Clara was a highly intelligent child and was expected to succeed from a very young age. By the age of 17, Clara became a teacher in Massachusetts, and six years later founded her own school. Shortly after that, Barton decided to adjust her career path after ten years of teaching and moved to Clinton New York to practice writing and language at the Liberal Institute.

As the country plummeted into the depths of the Civil War, Clara Barton, like many other driven women, seized the opportunity to volunteer in the Nursing Service. Like many of the other nursing volunteers, Clara accepted no governmental pay for her services and aided her country free of charge. As the Civil War progressed, Clara began to pursue the job of aiding the wounded on the battlefield, despite the fact that women had ever previously been allowed to do so. Originally, military officials rejected her help, however, she gained the trust of these officials and was eventually given permission to assist the soldiers. Another reason why she was given permission is because as the war continued, many realized that a more efficient way of tending to the dying was needed. Thousands of soldiers were perishing on the battlefield either because of blood loss or because they were not reached by the medical force in time. As casualty rates soared, Clara Barton, along with many other brave doctors, set up urgently prepared field hospitals to tend to the freshly wounded and dying. Clara soon began to practice her nursing solely on the battlefront and experienced the horrors of the Civil War on sixteen different battlefields. Aside from working on the battlefield, Barton also began to receive, manage, and obtain camp and hospital supplies from all over the country. Shortly after the war, she was given permission by President Lincoln to engage in a letter-writing campaign to search for missing soldiers.

Later in life, Clara traveled to Europe where she learned about the [|Treaty of Geneva] and of the idea of The Red Cross. She learned further about the Red Cross by traveling and assisting some of the European volunteers in the Franco-Prussian War. Upon returning to the United States, she was committed to getting the United States to sign it, along with the twelve other nations who had done so, and eventually succeeded, in 1882. Clara Barton soon became President of the American National Red Cross and her leadership lasted twenty-two years. As a result of Clara's valuable work, the American National Red Cross was able to aid the wounded victims in future wars, epidemics, and natural disasters in a more efficient way than was done so during the Civil War. Overall, Clara Barton was a determined, powerful, woman whose remarkable hard work extended far beyond just the Civil War and benefited America as a country.