Women Of The Civil War

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She deserted in 1863. After
leaving the army, she worked as a nurse for the United States Christian
Commission. A short time before her death, she petitioned for a veteran's
pension. Two years later the pension was granted to her by Congress.
Some women did not dress up as men to fight. Southren women in
New Orleans despised the Yankee men that occupied their city. They spit on,
cursed at, and even emptied their chamber pots on Yankee soldiers whenever
they got the chance. Because these women were of the upper class, the
officers were reluctant to punish these ladies. General Order No. 28 was
put into effect by Benjamin Butler, the Union major general in charge of
keeping peace in New Orleans. The order said that women who insulted
Yankee soilders would be “treated as a woman of the town.” This terrified
the ladies so much, that no officer had to carry out the order's threat.
Many communities of women organized their own companies to defend
their homes. ...

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commended the courage of the ladies.

Women Spies and Traitors

During the civil war, many women used their gender to disguise
treasonous activities they committed every day. Women were excused from
punishment for acts that would have warranted death in a male.
The most famous woman spy of the Civil War was Bell Boyd. Bell
first defied Union authority when she was seventeen. She shot and killed a
Yankee solidier for trying to enter her home and raise the union flag.
Belle said the soldier cursed her mother “in language as offensive as it is
possible to conceive.” When a group of officers investigated, they
concluded that Belle had done nothing wrong. Since the soldier ...

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