Amazing Women of the Civil War: Fascinating True Stories of Women Who Made a Difference

by Webb B. Garrison

The Civil War is most often described as one in which brother fought brother. But the most devastating war fought on American soil was also one in which women demonstrated heroic deeds, selfless acts, and courage beyond measure. Women mobilized soup kitchens and relief societies. Women cared for wounded soldiers. Women were effective spies. And it is estimated that 300 women fought on the battlefields, usually disguised as men. The most fascinating Civil War women include:

Harriet Tubman, a former slave, who led hundreds of fellow slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad

Four hundred women who were seized in Roswell, Georgia, deported to Indiana, and vanished without a trace

Belle Boyd, the "Siren of the Shenandoah," who at the age of seventeen killed a Union soldier

"Crazy" Elizabeth Van Lew, who deliberately fostered the impression that she was eccentric so that she could be an effective spy for the North

Genres: History, Civil War, Nonfiction, Feminism

288 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1999

About the author

Webb Garrison, formerly associate dean of Emory University and president of McKendree College, wrote more than 55 books. Before his death in 2000, Garrison lived in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina.

Reviews

[Dustin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this! Some of the women were figures I had read about in books covering a similar subject, such as Emma Edmonds, Belle Boyd, and Rose O’Neal Greenhow in “Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy” and others were completely new to me. I can excuse the few grammatical mistakes I came across and Mr. Garrison’s tendency to use toundabout descriptors and adjectives when simple pronouns or names could do as he was 80 years old when this was published. it did read more overall as an entry level introduction to a gallery of prominent women in the Civil War rather than a comprehensive work of scholarship, but i do not think the latter was Mr. Garrison’s intent in writing this book. I think this is a casual and accessible starting point for those who would like to know more about select women in the Civil War.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

After reading "They Fought Like Demons", about women posing as men to become soldiers during the Civil War, this book seemed very lightweight, based on hearsay and not fact. Kind of like reading "The National Enquirer" as compared to "The New York Times". See the chapter on the Missing Women of Roswell! There is also an apparent bias in this book toward the Confederacy. In the first chapter, the author describes Union soldier Sarah Emma Edmonds' memoirs as "clearly the product of a vivid imagination". She is one of the best documented of the women soldiers, having received a pension from the US government for her service based, in part, on the testimony of her superior officers. Yet the author accepts the actions of Confederate spy Belle Boyd based solely on "tradition, supported by Boyd's memoirs". Why the difference in treatment of these two? Likewise, for a book about women there are an awful lot of discussions of and pictures of men. Nearly half the pictures in the book are of men. While it is nice to look at historical photos, I would have preferred the focus of the book to be what its title purported: women of the Civil War. Some of the statements of the author are just downright condescending. For example, a comment in the chapter about Emma Sansom: "She died wearing tattered homespun, but knowing that she was the only female ever to climb aboard the warhorse of Nathan B. Forrest and ride with him. No Southern woman who survived the war years could have imagined a more rewarding memory." Really?

[Cecilia Jones]

I found this book very interesting and learned of women from both the north and south that I'd never heard of as well as learning new information about women I had heard of. It's worth the read I think and it has sparked in me a desire to know more about several of these women.

[Jacquie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title is exact...Amazing! The book contains 30 short chapters of some incredible women who risked so much to fight for something in which they believed. Both sides of the war were covered, Union & Confederate in a way that focused on these women's beliefs and not the politics of the opposing governments. I couldn't help but wonder if I could have been as brave as they were and risk everything to maintain my way of life. Truly amazing stories about some incredible women.

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose these books because I wanted to know about the role of these women in the war, about their strength, their courage, their fights. I enjoyed reading it and this book is good as an introduction to this subject. It's just a little bit of information about these women. I would like to read more about them.

[Phyllis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interestinig book for the information sharedbut not spellbinding.

[Lindsey Duncan · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mile wide and an inch deep, chronologically confusing, and assumes that the reader already knows the significance of certain dates, battles and places. Okay as a starting point for more research.

[Gabby Rockhill · Rating 2 out of 5]

This man's writing style is unfocused. He unsuccessfully summarizes the lives and contributions of these women and I'm just left confused.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very well done. I especially liked the chapters on writers and nurses.

[Martha Camire · Rating 3 out of 5]

2 1/5 stars only because I think this is a very poor choice for a book club read because of the short chapters and so many characters to keep track of. I became very frustrated reading this and not as interesting as I thought it would be. Ok read.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a page turner but the stories of some of the women were interesting. The book outlined more than 30 different women who left a legacy after the civil war. Some of the women in the book surprised me. I didn't know that Louisa May Alcott was a nurse during the Civil war and worked herself nearly to death. Her father picked her up and took her back home to recover and she wrote Little Women while she was still recovering. It was interesting to read about Mary Custis Lee, wife of Robert E. Lee, whose marriage was anything but pleasant and who had the Arlington Cemetary created on the front lawn of her house. Julia Ward Howe who wrote the Battle Hymn of the Republic and Sarah Edmonds (aka Frank Thompson) who was a spy were fascinating to read about. I felt a lot of sympathy for Varina Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis, who had great aspirations of being the 1st lady of the Confederacy and ended up spending a lot of time trying to get her ill husband out of prison. I have always been fascinated by the Civil War and this view through the eyes of women was interesting and worth reading.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating profiles of many women involved in the Civil War. Some dressed as men to be soldiers. Others were spies, wives, nurses, doctors. Others were strategists, poets, writers, authors, princesses. From both sides of the conflict, these women held their own. I wish I had a book to study like this while at a women's college in classes of women's studies, American History and studies of the South. We tend to think of women's rights beginning with the suffrage movement. Not so. It was alive and well in the 19th century America. This is definitely something I want my daughter to read when she becomes old enough to do so. (Sections relating to the state of Georgia to be used for Georgia history for HH)

[Pamela · Rating 2 out of 5]

Garrison has written snapshot portraits of women who inserted themselves into the story of the American Civil War. These accounts are short on scholarship (perhaps necessarily) and highly dependent on supposition, hearsay, gossip, and myth making, as well as credible documentary evidence. These stories are perhaps a place to start looking at the many roles some women played, or may have played, as soldiers, spies, nurses, and journalists on both sides of the conflict.

[Kristin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really appreciated reading this book. I can identify with a lot of these women (at least I hope to!). It's amazing what they accomplished considering what they were up against. This book is really well organized, and it's a quick read. I recommend it to anyone who typically has a low tolerance for reading history books.

[Gwen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting information on the contributions and roles played by women during the Civil War. Some women were familiar to me but there were many accounts of women I had never heard about before. Unfortunately, that is generally true for women and history. Most of the contributions and parts played by women tend to be left out or glossed over by our history books.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each chapter was on a specific woman. Duties they performed included spies, soldiers, journalists, Angels of Mercy, and wives. Some of them are Wives of Gen Lee and Gen Grant, Eliza Anderson, Princess Agnes, Lucy Hayes, Mary Walker, Sarah Edmonds, Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Van Lew, Major Parline Cushman, Emma Sampson, Nancy Hart, Clara barton, Harriet Beecher Stowe

[Tom Mach · Rating 5 out of 5]

We tend to think of the Civil War only in terms of the men fighting it. Yet women were a very important part of this great war. I keep this book with other references I have, and I heartily recommend this book to all readers.

[Brenda]

One of many books sitting on my bookcase waiting to be read.

[Marilyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing and inspirational!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the writing in the book was a bit simple, I enjoyed learning about so many women I knew little or nothing about.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting history of some women during the American Civil War. Entertaining and informative.

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mildy entertaining, definitely not definitive nor is it very academic. Reports on a lost of "hearsay".

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read and there were many interesting stories.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative.

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting read about women during the Civil War, who fought right along with the men, nursed men, were the women behind great Civil War leaders, etc.