Through Grace and Grit: Northern Women's Contributions to the American Civil War

Abstract

Women’s accomplishments have often been an undervalued if not forgotten part of the American Civil War. This research project discusses the role of Northern women in the war; not only the expected but also the unexpected roles they performed, some as diverse as nurse, spy, musician, and soldier. Women served on and near the battlefield, at home, in the city and countryside, dedicated to the war effort. This paper gives testament to their commitment and sacrifice. The first section of the project offers a historiography of several women as they crossed traditional gender boundaries and served alongside their male counterparts in the war effort. The second section is centered on a discussion of the personal correspondence of Cora Beach Benton as a primary source that chronicles her life and activities during the war in the domestic arena and her struggle to maintain family and home as her husband served with the Union Army. The concluding section presents a website, developed by the researcher, which aligns with the New York State curriculum on this topic and serves as a source for enhancing the prescribed lessons. Various class activities, lesson plans, and other instructor resources are included.