Fifth Grade
Worksheets
Women in the Civil War
Men weren't the only people to play a large role in the Civil War. Women also did a lot to help. Some became nurses and helped those who were fighting. Others dressed as men and did some of the fighting themselves.
Neither the Northern nor the Southern army allowed women to enlist. Any woman who wanted to fight had to pretend to be a man. The women dressed as men and changed their names. Recruits were not asked to provide proof of their identity. Because of this, it is hard to say exactly how many women joined either army and fought in the Civil War. Most women were not discovered until they were injured or killed.
After the battle of Gettysburg in July 1863, one woman was found dead on the field. Based on where her body was found, she probably took part in Pickett's Charge. In 1934, a grave was found outside Shiloh National Military Park. There were nine skeletons in the grave, and one of them was female. The identities of these two women will probably never be known.
