The graphic novel Battle Lines consist of most of the significant points that belongs to the Civil War. Although the author mentions the battle lines, letters, draft numbers, and many other topics, it could be a good point to address women’s role and how war affected the women’s life during the civil war between 1861 and 1865. American’s definition of woman was who devoted their life to cook for their families, raise children, and deal with the house works before the civil war. However, their role had changed dramatically during the civil war both for the Union and Confederacy women. That is to say, most of the women were effected from civil war in some different ways. They worked for various organizations such as hospitals, commissions, and even by fighting in battle areas. Moreover, war resulted to some economic difficulties and women started to support themselves and their families economically. Women supplied the troops by food to clothing that anything army needed and they played significant role in American civil war.
Regard to female soldiers, both Union and Confederacy women took a part in front lines of the battle. Some of the women were soldiers and some of them was playing active role by taking care of injured soldiers. For example, there were some women who dressed as soldiers and served for the armies. According to the Civil War Trust,’ in July of 1863, a union burial detail at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania made a startling discovery near Cemetery Ridge. Among the bodies covering the grand—the wreckage of the Confederate attacks during the battle, the Union man found a dead woman wearing the uniform of a Confederate private.’(1) This was an great example to prove the fighting women in front lines of the battle. Regard to confederacy part, south had less resources than North in terms of military and economic. For this reason, women were more essential in battle lines for Confederacy and women did their job on their own to feed their families and support the army through local auxiliaries. Moreover, some of the women were served as spies to get intelligence from the enemy. The book of Battle Lines referred to histories of men during the civil war but women also played significant role and left considerable marks in the war history.
Women also served as nurses in both for Union and Confederacy armies. Before the war, almost all trained nurses were man but this changed with the Civil War. This situation states that women’s place in the society had also changed and their involvement to workforce increased during and after the American Civil War. Nurses cleaned soldiers’ wounds, involved in medical operations, and fed soldiers. According to the Dixon’s article in 2013, ‘Clara Barton well-known humanitarian and founder of the American Red Cross, brought professional efficiency to soldiers in the field, especially at the Battle of Antietam in September of 1862 when she delivered much-needed medical supplies and administered relief and care for the wounded.’(2) As author stated, Clara Barton was one of the nurses which made considerable contribution to the war and she was just one of the women figure in the battle. There were some reasons that women for serving as nurses in the army. Both Northern and Southern had economic hardships during the war and earning a living for the family was a woman’s responsibility. Serving as a nurse had been paid by both armies and this was a great opportunity for women to feed their family. On the other hand, some of the women served just for the cause of patriotism. In particularly, South had lack of soldiers and women participation to the war as even a nurse was really crucial in order to defeat the Union army.
In short, nursing was another point which exemplified the women contribution to the war.
Besides the women’s contribution to the civil war effort, their social and economic life changed dramatically after the Civil War. This war provided many opportunities and gains for women. Women image had empowered during the war because of their significant contributions. After all male soldiers left from their house, women ran all businesses. They started to have control on their own lives by earning money. Women joined many commissions and corporations to support their army during the war. These all showed that women had more freedom in war time and war supported to their causes in some ways. They were not hostages at home anymore and they expressed their ideas in more comfortable ways. Also, women showed that they are capable of doing some important businesses by running the farms, funding the army, and taking care of their house. As Miriam Cohen stated that ‘By the 1870s’, women were broadening their influence working in national organizations such as Woman’s Christian Temperance Union(WCTU) and the Young Women’s Christian Association(YWCA), which helped in single women in America’s cities.’(3) . The statement clearly shows that the status of the women had changed during and after the war. Being a member to organizations opened way to their future political and social rights in the American society. American Civil War was sort of the turning point leads to this positive change. After the Civil War, the equality definition between gender empowered and this supported the more balanced society.
As a result, the place of the women in society had changed a lot with the American Civil War. Women had new duties and responsibilities during the war and these gained new perspectives to women. Also, women proved that they could make contributions just as much as men did during the war by joining the army and taking part as an assistant power behind the battlefront. The Civil War also allowed woman to have a voice in the society and business affairs. Women proved their potential what they could do and this affected to change their role in the society in the next years after the war.