Amazing Tales of Heroism by Women During America's Civil War

The Civil War has been the subject of numerous books, movies and television specials. Of these, many provide glowing portraits of the heroism displayed by soldiers on the battlefield. While this kind of retelling of the story of the Civil War has its place, it has undoubtedly been overdone to the exclusion of other heroes of this conflict. Among the most ignored are the contributions of many brave women to the victory of the North over the South. These women executed acts of cunning and guile and deserve acknowledgement for what they did.

Scout and Liberator

Harriet Tubman is one of the most well-known women in American history. Everyone knows that she was a crucial part of the Underground Railroad, smuggling slaves out of the South in the years before the Civil War. Over the course of a decade, Tubman was personally responsible for leading hundreds of slaves to freedom. She did this at extreme risk to herself, as there were numerous bounties put out for her capture. Tubman's success was such that she came to be known as the "Moses of her people."

It's surprising then, that for a woman of such fame, so little is commonly known about Harriet Tubman's exploits during the Civil War. Tubman was a woman of many talents, and used a number of them to aid the Union cause. From her years of guiding slaves out of the South, Tubman was extremely familiar with ways to get south of the Mason-Dixon Line without being detected. She got together a group of former slaves and returned to the South to scout for Confederate camps and report on troop movements.

In addition to her work as a spy, Tubman served as a nurse. Many men died on the battlefield during the Civil War and many more died in the hospital from diseases such as dysentery. Growing up as a slave, Tubman hadn't had access to proper medical care. As a result, she became familiar with non-traditional, home remedies for illnesses. She brought her knowledge of these matters to bear as a nurse and helped save the lives of numerous Union soldiers.

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