tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35145830684628764372024-03-05T13:35:54.194-08:00Uncounted Forces: Maine Women in the Civil WarStaffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-13847926483423246142011-09-15T11:46:00.000-07:002011-09-15T11:49:17.394-07:00The Union Hotel Hospital RevisitedI recently reviewed the book <b><i>My Name is Mary Sutter</i></b> by Robin Oliveira and was surprised and chagrined to almost immediately receive 2 comments that pointed out my error concerning the staffing of the hospital. One comment came from the author of the book! I knew that Hannah Ropes and Louisa May Alcott both served at the hospital at the same time, so I mistakenly assumed the fictional Mary Sutter was there, as well. Alas, I didn't check my dates before hitting the "publish" button. My critics were correct, of course. The fictional Mary Sutter was decidedly at the hospital and gone before Hannah (and then later) Louisa May showed up. Robin Oliveira's research was impeccable.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-25655089756204490992011-09-14T06:38:00.000-07:002011-09-15T11:50:24.404-07:00Mary Sutter<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBc5he3fbXObKACLASz_Dqb9vrlLXKviDEIBB9UQmv7X6VV7UvMZUVp4ksZBcBAFD11OgdJqaKZLwMEc9efes9CZUBGkmNz6QfvDpmSWDc0Jgr1eW0tIqJXtmw0kCdhpcwWSXGhc-okE/s1600/mary-sutter-press-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisBc5he3fbXObKACLASz_Dqb9vrlLXKviDEIBB9UQmv7X6VV7UvMZUVp4ksZBcBAFD11OgdJqaKZLwMEc9efes9CZUBGkmNz6QfvDpmSWDc0Jgr1eW0tIqJXtmw0kCdhpcwWSXGhc-okE/s200/mary-sutter-press-image.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><strong><em>My Name is Mary Sutter</em></strong> is a work of fiction by Robin Oliveira published by Viking in 2010. The tale begins in 1861 just as the Civil War is beginning. Mary is a midwife in Albany, New York, with aspirations to become a surgeon. Mary faced seemingly unsurmountable barriers to her aspirations. The medical college would not let her enroll and a local surgeon she hoped would take her on as an apprentice, was leaving for the war. The war, however gave her new opportunities to expand her horizons. Mary did what many women of that time did: left home and went to volunteer as a nurse. Even that was filled with obstacles. At last she found a post at the Union Hotel Hospital, one of the first hospitals established during the war by the army. The author's description of life in those times, travel, conditions of Washington, and even the description of the Union Hotel Hospital are quite accurate. The author clearly did a lot of research. Only the fact that the book reads like Mary, Doctor Stipp and hundreds of patients were the only people inhabiting the hospital seems somewhat wrong. All other nurses and personnel are kept in the background. I am surprised that the author did not make reference to Louisa May Alcott (who also worked there for a short time), nor did she make any reference to Hannah Ropes, the matron of the hospital who was from Maine, who died there. In fact, as dire as the conditions are that the author describes in this story, the actual Union Hotel Hospital may have been even worse. Despite hardship, heart-break, and more, Mary perserveres, as did several other women who were able to become surgeons based on their experiences during the war. This is a great read for those interested in the role of women during the Civil War and I highly recommend it. For more information about the author and her research visit: <a href="http://www.robinoliveira.com/">http://www.robinoliveira.com/</a>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-77049171529380044852011-06-17T05:28:00.000-07:002011-06-17T05:28:36.873-07:00More on Esther GravesI heard back from the National Archives where I had requested Esther Graves' penion record. They were very sorry, but apparently, when they did a search, all they found was a note that her documents had gone missing in 1910. How disappointing!Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-65360943042096117092011-06-12T18:41:00.000-07:002011-06-17T05:24:28.028-07:00Bowdoinham Heroine<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIdrj1baitIf8rv9we9sbbtwFwevYmDjA7yQQ_DpS8dzkaDHIi-QxLW1wwtaTJr6KKE0rl0DEV1VqIktOKPrzdEIACR_4UkHt7eykCfOVBRUrUAGWxggLR_X56RFMB3AJ3aIziblY1Fc/s1600/Esther+Graves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmIdrj1baitIf8rv9we9sbbtwFwevYmDjA7yQQ_DpS8dzkaDHIi-QxLW1wwtaTJr6KKE0rl0DEV1VqIktOKPrzdEIACR_4UkHt7eykCfOVBRUrUAGWxggLR_X56RFMB3AJ3aIziblY1Fc/s320/Esther+Graves.jpg" width="190" /></a> <a href="webkit-fake-url://39FFEA12-E1F8-42A2-96E9-972461DBEB4E/application.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Esther Graves of Bowdoinham was a Civil War nurse that I recently became acquainted with. I had heard stories of a "Miss Graves" from Maine that served as a nurse, but I couldn't find any more than that until recently someone identified her as being from Bowdoinham. With that clue, I was able to find much more information about her. Esther Graves was born January 28, 1821 and died in January of 1889. She served first as a field nurse with the 3rd Maine Regiment and then with the 7th Brigade Hospital near Alexandria, Virginia. She eventually made her way south to South Carolina and Port Royal Island. She is spoken of as the "Florence Nightingale" of Maine and "Bowdoinham's most noble and patriotic woman" in <b><i>The History of Bowdoinham</i></b> by Silas Adams. I have sent for more information from the National Archives and if I find out more, I will let you all know.</div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-57430006911246329322011-05-22T19:11:00.000-07:002011-05-22T19:11:22.268-07:00The Creation of the US Sanitary Commission<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvak29Kvzd4QJi828Emg3sSXAfaT30tk-50DyurS9lv_2uE5DaMlx3z7Tz50-JOofPCsmCcroCezeviQrqnJixkg2tBiNNmCvPZCE2Y7p2jzzIPsdIGlKXaBclyWbfj1VXjf3pXmPvjc/s1600/lincoln+signing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSvak29Kvzd4QJi828Emg3sSXAfaT30tk-50DyurS9lv_2uE5DaMlx3z7Tz50-JOofPCsmCcroCezeviQrqnJixkg2tBiNNmCvPZCE2Y7p2jzzIPsdIGlKXaBclyWbfj1VXjf3pXmPvjc/s1600/lincoln+signing.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1;">On June 18, 1861, President Lincoln signed a bill making the United States Sanitary Commission an official government agency to see to the welfare of the troops. Even as he signed it, he had his doubts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was afraid that the Sanitary Commission could well become the "fifth wheel to the coach," obviously not convinced of the need for the relief efforts advocate Henry Bellows outlined. Lincoln would soon change his mind. During the next four years the volunteer work of thousands of women, many working with the U.S. Sanitary Commission, would cut the disease rate of the Union Army in half, and raise more than twenty-five million dollars in money, goods and services to support the Northern war effort. In a nation that had no medical association, no nursing schools, and suddenly a huge strain on all medical and hospital services, the US Sanitary Commission proved indispensible as it mobilized resources on behalf of the troops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in the beginning, it was a struggle. The agency had no real authority. It was an uphill battle to convince military officials and the medical department, such as it was, to even admit that they needed help<strong>.</strong> </span></div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-17644888896625090872011-04-20T17:52:00.000-07:002011-04-20T17:52:45.034-07:00Mother Bickerdyke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6X5osMWBcBw94aE7pi0qwTD1nBbKI0Onaog561_L4D4nUuVmOcBSKAI4QNOUcn9SD33ZBr7k8NjvNjDnL3Ae_p2-rNaEBratD4z3cTYl6z-DDUNmmMmQVA9Kx_RjpqNBvjRvP3bcBsA/s1600/Mary+Ann+Bickerdyke.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC6X5osMWBcBw94aE7pi0qwTD1nBbKI0Onaog561_L4D4nUuVmOcBSKAI4QNOUcn9SD33ZBr7k8NjvNjDnL3Ae_p2-rNaEBratD4z3cTYl6z-DDUNmmMmQVA9Kx_RjpqNBvjRvP3bcBsA/s1600/Mary+Ann+Bickerdyke.bmp" /></a></div>Mary Ann Bickerdyke was not a Mainer, but her story exemplifies what many Maine women went through in their own efforts to help the poor, sick soldiers. She was born in July 1817 in Knox County, Ohio. She and her husband, Robert, who was 20 years her senior, moved to Galesburg, Ill. where he died a couple of years before the war began. She turned to medicine to support herself and her two sons.<br />
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At a church service at the start of the Civil War, the Reverend Edward Beecher, brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe, read a letter from a doctor describing the deplorable conditions in the hospital at Cairo, Illinois. Soldiers were dying of disease before ever entering the fighting due to lack of supplies and care. “What man can we send?” he asked, but he was greeted by silence until a woman suggested Mary Ann Bickerdyke. “If you’re willing to take care of my boys, I will go,” she said.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Thus began an amazing career. She cared for the soldiers in Cairo and went on to care for Union soldiers across the South. She followed General Grant and then General Sherman and his troops and became known as "Mother" Bickerdyke. She was often in conflict with officers and military protocol, but beloved by the common soldiers. Both General Grant and General Sherman supported her to their fullest. When one Union officer complained about her, Sherman told him to take it up with President Lincoln, because, "She outranks me." He was referring to the common belief that her commission came directly from God. November 8, 1901 she died at her home where she was then living in Kansas. Her gravestone has the epitaph, "She outranks me."</div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-26222412814484967592011-04-10T19:15:00.000-07:002011-04-10T19:15:06.597-07:00A Call to Arms!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_gCPpzszf8jGEFSQW9QXLesceBdnWaghxJ_iQ-uHjeRlz8ZgP3pgy9gvS4oyqZ7_rfTr4xYtZcgA3z94H6uv0Hk7NNaPdM8Dnqug2hxuzrLUrgyuYwny8jImht7atPwU7tDzIE1aOcA/s1600/005+VAW+show.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM_gCPpzszf8jGEFSQW9QXLesceBdnWaghxJ_iQ-uHjeRlz8ZgP3pgy9gvS4oyqZ7_rfTr4xYtZcgA3z94H6uv0Hk7NNaPdM8Dnqug2hxuzrLUrgyuYwny8jImht7atPwU7tDzIE1aOcA/s320/005+VAW+show.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>On April 12, 1861 Confederates fired upon Union held Fort Sumter. President Lincoln responded by calling for 75,000 troops to protect and preserve the Union. To commemorate the beginning of the sesquicentenial of the American Civil War, the Maine State Archives is hosting a grand event in Augusta this coming Friday, April 15. The event is entitled "Saving the Union; the Call for Volunteers." It will be held at the Augusta Civic Center beginning at 1pm and is free and open to the public. Included will be readings of historical documents, music of the era, Civil War reenactors and much more. This is the first of a series of events being planned that will extend through the 4 year interval that the war lasted and will highlight the wonderful collection of Civil War documents and photos that are included in the Maine State Archives collection.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-60063414162253913892011-04-04T16:32:00.000-07:002011-04-04T16:32:18.949-07:00War is declared!<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHRSHgRVymsAFV9BEok3RDfjpqqkHgSY1O_zK7xLKaPDI-R7XFf-znTHoZeZhhghKviL8T_n0CpFFoyd0GFPw2MNZFPLRRfs85xX_C4tqJiydxzHbaq_426yNvOqG_4Ob1CkgEkBaZfA/s1600/Fort+Sumter+bombed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTHRSHgRVymsAFV9BEok3RDfjpqqkHgSY1O_zK7xLKaPDI-R7XFf-znTHoZeZhhghKviL8T_n0CpFFoyd0GFPw2MNZFPLRRfs85xX_C4tqJiydxzHbaq_426yNvOqG_4Ob1CkgEkBaZfA/s1600/Fort+Sumter+bombed.jpg" /></a>April 12, 1861: Fort Sumter wass Fired Upon. Thus ends Lincoln's indecision since he took office on March 4, 1861. The blockade of federally held Fort Sumter in the Charleston, South Carolina, harbor. War was declared and President Lincoln called for 75,000 troops. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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Emily's family owned property in Falmouth, Maine, and she spent many summers there. Emily never married and inherited the family home on Waites Landing Road in Falmouth where she spent her final years. She died January 27, 1929 and is buried in the Evergreen Cemetery in Portland.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-86456114918638789432011-02-05T16:58:00.000-08:002011-02-05T16:58:01.618-08:00Reports from the Attorney General<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZx38NWgZ85KCpsml5f3tAvTs1oiT1XLo-RLtyv6nTlWbhpkdIr84DgWI_z_RXOvWb739BkhuvHAqgw7zSJl86WMOOsNgm8NUcib1JL5HXTKCHZg5V6EOiScZoWdWW3MTAJiFDzdDKhO0/s1600/AG+report.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZx38NWgZ85KCpsml5f3tAvTs1oiT1XLo-RLtyv6nTlWbhpkdIr84DgWI_z_RXOvWb739BkhuvHAqgw7zSJl86WMOOsNgm8NUcib1JL5HXTKCHZg5V6EOiScZoWdWW3MTAJiFDzdDKhO0/s320/AG+report.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Maine's Attorney General issued detailed reports throughout the war. The reports chronicled what each Maine reginent was doing and included comprehensive lists of the soldiers who enlisted. Information about each soldier included their name, age, town, marital status, rank, and sometimes other notes. There were also reports about various agencies that supported the troops including the Maine State Agency, for which a number of Maine women worked, </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 1863 volume said this about the Agency, "For the last year the agency has been, and is now, under the control of L.Watson, Esq., of Wilton, and Mrs. C.A.L.Sampson of Bath. Their labors extend to visiting all the hospitals in and about Washington, and after ascertaining the needs of our soldiers not provided for by the United Styates authorities, communicating at once the fact to their families or friends at home, or to the proper departments at Washington, and, when put in possession of such relief as is provided, dispensing it with promptitude and care.The invaluable labors of Mr. Watson are chiefly devoted to receiving and distributing donations, and in other ways showng every possible attention to the wants of the soldiers....Mrs. Sampson visits every hospital to minister to those in a helpless condition. She causes medical examinations to be made of all applicants for furloughs or discharges, and if granted obtains their pay, allowances and transportation tickets. She also attends personallu, in providing all invalids returning home suitable clothing and sufficient food to last during their journey." Maine Adjutant General's Report, 1863, pg. 49.</div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-4364228810703992952010-12-27T17:29:00.000-08:002010-12-27T17:29:43.526-08:00Approaching the Sesquicentennial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPS3Q7OBtl94PiaMKXMAj00NnL809TSKZNQGG_wrGBOeTCtDVgON58y7Gh6qOxQA63TyKSpApfid25texX-TM6vNHWrjVYt3kw65kYWdg8ei4UQ2GYz_Klo0KocinRME5ncQHPyec6ak/s1600/IMG_1635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPS3Q7OBtl94PiaMKXMAj00NnL809TSKZNQGG_wrGBOeTCtDVgON58y7Gh6qOxQA63TyKSpApfid25texX-TM6vNHWrjVYt3kw65kYWdg8ei4UQ2GYz_Klo0KocinRME5ncQHPyec6ak/s320/IMG_1635.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>The American Civil War began in 1861, which will be 150 years ago in the coming year of 2011. Many believe that the Civil War was the war that defined our nation. When the nation was threatened with splitting into sections, northern Yankees fought more to keep the nation together than to abolish slavery. In the end, the nation remained undivided and slavery was abolished. The transition was not smooth. Much more work needed to be done to truly finish the job and today we continue to work towards creating one nation with liberty and justice for all.<br />
In the coming year, we will be focusing on bringing more information to you, the reader, about the Civil War and how it affected the development of our nation. We will be focusing especially on how it affected women and bring you news of ways you can learn more about the Civil War including places to visit and events you can attend. Please check back.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-41123076573008436792010-08-05T05:04:00.000-07:002010-08-05T07:51:11.623-07:00Henrietta Ingersoll, hospital worker and reformerArmory Square Hospital, shown on the left, was where several Maine women served as nurses. Among them was Mrs. Henrietta Ingersoll, a widow from Bangor, Maine. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZY89bK0iNCfHs7iA0-Ixe77Ks2Ol8X1f1eOoDME2XwkaUosWm-X4adZtoL1mhJwTiTCd7suOxe2k1vAs5bgloA_tdq2k7ObxEn__dQZBHi8CaG4ovPuEexfNGvb-izjaj7DQwG_5XrE/s1600/Armory+Square+Hospital.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 207px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 148px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501896926687724834" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlZY89bK0iNCfHs7iA0-Ixe77Ks2Ol8X1f1eOoDME2XwkaUosWm-X4adZtoL1mhJwTiTCd7suOxe2k1vAs5bgloA_tdq2k7ObxEn__dQZBHi8CaG4ovPuEexfNGvb-izjaj7DQwG_5XrE/s200/Armory+Square+Hospital.jpg" /></a> Her husband, an attorney who had just been appointed Maine Attorney General in 1860, died before taking office, leaving Henrietta to fend for herself . When the war broke out, she was just one of many <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-INeHrJ8zqj7kYg8qyFf31oaqCfrNBoqWxvoSR3I-aU5zGYT5t2pDqVR66DHxzyYWWHgkCHcVbxn-NXbIOA6lS9XqvePbO5hc26jxxHRoHbUqxF9Wx8YR75VeQvvJTdvV7z3SdNIH8M/s1600/Ingersoll.bmp"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 153px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501937800450656370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp-INeHrJ8zqj7kYg8qyFf31oaqCfrNBoqWxvoSR3I-aU5zGYT5t2pDqVR66DHxzyYWWHgkCHcVbxn-NXbIOA6lS9XqvePbO5hc26jxxHRoHbUqxF9Wx8YR75VeQvvJTdvV7z3SdNIH8M/s200/Ingersoll.bmp" /></a>women that volunteered to do their part and she moved to Washington with her children. Well educated and well-connected, she soon found herself an important part of the work at one of the first of the modern Civil War hospitals and one that would serve as a model to subsequent hospitals set up during the war. Set up on the mall in the center of Washington, D.C, it was often visited by dignitaries including President Lincoln. She defended the work of the good doctors, championed women's rights and, in addition to her hospital duties, became the publisher of <em>The Hospital Gazette</em> printed at the Armory Square Hospital in 1864.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-36147888611190700812010-07-21T19:21:00.000-07:002010-07-21T19:48:43.120-07:00Mary Brown: Female soldier?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJhOvQctiviuJ6hcmMKmrCC-IpCbil4ITA39TXFBeL3pLZvyRnY_beu12E17-pbdsiH77faOhnHoaCabwz78RCYteIYi8CzZzM3tkp0Q8_Mdr8urGyB6oUcmM4qagph6xTnnFGDNQQ1g/s1600/Brown+Mary.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496550670868619954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDJhOvQctiviuJ6hcmMKmrCC-IpCbil4ITA39TXFBeL3pLZvyRnY_beu12E17-pbdsiH77faOhnHoaCabwz78RCYteIYi8CzZzM3tkp0Q8_Mdr8urGyB6oUcmM4qagph6xTnnFGDNQQ1g/s200/Brown+Mary.jpg" /></a> Mary Ann Berry from Lewiston, Maine, was 21 years old when she met Ivory Brown from Parsonsfield, Maine and married him in 1861, the year the Civil War began. He decided to enlist with the 31st Maine Infantry Regiment in 1864 and Mary decided she would go with him. Not surprisingly, Mary was rejected by the army. She persisted, however, and took on clerical jobs for the regiment and eventually she went south with the regiment as a field nurse. Records of her service cannot be found, but in 1930 she was interviewed by a reporter and she told her story to him. Besides nursing and caring for the soldiers, she told the reporter that she also fought beside them. When asked, "Did you carry a musket and fight with the Union men?" she replied, "Yes, sir. I carried a musket - a 16 shooter [possibly a Henry Repeater rifle] and a sword and a dirk, too, to fight my way through like the rest of them." Mary was standing right next to her brother-in-law at the siege of Petersburg when he was killed. It is possible that Mary was disguised as a soldier, since General Grant had issued orders that no women be allowed at the front. Ivory was also injured at Petersburg and Mary was there to care for him - first at the field hospital and then later, at Harewood Hospital, where she also cared for other soldiers. Ivory was discharged in June of 1865 and the couple went home to Brownfield, Maine. Ivory died in 1902. Mary outlived him by 34 years, dying in 1936 at age 96.<br /><div></div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-66710191030078930572010-07-10T15:22:00.000-07:002010-07-10T15:54:19.294-07:00The Battle of Gettysburg brings a brother and sister together<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtTgHK_0aGmikl02yjT1p3bfvEH_0HWYj23yZiQ3vR2Hvb8o29W8d41JNbBpWpfT_oPEIA8yW5vwO7K8sh1SP5-nPI-hMywGkG6R-qBFsil23cteMfCA3Qxa2LJvV5omtbwYUEu17zXQ/s1600/Gettysburg+Bank+of.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 172px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492407351832813826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbtTgHK_0aGmikl02yjT1p3bfvEH_0HWYj23yZiQ3vR2Hvb8o29W8d41JNbBpWpfT_oPEIA8yW5vwO7K8sh1SP5-nPI-hMywGkG6R-qBFsil23cteMfCA3Qxa2LJvV5omtbwYUEu17zXQ/s200/Gettysburg+Bank+of.jpg" /></a> Mary Hunt from Gorham, Maine, married and moved with her banker husband, T. Duncan Carson, to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania in 1856. On the eve of the famous battle of Gettysburg, Mr. Carson was busy moving the assets of the Gettysburg National Bank (shown here) to safer grounds. Mary, on her part, gathered 19 women and children, 2 dogs and a cat and moved into the bank's vault for safety. </div><br /><div>She was unaware that, as she was seeking safety from shelling, her brother, Charles, was ma<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_fEoC-IZhM866dUs-IXEWwT2mip0IHnNsv_yoFB4m1hQSI987dnujWYWwWb22baz-Sbk5uzmRRakNrhLs-Lkj38embd2Opk9hiELznNbH2Duycs2qE1NNPPB1TQ8BXTEgIAdVLtV_B0/s1600/Hunt+Charles+O.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 154px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492413224926502978" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE_fEoC-IZhM866dUs-IXEWwT2mip0IHnNsv_yoFB4m1hQSI987dnujWYWwWb22baz-Sbk5uzmRRakNrhLs-Lkj38embd2Opk9hiELznNbH2Duycs2qE1NNPPB1TQ8BXTEgIAdVLtV_B0/s200/Hunt+Charles+O.jpg" /></a>rching through town with his regiment, the 5th Maine Battery. Supposedly, as they passed near the bank he said to his comrades, "If ever I am to be wounded, it should be here, for my sister lives over there." He indicated the bank building and it's nearby residence. The battle was fiercely fought during the first day and did not go well for Union troops. Lt. Hunt was indeed injured and his companions brought him to the bank. He was taken into the vault where a neighbor/doctor operated on him, removing a bullet from his leg. Mary took care of him and many other wounded soldiers for weeks after the battle. Charles recovered and went home to Maine. After the war he studied to become a doctor and was later appointed the first director of the Maine General Hospital (now known as Maine Medical Center) in Portland, Maine.</div><br /><br /><div></div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-72766070672257909362010-06-21T18:26:00.000-07:002010-06-21T19:00:10.012-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3NA5wiR2MsfdZ6sjyU5fkdIJVy-IpuaxcrOMSpeyU_yL5BEEqB1MUQmdxcSEFJooKKU2iz0Lsr5FGcbnVnW1Qp_C5QYVgHQW3s0lUSbEhAFCRjc99LfrowUKPTQ9hb7n0V6-HwzgHPM/s1600/Forbes+Nellie.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 154px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485404077758184466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf3NA5wiR2MsfdZ6sjyU5fkdIJVy-IpuaxcrOMSpeyU_yL5BEEqB1MUQmdxcSEFJooKKU2iz0Lsr5FGcbnVnW1Qp_C5QYVgHQW3s0lUSbEhAFCRjc99LfrowUKPTQ9hb7n0V6-HwzgHPM/s200/Forbes+Nellie.jpg" /></a><br /><div><strong><em>Nellie Forbes</em></strong> of Norridgewock, Maine, began her service by nursing soldiers wounded in the first battle of Bull Run and continued until February 1863 when her own life was in danger from the malaria she contracted. She had been in Washington at the beginning of the war visiting her uncle, Sidney Perham, a congressman from Maine (and later governor). During her years of nursing, she received much praise and many letters from her former patients. One wrote, "Since I left Washington one year ago I have often thought of the many kindnesses I rec'd from you while I lay there wounded and almost helpless. The many little deeds of kindness which helped while away the long hours, that I rec'd from you shall never be forgot so long as my reason remains. Though I may never see you again I shall ever remember you. May God grant you a long and happy life." </div><div>Nellie became very good friends with one patient, Mr. Eleazer Tolman of Milo, Maine who served with the 2nd Maine Regiment. They were married in 1864 and moved to Lawrence, Massachusetts where she continued to care for soldiers and help them get the pensions they deserved. She herself got a pension of $25 a month by a special act of Congress in 1886 with the help of her Uncle Perham, Hannibal Hamlin, Brigadier<strong> </strong>General George Beal and others.</div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-304887790516310532010-06-12T15:20:00.000-07:002010-06-12T15:29:20.698-07:00The Maine Camp Hospital Association of Portland, Maine<div><div>The Maine Camp Hospital Association was one of the best organized soldiers’ aid societies in the North. Based in Portland, Maine, it was so well organized that it was able to send agents into the field to make sure their supplies reached the Maine soldiers they were intended for. Their origins were with the women of the Free Street Baptist Church (pictured on <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCHlBZaG-gMU44uRh33LV9YjDBZBqQGrUNA9V3_bTON3AF9nnJiZzZEU6H-FjQBwvGKDDnO1ptaoWNayWaex5RPeDdMraLWmBqZUrNxjtU-8cO8uBVb5dQCx8PEjHWJaQc5y4OKOXNjQ/s1600/Free+Baptist+Church+Portland.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 151px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482016577960431426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDCHlBZaG-gMU44uRh33LV9YjDBZBqQGrUNA9V3_bTON3AF9nnJiZzZEU6H-FjQBwvGKDDnO1ptaoWNayWaex5RPeDdMraLWmBqZUrNxjtU-8cO8uBVb5dQCx8PEjHWJaQc5y4OKOXNjQ/s200/Free+Baptist+Church+Portland.jpg" /></a>right) in Portland. Their reputation was such that other, smaller soldiers’ aid societies would send their collected supplies and contributions to them to distribute. Their first two agents, Mrs. Isabella Fogg and Mrs. Harriet Eaton, arrived in the arena of the war in October, 1862 and immediately began searching out Maine soldiers injured at the battle o<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKAsixEzYhK6yYRd1mS-tbRFTc161e1trFpFDR2TTs63p9BM8ngVb4y4L5E8qP90xXyGWQWpegjOvcBOrGu-n7wSHUPUk-oY6YfNWll-Qd-WRNOMSiebhxyR3jUeAmD5nJj7YaCrWCnc/s1600/Mayhew+Ruth.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482016588874962034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaKAsixEzYhK6yYRd1mS-tbRFTc161e1trFpFDR2TTs63p9BM8ngVb4y4L5E8qP90xXyGWQWpegjOvcBOrGu-n7wSHUPUk-oY6YfNWll-Qd-WRNOMSiebhxyR3jUeAmD5nJj7YaCrWCnc/s200/Mayhew+Ruth.jpg" /></a>f Antietam which took place September 17, 1862. The men were always glad to see them and receive the gifts and supplies sent from home. The two labored in the field, surviving illness and enemy bombardments until after the battle of Chancellorsville in early May, 1863. Mrs. Eaton went home to Maine; Mrs. Fogg became an agent for the Christian Commission. The Maine Camp Hospital Association sent other agents. At the end of the war, when Petersburg, Virginia, was under siege by Grant’s forces, the agents were Ruth Mayhew (photo on left), Mary Dupee and Rebecca Usher. </div></div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-19425682728276719862010-06-01T16:53:00.000-07:002010-06-01T17:18:48.610-07:00Mary Kneeland - A Spy in the enemy's MidstMary Austin was a both a nurse and spy during the Civil War. Born in Byron, Maine, she married Dr. John Kneeland of New Hampshire in 1854. The couple moved to eastern Tennessee, hoping the warmer climate would be good for his health. Unfortunately, he died the following year, anyway. Mary remained in Tennessee, and soon found herself in a contested area - occupied by both Union and Confederate forces. She took it upon herself to inform Union forces of the movements and plans of the Confederates when she could, riding miles through enemy held territory. She also cared for and hid Union soldiers separated from their units or escaped from the Confederates, from time to time. At one point Confederate General Vaughan came to arrest her, but she entertained him with some fine blackberry wine. He said, "Madam, I came here to have you arrested but you have been so kind I shall not do it."Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-61223578684257745482010-05-18T17:41:00.000-07:002010-05-18T17:56:40.823-07:00Amy Morris Bradley<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IsD8Hnkgn6RfEir32mWIGkqZV45KAmKRJ3jZY-ENFo1ZL0Y-ro4QfjDJndGRvvJLAMQ9P9FNsBx55MSIlSuwW9N9H5oiG0Pt8QVS8m0bUkeYGFK3NchkCpuBDJv5DEDig0PQ2-oWyAo/s1600/Bradley+Amy+M.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 140px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472776371368622658" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7IsD8Hnkgn6RfEir32mWIGkqZV45KAmKRJ3jZY-ENFo1ZL0Y-ro4QfjDJndGRvvJLAMQ9P9FNsBx55MSIlSuwW9N9H5oiG0Pt8QVS8m0bUkeYGFK3NchkCpuBDJv5DEDig0PQ2-oWyAo/s200/Bradley+Amy+M.jpg" /></a>Amy Morris Bradley was a school teacher from Vassalborough, Maine. She volunteered first as a field nurse with the 3rd and then the 5th Maine Infantry Regiments before becoming an agent for the U.S. Sanitary Commission. She served aboard hospital ships, ran a Soldiers' Home in Washington, D.C., before taking charge at Camp Convalescent of the distribution of supplies, helping soldiers get honorable discharges, back pay, and transport home when needed. She even began a camp newspaper, The Soldiers Journal, to which President Lincoln and V.P Hamlin subscribed. </div><br /><br /><p align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiGLNU8DlEyMGhMbWu3WNUsM7jnq2k5ARh98BNIc81vZey6gwL9_cmmfIRd8R5BRdU8B-bv6ry6Vi1ldzV-XKx5KxXA9W64ZNx9l2sChe8LYtb_aEOasS7CxCISRnUL-nm98CIIdRDdIg/s1600/Bradley+Soldiers+Journal.jpg"></a> </p>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-41059995026374231142010-05-14T17:43:00.000-07:002010-05-14T18:09:50.981-07:00Louisa Titcomb of Stroudwater<div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeTM-wrW97Gp3i41ho4x3yyfiZECOsoJLMKePT1_H9jGUYbTapbw1wqveoJfsH_5RLXQKNKi-j6xI8hUJz1f_F7NxbFVuECj-Rq2n8KjRCqJgaybFi4w4rDYLXZcIbFTKZ9zbb7f72UM/s1600/Naval+Hospital+Annapolis.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 130px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471292690903239954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeTM-wrW97Gp3i41ho4x3yyfiZECOsoJLMKePT1_H9jGUYbTapbw1wqveoJfsH_5RLXQKNKi-j6xI8hUJz1f_F7NxbFVuECj-Rq2n8KjRCqJgaybFi4w4rDYLXZcIbFTKZ9zbb7f72UM/s200/Naval+Hospital+Annapolis.jpg" /></a> </div><br /><div>Louisa Titcomb, of Stroudwater, Maine, was only one of at least 14 women from Maine who volun<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UIev3c3RgH93bo_mpwErOozwOTbROTZUz-is1x-ePMZuB0XHylYpU3PjqZri7hIH3D35ZNu6RLpEch7Qsu3SC-asMdgoRHbIBcIy-p1_FBNvspMJu-_s_PVEbMOW1txepYl7j_bOCSQ/s1600/Titcomb+Louisa.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 131px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471296259083248914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_UIev3c3RgH93bo_mpwErOozwOTbROTZUz-is1x-ePMZuB0XHylYpU3PjqZri7hIH3D35ZNu6RLpEch7Qsu3SC-asMdgoRHbIBcIy-p1_FBNvspMJu-_s_PVEbMOW1txepYl7j_bOCSQ/s200/Titcomb+Louisa.jpg" /></a>teered to work as a nurse at the Naval School Hospital in Annapolis. She worked there from August 1863 until May 1865, The hospital, pictured on the left, appeared on stationary she sent Rebecca Usher in April of 1864. While at the Naval School Hospital, she became editor of the hospital's newspaper, "The Crutch," which was created to keep hospitalized soldiers informed of events. </div>Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-54001499909248409262010-05-11T16:06:00.000-07:002010-05-11T16:36:03.386-07:00Rebecca Usher of Bar Mills, Maine<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUOO52efhDPtSu0srhp4RMm989N_gMxhsXnoKdIBz1Okf7_-rI8XdhJWLnUOC1e31zNhOzQMPhA7ieZZgjFGKllLqnOhXIbbsLxWXJCVnG5btYsYcf6gVCfVUveidVWvDyILXMYA-HIA/s1600/Usher+house+ca1900.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470155194520177010" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoUOO52efhDPtSu0srhp4RMm989N_gMxhsXnoKdIBz1Okf7_-rI8XdhJWLnUOC1e31zNhOzQMPhA7ieZZgjFGKllLqnOhXIbbsLxWXJCVnG5btYsYcf6gVCfVUveidVWvDyILXMYA-HIA/s200/Usher+house+ca1900.jpg" /></a><br />Rebecca Usher grew up in a large brick house on the Saco River. Her father had made his fortune in the lumber industry and she and her sisters were all very well educated and involved in the community. It is not surprising that she and her sisters Ellen, Martha, and Jane all did volunteer work to aid the Maine soldiers. What is surprising is that Rebecca left her home and family to become a nurse during the Civil War. She worked first at what she called the Chester School Hospital and later she worked for the Maine Camp Hospital Association at City Point, outside of Petersburg, Virginia. She had met President Lincoln on her second trip south. When she learned of his death, she wrote, " I could not believe it at first, but when the terrible truth was forced upon me, I was almost paralyzed. It seemed as if the sun would never shine again."Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-34369631672959725542010-05-05T05:24:00.001-07:002010-05-05T05:42:10.046-07:00Mrs. Harriet Eaton, of Portland, Maine, was a widow with three children by the time the Civil War began. When Mrs. Isabella Fogg asked for assistance in the war effort, Harriet signed up, leaving her two younger children with friends. Her son had already enlisted in the army. The two women faced extreme hardships as they traveled through the war-torn country-side in the vicinity of Virginia and Maryland, distributing supplies sent from home. They visited regimental encampments and hospitals throughout the area and were constantly apalled by conditions they found. Harriet wrote in her journal, " Oh these poor men! They have to dress their own wounds, wash themselves if they are washed at all and eat -- I wish I could attach one of their rations to this book that it might be seen at home... It is discouraging to go into this Hospital for the poor men are most starved I have not a doubt of it. " The two women struggled on and did what they could. After the battle of Chancellorsville, where the hospital she was working in came under attack, Harriet returned home to her children, and worked with the Maine Camp Hospital Association in Portland. In 1864 she returned to work at City Point, Virginia, very close to where the Union Army was laying siege to Petersburg, Virginia and remained several months at the "Maine Agency" until Mrs. Mayhew, from Rockland, Maine, relieved her.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-26453218149280987942010-05-01T17:19:00.000-07:002010-05-01T17:55:33.913-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vjm-Nx7a3a78Kk3rIi8feWoHXBw_cMeph2BRHQIAKHiUu4cv8b1kwsoqkI1yuOAUC78lIP_84Krf1-crG7SAFinqmsCahtL5mFuVJ7RC2DtqseTX00J7b_sD7pKTVaPtregY9Rhc55Q/s1600/Fogg+Isabella.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 174px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 213px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466462059055191266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0vjm-Nx7a3a78Kk3rIi8feWoHXBw_cMeph2BRHQIAKHiUu4cv8b1kwsoqkI1yuOAUC78lIP_84Krf1-crG7SAFinqmsCahtL5mFuVJ7RC2DtqseTX00J7b_sD7pKTVaPtregY9Rhc55Q/s200/Fogg+Isabella.jpg" /></a>Isabella Fogg, a seamstress from Calais, Maine, was one of the first Maine women to volunteer as a nurse for Maine soldiers. After spending several months in Washington D.C. in 1861 and 1862 nursing fever-ridden soldiers, she returned to Maine to request supplies and support for her efforts. The appeal resulted in the creation of the Maine Camp Hospital Association, which became one the best organized Soldiers' Aid Societies in the North. She left Portland for the "Front" with supplies and Mrs. Harriet Eaton, the widow of the late minister of the Free Will Baptist Church in Portland. Arriving shortly after the battle of Antietam in the fall of 1862, their supplies and help were desperately needed. Together, not always in harmony, the pair did their best to help sick and wounded soldiers until shortly after the battle of Fredericksburg in 1863, when Harriet returned to Maine and the care of her children. Isabella Fogg continued to labor in the field, following the Army of the Potomac to which many Maine soldiers were attached. Colonel Joshua Chamberlain of the 20th Maine Infantry Regiment wrote, "I consider Mrs. Fogg one of the most faithful, earnest, and efficient workers in the humane cause in which she has been engaged for the last 3 years that I have ever seen in the field."Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514583068462876437.post-68612712265367453402010-04-27T11:34:00.000-07:002010-04-27T12:03:00.889-07:00When the first shots were fired at Union-held Fort Sumter in April of 1861, patriotic fervor was aroused to great heights throughout the North. The Union must be preserved! Men enlisted in droves, but what about the women? They could not sit at home and carry on as before. They started by sewing flags, sewing uniforms, and taking over the jobs the men left behind. They ran shops, businesses, farms, post offices, and even operated fire fighting equipment when needed. <br /><br />They worked in the mills making tent fabric and cloth for uniforms. They made cartridges for the rifles and much more. They supported the war effort by organizing Soldiers' Aid societes and making hospital clothing, gathering and shipping supplies, and raising money to aid the soldiers. Some did much more -- leaving home and family to serve as nurses for the sick and wounded soldiers. Hundreds of women from Maine and thousands throughout the North stepped far outside the traditional roles of Victorican women to do their duty to their country.Staffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14732937354985034253noreply@blogger.com0