Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-04-14
A Toast to the South's GoIIont Ladies'
To the Editor Of The star:

IlC S4I0Ay 6t6I 14Dt ~ kO1lS 0&V
contained an article. Women Of Civil
War Interest Congressman" by Isabelle
Shelton. It quoted Representative Fred
Schwengel Of Iowa as saying. There
were some great women during the Civil
War. some wonderful women. especially
on the Union side. 1. Some Of the
Southern women did very well. too.
Betsy Sullivan and Mrs. Ella Trader
were particularly outstanding. And
there was Belle Boyd. who spied for the
South. But in general the Northern
women did much more. The Southern
ers were handicapped by q tradition
OF leisure. Their women were used to
having servants do everything for
them
Since Representative Schwengel Is
pursuing intensive research on the
rights Of women and their achieve
ments, respectfully submit the follow
ing facts relating to the achievements
Of the women of the South during the
war between the States.
When Gen. Robert E. Lee paraded
a brigade of South Carolina troops
after the battle Of Fredericksburg for
the adjutant general Of Richmond to
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footed, without overcoats, warm cloth
ing, and. OF course, sinadequately fed.
The adjutant general said to Gen. Lee:
This Is the most remarkable demon.
stration Of patriotism have ever seen.
How do you account for it?" Gen. Lee
said, 'This Is the influence OF the
Christian patriotic homes, Christian
wives and mothers Of these men"
William H. Seward, Federal Secretary
OF State, was asked. after visiting the
Winchester region of Northern Vir-
ginia. what he thought Of Union senti-
ment there. "Well." he replied, "all
the men were gone to war. and all the
women were she devils"
The war middle soldiers out of the
men and thereby it affected little less
the lives Of the women. The restricted
confines of the home over which
Southern women had additionally pre-
sided in the past were by the war ex-
tended to the whole Confederacy, and
women engaged in almost every activ-
ity which could aid in prosecuting the
war. Their services were so useful and
their support was so powerful as to be
recognized by their friends and enemies
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women's Deeds Congress and State leg
islatures passed resolutions Of thanks
and praise; and in 1868 H. w. r. jack
son wrote book entitled "The South
ern Women of the Second American
Revolution" A Southerner wrote in
1861 that never Gin any age or coun-
try, was there ever witnessed such an
intense war spirit as that now prevail
ing among the women Of the Confed-
crate States" A Federal soldier wrote
in 1864: "The South stands today quite
as much indebted for successful pro-
longation Of this struggle to her women,
as to her generals and soldiers in the
field. Fully, fiercely. terribly and ma
lignantly have they entered into this
conflict" 1T Is the part that woman
is acting in this great cause that fires
the heart and nerves the arm of our
soldiery" declared Confederate cap
tain.
Some Southern women acted as spies
locally and over the entire Confed-
eracy; among them were Ellie M. s.
Poole Of West Virginia, Nora McCart-
ney Of Missouri, Diana Smith of vir-
ginia. Anne and Julia Lomax Of Mary
land and Virginia and Charlotte Moon
of Tennessee.
The beautiful Mrs. Rose Greenhow.
Washington lady of high social
standing. sent much valuable informa-
ton to the Confederate authorities.
She was credited with sending to Gen.
p. G. T. Beauregard information as to
the route the Federals were following,
which enabled him to win the battle Of
First Manassas. Mrs. Greenhow lost
her life by drowning while carrying
dispatches for President Jefferson
Davis
Belle Boyd, another noted woman Of
the Confederacy. made her debut by
killing Federal soldier who entered
the Boyd home in Martinsburg and
miStreated her mother. She had an
incredible career of spy service. arrests,
imprisonments and sentences to be
shot. She obtained much valuable mill
tary information from Union officers
which she transmitted to Gems. Stone
wall jackson and Turner Ashby.a
Southern women also achieved fame
as nurses and in caring for Confederate
wounded and their families. Mrs. j.
Harmon Brown and Miss Matilda
Saunders of Baltimore supplied Con-
federate prisoners in Fort McHenry
with food, medicines, clothing and
bedding. After the battle Of Sharps-
burg, Mrs. Brown with funds donated
by Maryland sympathizers converted
large tannery in Frederick. Nd, into
hospital and spent weeks in nursing
and caring for hundreds of Confederate
wounded.
Mrs. Saunders persuaded Gen. Sheri-
dan to agree to her plan to relieve the
widespread suffering in the Shenan-
doah Valley. The Sisters Of Charity Of
the Archdiocese of New Orleans rode
in carts, farm wagons, on horseback
and muleback to care for. sick and
wounded Confederate soldiers who fell
on the battlefields along the Mississippi
River.
Sixteen-ye old Emma SAMSON rode
behind Gen. N. B. Forrest through gun
fire to show him the ford in order
that he might capture the Federal
forces Of Gen. Streight.
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