The Lesser Known Women of the American Civil War

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Who do you want to learn about?

Mary Edwards Walker

Susie Baker King Taylor

Rose O’Neal

Mary Edwards Walker

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Mary Edwards Walker was the only woman to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for her service in the

Civil War.

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She was born on November 26, 1832 in the town of Oswego, New York.

Her family were strong believers of the Abolitionist’s cause

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Her father Strongly believed in education and equal opportunity for

his daughters

A view that strongly influenced Mary’s life.

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Mary graduated from Syracuse Medical College in 1855. She was the only

woman from her class and only the second woman in the United States to

graduate from a medical School.

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A drawing of how the

college looked like when she

attended.

When the war broke out, she tried to join the Union Army as a

commissioned medical officer.

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She was denied, but volunteered as a assistant surgeon.

By doing so, she became the first female surgeon in the US Army.

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On November 11, 1865, President Johnson awarded her the

Congressional Medal of Honor for Meritorious Service to recognize her

contributions to the war effort.

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Fun Fact!This is what the

Medal looked like during the Civil

War, quite different from today’s

version.

After the war, she became an active advocate for women’s rights. She

wrote and lectured about dress reform, health and temperance, and women’s

rights.

Fun Fact!Walker had a penchant for cross-dressing and

prided herself for being arrested for dressing in men’s clothing. She felt

clothing was too restrictive and

immodest.

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In 1917, her medal was revoked when Congress revised the medal’s

standards to include only “actual combat with the enemy.”

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That did little to stop her. She refused to give her medal back and wore it every day until her death in 1919.

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Susie Baker King Taylor

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Rose O’Neal

Susie Baker King Taylor

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Taylor became one of the few African American Women to work for the Union

Army as a nurse.

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Taylor was born in Georgia on August 6, 1848 as a slave.

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At the age of seven, Taylor and her brother were went to Savannah. There,

they were taught in secret by black women.

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Her home in Savannah

where she lived and was taught

On April 1, 1862, Taylor was freed when a nearby fort was captured by

the Union Army. She went to the Union occupied St. Simon’s Island, where

word of her education spread.

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A mere five days after her arrival, she was offered supplies if she would

organize a school for the children of St. Simon’s Island.

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Fun Fact!

This is a picture of class from one of the schools

she established. Two decades later! Talk about

a legacy!

She became the first African American teacher to openly instruct black

students in Georgia.

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She met and married her first husband, a black non-commissioned

officer in the Union Army.

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For the next three years, she traveled with her husband’s regiment, working

as a laundress.

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This is what a typical black

regiment looked like in the Civil War.

She did more than laundry duty. She taught the soldiers how to read and

write. She also trained and served as a nurse.

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In 1866, she and her husband returned to Savannah, where she would establish a school for free black

children.

That same year her husband would pass away.

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After her husband’s death, she moved to Boston. There, she met Russell

Taylor who would become her second husband.

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Nursing stayed a passion of hers. She joined the Women’s Relief Corp, which

gave assistance to soldiers and hospitals.

She soon became president of the organization.

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Susie Baker King Taylor died in 1912 at the age of 64.

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You have successfully completed Susie Baker King Taylor’s Biography!

Who else would you like to learn about?

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for the quiz!

Rose O’NealMary Edwards

Walker

Rose O’Neal

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Rose O’Neal was one of the most renowned spies of the Civil War.

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O’Neal was born in Montgomery County, Maryland in 1817.

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She was a passionate sectionist and was known as “Wild Rose.”

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She sent a secret message to General Beauregard, which ultimately caused

him to win the Battle of Bull Run.

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She was imprisoned for her efforts, but still managed to get messages to the

Confederacy via cryptic messages hidden in unlikely places, like a

woman’s hair bun.

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Fun Fact!This is an actual

message she wrote and sent. Look closely and

you’ll see her cryptic code!

After her imprisonment, she was exiled to the Confederate States.

She was warmly welcomed by President Jefferson Davis.

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She spied so successfully for the Confederacy that President Davis

credited her with winning the Battle of Manassas.

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In 1864, she boarded the Condor, but just before the ship docked, it was

attacked by Union war vessels.

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She fled in a row boat, but it capsized and she never made it to shore.

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An illustration depicting her leaving the

vessel on the row boat

O’Neal was buried with full military honors in the October of 1864.

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You have successfully completed Rose O’Neal’s biography!

Who else would you like to learn about?

I read all three and am ready

for the quiz!

Susie Baker King Taylor

Mary Edwards Walker

Who Are You?

Take this short quiz to find out which heroine you are most like.

Afterwards, You will write a short essay based on your result.

Take Quiz Now! Ready for

the essay!Main Menu

Help!

Hyperlink not working? No Problem!

If the link fails, simply open up a web browser and copy and paste this URL:

http://quizilla.teennick.com/quizzes/18509195/which-lesser-known-civil-war-heroine-are-

you

Essay Time!

Imagine that you are your quiz result in the present day. What type of job would you

have? What of today’s issues would you be most passionate about? Be sure to explain why with facts from her biography. It must

be at least a paragraph.

Be creative!

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Directions

Either write the essay on looseleaf (clean edges! No frills!) and turn it into me in person

or use word and email it to me at kurtz0@purdue.edu. Either way, it must be

turned in by the next class period or it will be considered late! No exceptions!

Remember you can be creative, just back it up with a well-reasoned argument!

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Work Cited

Information URLs:

Mary Edwards Walker - http://www.northnet.org/stlawrenceaauw/walker.htm

Susie Baker King Taylor - http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah/taylor-susan-susie-baker-king-1848-1912

Rose O’Neal - http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/greenhow/

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Work Cited

Pictures:Slide 1 - http://www.nzlendrums.co.nz/index/military-service

Slide 3 - http://myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=maryedwardswalker

Slide 7 - http://www.homeoint.org/cazalet/histo/pennsylvfem.htm

Slide 10 - http://oregonmag.com/Fletcher509.html

Slide 11 - http://goodchanges.tripod.com/id18.html

Slide 14 - http://ouralabamaroots.com/?p=143

Slides 18 & 20 - http://www.kingtisdell.org/sktaylor.htm

Slide 23 - http://www.civilwaracademy.com/civil-war-black-soldiers.html

Slide 29 - http://docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/greenhow/menu.html

Slide 35 – http://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/3679495958/

Slide 39 - http://www.lib.unc.edu/ncc/ref/nchistory/oct2005/index.html

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