The Gals They Left Behind Them!
© Katie Anne Gustafsson
During the American Civil War, the women were faced with their loved ones fighting, not on a distant shore, but on home soil and they contributed in many ways to make the lives of their soldiers easier. For all women, writing letters to husbands was a way of making contact. In some instances, couples found themselves expressing inner thoughts and feelings which had never before been discussed, because the written word made it possible to talk about such things without being embarrassed to speak of it face to face. However, receiving letters brought mixed blessings. In Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind", Melanie receives a letter and she is afraid to open it, she fears that something has happened to the man she loves, and can't bear to read the news herself. Scarlett reads the letter and their relief at its content is both evident and poignant. At another point in the story, Scarlett and Melanie wait for news of the Gettysburg campaign at the Railway Station, as do many of their friends. The casualty lists are released and scanning the names, they quickly realise that Ashley has been spared and rejoice in his good fortune. This euphoria is short-lived however as Melanie glances around the other people who were waiting, sees the shattered faces of her friends, and you can sense her guilt at being joyful when others are suffering. Although these episodes are fictional, it is not difficult to understand that they are written about true feelings, and probably many women not only of that period, but also of any war period, share these emotions of fear, and guilt-ridden joy.
Whether their loved one was Billy Yank, or Johnny Reb many women found solace in doing their bit for the war effort. They raised money for the cause, stitched uniforms and tried as best they could to keep their homes in readiness for the return of their menfolk. For some however, it wasn't enough. Some women took to army life alongside their husbands, working as Company nurses or even laundresses. Brigit Divers could not bear to be parted from her husband, so much so that she became a trooper in his Regiment, the First Michigan Cavalry. Other women unofficially nursed the wounded in hospitals near to where the battles raged, hoping that someone would tend to their husband in a similar way should he be hurt.
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