Women as Civil War Soldiers
by Sandra Merville Hart
There are about four hundred known cases of women serving as Civil War soldiers on either side. Since most of them were discovered after serving at least two years, it’s likely that the real number is much higher.
The Civil War began with the first shots fired by the Confederates on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. It lasted until 1865—four long years of suffering and loss for the whole country.
Early on, there were women on both sides who wanted to fight in the war as soldiers. Girls who tried to muster into the army by going to recruiting stations were praised by war journalists for their courage.
Of course, neither the Confederates nor the Federals accepted women as soldiers at recruiting stations. Yet determined women figured out ways to disguise themselves as men and muster into the armies. Soldiers wrote home when discovering women soldiers during the war. Folks were aware of female soldiers on both sides of the conflict.
Reporters and editors praised the patriotism of women soldiers throughout the war. Newspaper articles were reprinted in other cities.
My third Civil War romance, A Musket in My Hands, follows two sisters as they disguise themselves as soldiers in the fall of 1864 and join the men they love in the Confederate army—just in time for the war to grow progressively difficult for Southern soldiers. Tough marches lead them to the Battle of Franklin. How can anyone survive?
Back Cover Blurb:
Can I count on you in times of great need?”
Callie Jennings reels from her pa’s decision that she must marry his friend, a man older than him. Her heart belongs to her soldier hero, Zach Pearson, but Pa won’t change his mind. Callie has no place to hide. Then her sister, Louisa, proposes a shocking alternative.
Zach still hears his pa’s scornful word—quitter. He’s determined to make something of himself as a soldier. He’ll serve the Confederacy until they win the war. If they win the war.
Callie and Louisa disguise themselves as soldiers and muster into the Confederate army in the fall of 1864. Times are tough and getting tougher for their Confederacy. For Callie, shooting anyone, especially former countrymen, is out of the question—until truth and love and honor come together on the battlefield.
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About Sandra:
Award-winning and Amazon bestselling author Sandra Merville Hart loves to uncover fascinating historical facts for her stories. Her debut Civil War Romance, A Stranger on My Land, was IRCA Finalist 2015. A Rebel in My House, set during the historic Battle of Gettysburg, won the 2018 Silver Illumination Award and second place in 2018 FHL Readers’ Choice Award. A Musket in My Hands, is a story where two sisters join the Confederate army with the men they love. Her novella, Surprised by Love in “From the Lake to the River” released in September of 2018. Trail’s End, in “Smitten Novella Collection: The Cowboys” releases in August of 2019.
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Excited? I am. Sandra is developing into a real knowledgeable Civil War novelist. Don't miss out on a chance to buy her book!
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