Editing Union army (section)

===Women in the Union army===
[[File:Kady Brownell CDV.jpg|thumb|[[Kady Brownell]], a [[vivandière]] from [[Rhode Island in the American Civil War|Rhode Island]]]]
Women took on many significant roles in the Union army and were important to its ultimate success on the battlefield.  The most direct way they could help was to enlist and fight as soldiers, although women were officially barred from doing so.  Nevertheless, it is believed [[List of female American Civil War soldiers|hundreds of women]] disguised themselves as men in order to enlist.  While many were discovered and forced to quit, others were only found out after they were killed in combat, and a number managed to serve throughout the entire war with their true identity successfully concealed.

One of the more traditional roles played by women in the Union army was that of [[camp follower]]s.  Thousands of white and Black women accompanied Union armies in an unofficial capacity to provide their services as [[Cooking|cook]]s, [[laundress]]es, [[nurse]]s and/or [[prostitute]]s.  Many were the wives or other female relatives of the soldiers themselves who saw to their personal needs and (if time allowed) looked to the well-being of other soldiers.  A somewhat more formal role for some camp followers was that of ''[[vivandière]]''.  Originally a female [[sutler]], the role of ''vivandière'' expanded to include other responsibilities, including on the battlefield.  Armed for their own protection, they brought water to thirsty soldiers, carried the [[regimental colors]] and rallied their fellow soldiers to fight, provided [[first aid]] or helped the wounded back to a field hospital.  A related (and sometimes conflated) role was that of "daughter of the regiment".  Often literally a daughter of one of the regimental officers, these women looked to the soldiers' well-being but also served as their regiment's "mascot" who inspired the men by wearing stylish clothing and enduring the same hardships as them.  Some of the most prominent women to accompany the Union armies in the field include [[Anna Etheridge]], [[Marie Tepe]], and [[Nadine Turchin]].<ref>Cordell, M. R. (2016). Courageous Women of the Civil War: Soldiers, Spies, Medics, and More. United States: Chicago Review Press. Part IV: Vivandière</ref><ref>Tsui, B. (2006). She Went to the Field: Women Soldiers of the Civil War. United States: TwoDot. p. 73-80</ref><ref>Harper, J. E. (2004). Women During the Civil War: An Encyclopedia. Taylor & Francis. p. 53–59</ref>

Women also sought to serve more formally as nurses in the Union army, many having been inspired by the work of [[Florence Nightingale]] during the [[Crimean War]].  However, there was strong resistance against these efforts at first.  Societal prejudices saw women as too delicate and the job too unsuitable for women of social rank, particularly at the thought of unmarried women surrounded by thousands of men in close quarters.  Nevertheless, Congress eventually approved for women to serve as nurses, to which [[Dorothea Dix]] – appointed Superintendent of Army Nurses – was responsible for setting hiring guidelines and starting a training program for prospective candidates.  For the women who served, nursing during the Civil War was a hazardous occupation: grueling hours spent in close proximity to deadly diseases and nearby battlefields resulted in many suffering permanent disabilities or death.  Added to this were the prejudices of the male medical officers in charge who did not want them there and frequently clashed with the nurses over issues of [[triage]], patient treatments and [[hospice care]].  Tens of thousands of women served as nurses for the Union army, among whom are included [[Clara Barton]], [[Susie King Taylor]], [[Mary Edwards Walker]], and [[Louisa May Alcott]].<ref>Cordell (2016), Part III: Nurses</ref><ref>Harper (2004), p. 285–292</ref>

No less vital were the thousands of women who provided service to the Union army in the field of [[espionage]].  Early in the war, women were at a distinct advantage as [[Spying|spies]], [[Reconnaissance|scouts]], [[smuggler]]s, and [[saboteur]]s: the idea of women participating in such dangerous lines of work was simply not considered.  Eventually though their opponents recognized their existence, and while female spies caught in the act were not typically executed like their male colleagues, they still faced the threat of lengthy prison sentences.   For self-evident reasons many of these activities were kept secret and any documentation (if it existed) was often destroyed.  As such the identity of many of these women will never be known.  Of those who became famous for their espionage work during or after the end of the war, prominent examples include [[Harriet Tubman]], [[Mary Louvestre]], [[Pauline Cushman]], [[Elizabeth Van Lew]], and [[Mary Bowser]].<ref>Cordell (2016), Part II: Spies</ref><ref>Harper (2004), p. 348–350</ref>