Clara Barton, " Womens Work " ?

[JPK Huson 1863]

Have to love this book's title- " Womens Work In The Civil War ", if not the front piece featuring Brownlow's daughter. Perhaps a less controversial, more complete portrait of our women could have been chosen? Still, if ever work was unfit for man nor beast yet done with compassion, grace, love and commitment it was he work done by our sisters of 150 years ago. With no blueprint of what exactly to DO or how to do it our most famous women simply made it up as they went along. Went along indeed- Clara was the went-ist Along-est of them all. Women's Work? If a woman was composed of steel wrapped around by whipcord powered by lightening and fueled by angelic conversation- well ok.

Since it's one of elderly free books, given to sitting on cyber shelves until someone ( jno ) pulls it off, gives it a couple of slaps to remove the dust and hands it to one as an object worthy of interest, seems safe to post an entire chapter. Clara's is rather mandatory despite being truncated, specific to the war hence not her entire life's work. Lengthy but worth the read, this women fueled by conversations with Angelic beings in one ear- perhaps that is the reason for the enigmatic half smile we always observe in photographs.

https://books.google.com/books?id=o...Bw#v=onepage&q=nellie chase civil war&f=false

Woman's Work in the Civil War: A Record of Heroism, Patriotism and Patience
By Linus Pierpont Brockett, Mrs. Mary C. Vaughan

Cont'd- yes, getting long, it's well worth the read. Well, it's Clara.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Yellow Hospital, Manassas. Clara kept meeting former students here, if not at this specific hospital at least at Manassas.

Also Yellow Hospital, a center for organizational efforts too- Clara's conversations with her higher-ups led her here.

And Fair Oaks

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

You could post pretty much any battlefield, any concentration of the army, anyplace of need, suffering and hopelessness and Clara would have been there. She had an almost other-worldly ability to foresee what would be needed where and to be able to garner the support required for that occasion. On the few occasions this was not possible she did it herself. There simply was no one like Clara Harlowe Barton- saying a LOT given the heroic, self-sacrificing women and men literally pouring their lives into caring for our soldiers, North and South.

Alexandria Convel. Camp

Nashville, of course Clara arrived here for the battle she knew was imminent

And Harewood- how many hours spent here?

And of course as so many folded their tents and went home post war Clara saw another need and stayed on. Her angels were still whispering to her - soldiers had not returned home, lost and frantic families turned to her. As other signs were taken down Clara's new sign was erected before the paint was dry...

 

[MRB1863]

Clara Barton was truly a hard working Angel of Mercy! She had tremendous drive and ambition to see her dream through. Ms. Barton surely saved and changed many lives through her tireless efforts while offering comfort to those who were not destined to see many tomorrows. God bless Clara Barton, a true Guardian Angel.

 

[kevikens]

I have sometimes thought that most of the women of that time period who have been lauded as leaders and doer of great deeds must have been rather unpleasant to deal with. Perhaps from the photography of the period (no smiling for the long exposures), or the stridency of their writing and speeches, (or maybe they ate sauerkraut for breakfast) they have always seemed the kind of people I would have steered clear of. The exception that has always stood out, for me, is Clara Barton. She was a wonderfully kind and gentle woman who knew what needed to be done, wasted little of her time trying to convince others to adopt her views, just pitched in and did what needed to be done, very efficiently and capably. I could have worked for her, especially on her mission after the war to identify the missing and letting their families know what happened to them and where they had been laid to rest. Her lasting monument is the American Red Cross but I would like to see another one, her image on the twenty dollar bill. If doing (not talking about, but doing) good is the hallmark of lasting fame, she deserves and merits inclusion in the American pantheon of noteworthy citizens.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Yes, a tough call for who should be on the bill! You do have adore Clara, seemingly born for a purpose; purpose being to move Heaven and earth to ensure life was better for those suffering or in need. No one else comes close there or since unless it's Sister Theresa.

Harriet Tubman's image on our currency would have been approved of by Clara, you just know it. Clara had a huge ' thing ' about a hand 'up', not a helping hand, about people making it themselves given a chance. Harriet freed her self- not content with this she waged a very personal war against an inherently evil system keeping humans in literal bondage. She could have stayed North and well out of and did not-time and again Tubman risked her life on behalf of others.

Still, makes me smile because if the 2 women were here I think they would be horrified, each insisting the other have the honor.

 

[unionblue]

Whenever I hear someone say, "they long for the old days," I remember reading such threads as this one, and resist the urge to hit that someone dead in the mouth.

 

[kevikens]

Knowing Clara, she was so self effacing that she would have pushed for any woman's image on our currency rather than her own, which is even more the reason why she should be so honored. While no disrespect for Harriet Tubman, I think a better case could be made for Clara Barton simply based on the number of people she directly aided and her continuing legacy with the American Red Cross. In addition she has such a winsome, almost impish, smile on her face. Just for once I'd like to see somebody smiling on our money.