The Confederacy's "Treasury Girls".

major bill

Brev. Brig. Gen'l
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Before the Civil War women rarely held jobs outside the antebellum view of what work women could do. With the first Conscription Act of April 1862 this changed. The Confederate government was forced to hire women in various departments. One of the first to do so was the Treasury Department and indeed the Treasury Department hired more women than any other department in the government. The government need the workers and in many cases the women needed the income. Competition for the jobs was intense, but those hired received a reasonable wage, women that signed Treasury notes were expected to sign 3,200 notes per day. Because "Treasury Girls" only worked from 9 AM until 3 PM they were not full time workers and were paid half what male clerks made. Still in 1862 $65 per month was not considered a bad wage for women.

I do wonder if hiring women during the War had any real impact on the attitude of what type of work women could do? Still in World War One and World War Two it still seemed that most people did not believe women could do jobs that these women early proved they could do.
 
The same thing was the case in the north although it's difficult understanding why because men out of uniform were not scarce. Love to hear more of the Treasury Girls, especially since the Confederacy made a point of hiring widows of soldiers.

I do wonder if hiring women during the War had any real impact on the attitude of what type of work women could do? Still in World War One and World War Two it still seemed that most people did not believe women could do jobs that these women early proved they could do.

It's only an opinion, maybe not too much change, or at least not a long lasting change? Remember how women manned the home front during WWII? The whole " Rosie " thing? When men came home from the war jobs went back to them, women went back to the kitchen. There are always a lot of exceptions, sure, but it seems roles reverted pretty swiftly.
 
I'm curious as to just how the Treasury department verified (or did they?) that the woman applying for a job was really a widow of a slain soldier. Was her word enough or were commanders asked to check the ranks? Not that it really mattered.
 
I think I read that ther were about 100 applications for each opening. I assume there was some political aspects to being hired.
 
I'm curious as to just how the Treasury department verified (or did they?) that the woman applying for a job was really a widow of a slain soldier. Was her word enough or were commanders asked to check the ranks? Not that it really mattered.

That's what I was thinking too. Especially with combinations of common given and surnames. I imagine there were a few thousand "Smith" in the army. Probably a few hundred with the most common names of the day, John, Thomas, Richard, Joseph, etc. "Richard John Smith from Richmond? There are 10 privates in your husband's regiment currently holding that name, could you be a bit more specific, Mrs. Smith?"
 
Each bill had a hand written date, two serial numbers and two different signatures. After signing, they had to be cut from sheets into individual bills. I'm sure they rotated jobs through the day. But pity the signer who had to sign a long name with lots of up and down strokes -- like mine.
 
Later in the War signer and cutter were often women. Disabled ex soldiers were also employed doing these types of tasks.
 
@Copperhead-mi provided previously a post about this topic and a list/copy of the women who signed Confederate Treasury notes as "for Treasurer" and "for Register"
 
I'm relying on memory but wasn't the "treasury girl" thing mentioned in Mary Chesnut's book? I was thinking it was $500.00 a Year.
Highest salary for a woman working in support of the Confederate government I have found:
Lizzie Redwood
Clerk
Quartermaster General's Office
Richmond, Va
Dec 23, 1863 to March 31, 1865

Comments: Paid salary of $1500 per year. Born 1845. Married Samuel Baskerville Goode. Died May 25, 1943 and buried Dallas, TX. https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=45432335
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@Copperhead-mi provided previously a post about this topic and a list/copy of the women who signed Confederate Treasury notes as "for Treasurer" and "for Register"
I would love to know the source of these names. The post says the list was "uncovered." If it is a Confederate list, when was it created? How can we be sure it is complete without knowing its source and date?
 
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