womens influence on the civil war
When the Civil War began in 1861, the Southern woman's role changed irrevocably. She had been the leader of the home life, training the servants, keeping the kitchen stocked. But with the exodus of the men from the plantations, the women instantly became the leaders of their farms, which could have more than 150 people on them. That was the case on the Millwood Plantation, which was northwest of Reddick, according to Marion historian Bettie DeBary. Almost every duty the women performed was tied to the war. They grew crops for the Confederacy, even fought for the land their husbands had cultivated. Throughout the South, women organized groups that made clothes for the men and offered support. One such group was the Soldiers' Friends' Association of Orange Lake. Mary Elizabeth Dickinson turned a crimson shawl that was part of her wedding attire into the Marion Light Artillery's flag, led by her husband Capt. J.J. Dickinson. Marion women had their jewelry melted down and fashioned into rings to hold the flag to its staff. The Marion Light Artillery flag, which is today kept
The elaborate systems of visiting neighbors, entertaining guests and changing clothes as many as 10 to 15 times a day, were gone forever. Instead, their days were spent making basic things like shoes and soap; their coffee was made from dried peas and parched corn. The real stuff went to the troops. During the last days of the war, many women spent their time hiding valuables and, in some cases, defending the land. "Some members of Major Brevard's Battalion came up here, and he himself called on his way to meet the enemy. We were all busy endeavoring to secrete a few of our things." Many fundamental needs were only available from blockade-runners' escapades. The blockade runners were fast ships that brought in the Confederacy's coffee, tea, guns, clothing, cooking utensils, even medicine from overseas. As a result, costs of most goods became prohibitive. A full two-thirds of Marion County's crops went to the war effort. In fact, the Marshall Plantation near Silver Springs was a major producer of sugar for the army. A Georgia woman with no ties to Marion County rescued the flag from Union soldiers. Mar
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Approximate Word count = 759
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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