They Fought Like Demons

Women Soldiers in the American Civil War

Nonfiction, History, Americas, United States, Civil War Period (1850-1877)
Cover of the book They Fought Like Demons by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike, LSU Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike ISBN: 9780807158562
Publisher: LSU Press Publication: September 1, 2002
Imprint: LSU Press Language: English
Author: DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
ISBN: 9780807158562
Publisher: LSU Press
Publication: September 1, 2002
Imprint: LSU Press
Language: English

Popular images of women during the American Civil War include self-sacrificing nurses, romantic spies, and brave ladies maintaining hearth and home in the absence of their men. However, as DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M. Cook show in their remarkable new study, that conventional picture does not tell the entire story. Hundreds of women assumed male aliases, disguised themselves in men’s uniforms, and charged into battle as Union and Confederate soldiers—facing down not only the guns of the adversary but also the gender prejudices of society. They Fought Like Demons is the first book to fully explore and explain these women, their experiences as combatants, and the controversial issues surrounding their military service.

Relying on more than a decade of research in primary sources, Blanton and Cook document over 240 women in uniform and find that their reasons for fighting mirrored those of men—-patriotism, honor, heritage, and a desire for excitement. Some enlisted to remain with husbands or brothers, while others had dressed as men before the war. Some so enjoyed being freed from traditional women’s roles that they continued their masquerade well after 1865. The authors describe how Yankee and Rebel women soldiers eluded detection, some for many years, and even merited promotion. Their comrades often did not discover the deception until the “young boy” in their company was wounded, killed, or gave birth.

In addition to examining the details of everyday military life and the harsh challenges of -warfare for these women—which included injury, capture, and imprisonment—Blanton and Cook discuss the female warrior as an icon in nineteenth-century popular culture and why -twentieth-century historians and society ignored women soldiers’ contributions. Shattering the negative assumptions long held about Civil War distaff soldiers, this sophisticated and dynamic work sheds much-needed light on an unusual and overlooked facet of the Civil War experience.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Popular images of women during the American Civil War include self-sacrificing nurses, romantic spies, and brave ladies maintaining hearth and home in the absence of their men. However, as DeAnne Blanton and Lauren M. Cook show in their remarkable new study, that conventional picture does not tell the entire story. Hundreds of women assumed male aliases, disguised themselves in men’s uniforms, and charged into battle as Union and Confederate soldiers—facing down not only the guns of the adversary but also the gender prejudices of society. They Fought Like Demons is the first book to fully explore and explain these women, their experiences as combatants, and the controversial issues surrounding their military service.

Relying on more than a decade of research in primary sources, Blanton and Cook document over 240 women in uniform and find that their reasons for fighting mirrored those of men—-patriotism, honor, heritage, and a desire for excitement. Some enlisted to remain with husbands or brothers, while others had dressed as men before the war. Some so enjoyed being freed from traditional women’s roles that they continued their masquerade well after 1865. The authors describe how Yankee and Rebel women soldiers eluded detection, some for many years, and even merited promotion. Their comrades often did not discover the deception until the “young boy” in their company was wounded, killed, or gave birth.

In addition to examining the details of everyday military life and the harsh challenges of -warfare for these women—which included injury, capture, and imprisonment—Blanton and Cook discuss the female warrior as an icon in nineteenth-century popular culture and why -twentieth-century historians and society ignored women soldiers’ contributions. Shattering the negative assumptions long held about Civil War distaff soldiers, this sophisticated and dynamic work sheds much-needed light on an unusual and overlooked facet of the Civil War experience.

More books from LSU Press

Cover of the book John Bankhead Magruder by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Staff Picks by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Stalking the Ghost Bird by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book A Walk in Victoria's Secret by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Familiars by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Tough Day for the Army by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Blackout Starlight by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Flannery O'Connor's Dark Comedies by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Speaking French in Louisiana, 1720-1955 by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Marketing the Blue and Gray by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Reforging the White Republic by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book A Cold War Turning Point by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book The Deed by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book The Richmond Theater Fire by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
Cover of the book Interpreting Social Violence in French Culture by DeAnne Blanton, Lauren Cook Wike
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy