Women of the Blue and Gray

by Marianne Monson

[sstaley]

In college I had a minor in history. One of the classes I took was about the Civil War. I didn't learn as much about the women of this time period as I would have liked, so I was so excited to read Women of the Blue and Gray. This book does not read like a history book, but more as a novel full of very interesting and incredible stories. Monson is a fantastic storyteller. Women were doing such amazing things during the Civil War on both sides the North and the South. Some of those things were ones I had never heard about. These women were spies, soldiers, smugglers,and rebel rousers.

Some of the chapters you will find in this book are:

The Beardless Brigade:Civil War Soldiers
Tales of Smuggling, Espionage, and General Subterfuge
Voices From Slavery
Dr. Mary Walker: Civil War Surgeon and Activist
Anna Ella Carroll:Military Strategist and Political Advisor
The wonderful thing about this book is that women of many races are represented: black, white, and Native American. It shows the courage of women from all facets of life, rich or poor, slave or free and also immigrants. The stories are so inspiring and make you realize how much women truly contributed to the success, especially the North, in keeping our nation together.

I highly recommend this book to historians, teachers, and those that love reading of brave historical people who changed lives others along the way. This book with it's true stories, speeches, actual letters and photographs will help you see the Civil War and it's women in a new light.