1. Nurses: Women served as nurses, providing medical care to wounded soldiers on both sides. Notable women in nursing included Clara Barton, who established the American Red Cross, and Dorothea Dix, who supervised Union Army nurses.
2. Spies and Scouts: Some women engaged in espionage, gathering intelligence and conducting covert operations for their respective sides. Belle Boyd and Rose O'Neal Greenhow were notable Confederate spies, while Elizabeth Van Lew and Harriet Tubman were prominent Union spies.
3. Soldiers: A small number of women disguised themselves as men and served as soldiers in the conflict. Sarah Emma Edmonds ("Franklin Thompson") and Loreta Velazquez ("Harry Buford") were among the few women who fought on the Union side, while Sarah Rosetta Wakeman ("Lyda Smith") and Jennie Hodgers ("Albert D.J. Cashier") were known Confederate soldiers.
4. Relief Work and Fundraising: Many women were active in relief efforts, providing food, clothing, and medical supplies to soldiers and civilians affected by the war. They organized fundraising events, such as fairs and bazaars, to raise money for these causes.
5. Political and Civic Involvement: Women's rights activists, such as Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, took advantage of the heightened political engagement during the war to advocate for women's suffrage and other reforms.
6. Plantation Management: In the South, many women managed plantations and estates while their husbands and sons were away at war. They oversaw agricultural production, financial matters, and household management.
It is important to note that despite these contributions, women's roles were restricted by the societal norms and prevailing attitudes of the time. They were largely excluded from formal combat roles and other positions that were traditionally reserved for men, and they still faced limitations and discrimination in various spheres of life.