Annie Bell and Civil War Nurses

Annie Bell was a student of the Female Institute at the University of Lewisburg, now Bucknell University, and graduated in 1858. Although there is not much evidence remaining about Annie Bell, we know that she saved lives and made a difference. 

Civil War was afoot and Annie Bell sprung into action, like many other women at the time, helping in any way she was able. Fueled by patriotic spirit, Annie applied to the chief of army nurses, Dorothea Dix, for a paid position but was rejected due to her young age. Instead of turning away, Annie joined as a volunteer and fought to gain the respect of Dix. Annie tended to wounded soldiers at the Battle of Antietam and served as an unpaid volunteer nurse at Harpers Ferry. She later became a paid nurse and chief matron with the 12th Corps Hospital where she served alongside cousin Sarah Dysart who also attended the Female Institute at the University of Lewisburg. At the end of her Gettysburg service at Camp Letterman which was established in August, 1863 and located one mile east of Gettysburg on the York Pike. The site was known as Wolf’s Woods. Annie worked in the 4th ward and completed her work at Gettysburg as the chief matron of this ward. The company closed November 20th, 1863, the day after President Abraham Lincoln gave his famous Gettysburg address. Annie went along with the 12th Corps all the way to Tennessee where she took care of soldiers who fought in the Battle of Chickamauga, the Battle of Missionary Ridge, and others. She served as chief matron in Tennessee until she was discharged in May 1865. Post-war Annie Bell was part of the National Association of Civil War Army Nurses until she passed away in 1916 at the age of seventy-six to pneumonia. 

The USSC used a photograph of Annie Bell attending to wounded soldiers in Nashville in order to raise money to support wounded and sick soldiers in the United States Army. At first Annie refused the photograph. She did not wish to become such a public figure but changed her mind when she realized the benefit towards her patients. When she eventually agreed to the photograph it raised $78,000. At a time when photography was first developing, Annie would have never expected this famous photograph to be used so often today as a representation of civil war nurses. In a letter from Annie Bell to her mother about the letter she added, “I have just come in from my ward, and am so tired, that if I was at home I could go to bed.” This just emphasizes the exhaustion and overworked nature of these civil war nurses. 

Civil war nurses did not have it easy by any means, especially with the push back from males. At this time nurses were typically male and “working women” were looked down upon. Without any authority these female nurses had to find ways to work around rejections from Army doctors in order to improve conditions for patients. These female nurses not only aided in medical care but they comforted, fed, read to, wrote letters for, and prayed with patients. They controlled the supplies and helped in the hospital kitchens and laundries. Through their bravery, they opened pathways for future women to be able to pursue the nursing profession. Clara Barton, founder of the American Red Cross, is one example of the many brave women, risking their lives in the battlefield to aid soldiers during the Civil War. Clara Barton once said, “You must never think of anything except the need, and how to meet it.” This perfectly depicted civil war nurses at this time and the dangers they went through daily in order to save lives.