© 2024 Milwaukee Public Media is a service of UW-Milwaukee's College of Letters & Science
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Women? Fighting in the Civil War? A New Book Spotlights a Surprising Corner of History

For the past three years, Americans have been looking back at the Civil War during its 150th anniversary.  The war, in many ways, still shapes America today - in areas such as race relations and the economy. 

When we look back at key figures in the Civil War, one commonality generally binds them, whether they were on the side of the Union or the Confederacy, they were almost always men.  Most of the Civil War stories about women involve the home front, and the families left behind by soldiers.

A new book, Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy,  by author Karen Abbott shines a spotlight on women who were very much a part of the war effort.

"The main goal I had with choosing these four women was I wanted to weave a tapestry and tell the story of the war as it hasn't really been seen before or told before," Abbott says. "These women all had a cause and effect...their stories all touched one another...there was a cause and effect to their actions...and I really enjoyed making those connections."

Audrey is a WUWM host and producer for Lake Effect.