” In the beginning of the war, Southern women wanted their men to leave – in droves, and as quickly as possible. They were the Confederate Army’s most persuasive and effective recruitment officers, shaming anyone who shirked his duty to fight. “
” In the sudden absence of husbands, fathers, brothers and beaus, white Southern women discovered a newfound freedom – one that simultaneously granted them more power in relationships and increased their likelihood of heartbreak. “
” At least in cities where the Confederate Army established a base of operations, young women were overwhelmed by the number of prospective suitors. Thousands of men flocked to the Confederate capital of Richmond, prepared to work in one of the government departments or to train for duty in the Army. “
” By 1865, all Southern women – the happily and regrettably single, the perpetually engaged, the wives and widows – had tired of the war. The Confederacy was shrinking, and the morale of its remaining men shrinking with it. “
All 4 Karen Abbott Quotes about Women in picture


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