21. The Civil War’s Greatest Nurse
During the American Civil War, Mary Ann Bickerdyke (1817 – 1901) served as a nurse and hospital administrator for the Union army. She helped establish hundreds of field hospitals for the wounded and sick, and after the war, spent decades helping veterans and their families secure their pensions. Her deep concern for and tireless efforts on the soldiers’ behalf earned her the nickname “Mother Bickerdyke” from the men in blue, and won the admiration of many of their commanders, including US Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman.
Born and raised in Ohio, Bickerdyke was one of the first women to attend Oberlin College. She eventually settled in Illinois, where she made a living as a botanic physician and a provider of alternative medicines, using plants and herbs. That skill set served her well during the Civil War.
