Commitment to Service
The American civil war of 1863 changed the relations between the whites and the blacks. More importantly was the change of position among women who had to take up roles that hitherto they had been prohibited. With the increasing causalities on the battlefield and the demand for persons to serve as nurses, blacks were required to nurse the casualties or volunteered to serve in this position. The division between the confederates and the unionists saw confederate women slaves help unionists who were wounded in the battlefield or were escaping from the Confederates. Besides these indirect roles, black women were involved directly in nursing the war victims. Their capacities were different some serving on the battlefield while others in hospitals: Susie King Taylor served on the battlefield treating wounds and educating those who could not read. Stokes, on the other hand, worked under the directions of the Sisters of the Holy Cross served on a hospital ship and was remunerated for her work. She went as far as receiving the navy pension for her services.
Application of Natural Remedies
Susie and other black nurses entered duty without any formal training on nursing. They were expected to learn the profession while serving in their positions. With little knowledge about the conventional medicines of the time and no experience, Harriet Tubman resorted to the use of natural herbs to treat those suffering from battle wounds and other infections. Her experience while raising her child had become useful in this situation. Tubman was made the matron of the colored hospital in Fort Monroe, Virginia. She also served in numerous military hospitals.
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Application of Learned Skills
Sojourner Truth is remembered for her active role in the caring of the colored regiment for whom she collected clothes, food and nursed. Truth had a nursing experience before the civil war and employed her experience in the service of causalities. Overall, blacks served a pivotal role in the nursing department during the civil war. The majority were untrained, worked voluntarily or were recruited. They applied their understanding of natural remedies and learned under the white nurses.
