Women in the Civil War

During the Civil War many wives, both North and South, visited their soldier husbands at their encampments from time to time if possible.

Nancy Mellow portrays one of these wives.  She is the wife of the Company Cook, Bill Mellow, and acts as helpmate to him in all aspects of preparing meals for the unit.

When her kitchen work is done for the day, Mrs. Mellow helps other visiting wives in the camp in doing their chores.  These chores could include laundry, mending of clothes, tending to small wounds if needed, and helping to care for the sick and dying.  Soldiers were grateful for assistance in writing letters home to their wives, sweethearts and other family members as well as reading letters from home to them if they were unable to do so themselves.

The visiting wives provided their own kind of service to the Civil War effort on both sides.  They helped their cause greatly.