Essay Sample on Clara Barton: The Angel of the Battlefield

“The Angel of the Battlefield'', also known as Clara Barton was a courageous and persevering woman who founded the American Red Cross. In doing this, she brought a new source of assistance to the medical field. She gave peace and closure to thousands of families and Union soldiers fighting in the Civil War. Even with no knowledge on what it means to be a nurse, Clara Barton became one of the most impactful women during the Civil War, and many years to follow. Through her persistent passion of caring for other people and bringing soldiers back to good health, Clara Barton became a foundation for many soldiers’ emotional and physical well being.As time went on, she would continue her work by bringing the Red Cross to America. Clara Barton's active leadership ended up supporting many people within her lifetime, and in years to come. 

On Christmas day in 1821, in North Oxford Massachusetts, Clara Barton was born. Growing up she was the youngest child and was shy but very smart. Her older siblings taught her and she was able to read at a young age. When she was 11 she took care of her brother for two years, who fell off the roof of their barn. By the time she was 18 her teaching career took off. During this time a lot of teaching jobs were dominated by men and usually teachers were men. Her job was also then taken by a man and she would be out of work. Around her mid 30s, Clara moved to Washington D.C. and became a mail clerk. She was the first woman to be employed by the government. Barton also was paid $1,400 a year which was the same amount as a man mail clerk.  She was promoted but when the commissioner left she started to get treated poorly and even harassed. During this time she suffered from malaria and depression. Three years go by and Clara quits. 

At the start of the Civil War in 1861, Clara started to bring supplies to hurt Union soldiers.  These soldiers were a part of  the Massachusetts 6th Regiment, who Clara knew from growing up with them or from having taught them in her earlier years. Even though she had no nurse training she did want to continue to help in any way she could. Her nickname “The Angel of the Battlefield”, was given to her after she brought a wagon load of health supplies to a field hospital after the battle of Cedar Mountain, at midnight. Most times she would often work so hard to care for the soldiers she would collapse from exhaustion or illness. Clara later got the Union Army to provide a pass from the Quartermasters, so Barton and her nurses could be army camp followers. 

Barton was not only just helpful with getting soldiers back to health physically, she also supported them a lot with their mental health as well. She became emotional support for them and helped them push through their mental adversities. She would help them write letters to their families and even helped identify missing soldiers.  She answered, “63,000 letters and identified 22,000 missing soldiers”. Barton would see the second battle at Bull Run and the battle of Antietam. Later on in the Civil War she was named ‘Head nurse of Army of the James’. This would be her last combat experience working with 10th Corps Field hospital. Even though she experienced no training as a nurse,  Clara Barton still made positive things happen for soldiers and their families through ensuring that soldiers were brought back to health and cared for in whatever way they needed to be cared for. 

After the Civil War, “Barton made an Office of Correspondence with friends of the missing men of the U.S. Army and identified 22,000 men”.  Clara Barton established “a national cemetery for fallen soldiers and helped identify about 13,000 Union soldiers' graves”.   As a result of over working and not taking care of herself Barton began to suffer from extreme fatigue and depression. In 1886 Her physician suggested that she “go to Europe to get some rest”.  When Clara traveled to Europe she didn’t rest as recommended by her physician. Instead,  she continued her work and assistance through helping wounded soldiers in the Franco-Prussian War in an effort to nurse them back to health.  In 1863, Clara found out about Henry Dunant, who founded the International Red Cross, which was based out of Europe.  This inspired Clara to do the same work back in America. With the hope of bringing the Red Cross organization over to America, she fought for the Red Cross treaty to be signed in the United States.  At age 59, in the year 1881, Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross that would benefit many people, especially in cases of a bunch of natural disasters that occurred after her founding.  Barton led the American Red cross for 23 years,  but she was then forced to retire from the organization due to old age. Despite her retirement, her journey in her passion of caring for others did not end. After leaving, Clara started the National First Aid Association of America in 1905. This association was about promoting local first aid programs, and would later be added to the Red Cross. In 1912, at the age 91 Clara passed away and was buried in North Oxford Massachusetts. 

Clara Barton began her life with helping others and even after her death, her legacy would carry on to do so. Even though Barton herself had struggles of her own and fought her own battles physically and mentally, she still made an effort to work hard for everyone else’s sake. She had a brilliant mind and despite being shy, Clara would end up speaking publicly and advocating for people’s heal;th and better sources to help. Clara decided to give supply and help to soldiers, even though she wasn’t a qualified trained nurse. She helped the Union soldiers healthy and kept their spirits up. She gave families closure by answering their letters to their loved ones who were thought to be missing but identified and found. And she also honored many soldiers by helping create a national graveyard and identifying a huge part of them. Barton was given the name, “Angel of the Battlefield”,  because she was always pushing to give support.  If someone needed something, Clara would do it. She came to their side and stayed to make sure the people who needed help were alright. Overall when it came to caring for others and bringing them back to good health, Clara made sure she was there to help and if not supported in any way she could provide. Her mark that she left on the world is still known today. And despiste the American Red Cross being around for many years, Clara’s traditions are still acknowledged and followed till this day. Clara Barton brought comfort and care to those in need and didn’t stop until she died.