From the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park:
How do you give to others?
Clara Barton was born on December 25, 1821. After a long and eventful life, she would be remembered as the “Angel of the Battlefield” and the founder of the American chapter of the Red Cross.
Before she was a household name, Clara Barton was a determined woman who fought for the rights of women to work and provide a living for themselves. At the outbreak of the Civil War, she observed a need for supplies to care for the growing number of wounded soldiers. Soon, she was gathering and distributing supplies near battlefields and caring for the wounded. This work brought her to Chatham in December of 1862.
Shortly after the first US engineers were wounded on December 11, Chatham transformed into a field hospital. While the battle officially ended on December 15th, the hospital work lasted through the end of the month.
Clara Barton spent her 41st birthday helping soldiers leave Chatham and be transferred to hospitals in DC.
Throughout her life, Clara Barton gave in many ways, she gave time, money, she set an example, and taught others. Her story continues to inspire countless people to continue a tradition of giving.
Portrait of Clara Barton, Library of Congress
