"Stories of the women who risked everything to support their region during this very bloody time in US history. These women paved the way for women in the military today "
--Col. Cassie B. Barlow, USAF (ret) "Little-known facts about women who served during the War Between the States. These women were just as brave, if not more so, than their male counterparts. Stephanie Ford has done an exceptional job of telling their stories, and her beautiful illustrations further enhance the book. Included recipes, such as how to make hardtack, are interesting as well. Young readers and history buffs will find this book fascinating."
--J. D. R. Hawkins, author of Horses in Gray: Famous Confederate Warhorses "Rich, poor, underage, mature, slave, free, immigrant, foreign national, all of the characters in Gunpowder on Their Skirts have three things in common: they were brave, unconventional, and female."
--Cynthia Loveless Harriman, executive director, Texas Civil War Museum During the Civil War, a handful of strong, courageous women cast aside convention and stepped onto the battlefield shoulder to shoulder with male soldiers. Author, educator, and vivandi re reenactor Stephanie H. Ford has pieced together fascinating stories in this compelling collection, which includes:
- Dr. Mary Walker (USA), battlefield surgeon, the first and only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor
- Capt. Sally Tompkins (CSA), the first woman to be commissioned an officer in an American army, who refused to abandon the soldiers in her care as the city of Richmond burned around them
- Kady Brownell (USA), of the First Rhode Island Infantry, who bore the colors and braved enemy fire at the Battle of Bull Run
- Mary Tepe (USA), vivandi re of the Pennsylvania Zouaves, who took a bullet to the ankle and continued to care for the wounded soldiers.
Ford, winner of the Will Rogers Western Illustrator Award, also includes illustrations and period images of these heroic women. They deserve to be remembered as more than a footnote in the history of the Civil War, and their bravery and resolve shine as examples to young women today.