History
A Call for Stability: The Scrutiny of Social Roles amid Absolute War on the Western Border of Missouri during the Civil War
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Location
Indianapolis, IN
Subject Area
History & Classics
Start Date
13-4-2018 1:45 PM
End Date
13-4-2018 2:45 PM
Sponsor
Vivian Deno (Butler University)
Description
The May 1862 diary entry of Private Henry Dysart recorded the “sad affair” of an unnamed widow and her daughter in Springfield, Missouri. A soldier approached the house of these women in search of a meal, when the daughter denied this service, the soldier reacted by shooting her through the head. This situation encapsulates the dynamics surrounding gender roles within the guerrilla conflict on the western border of Missouri. Guerrilla warfare differs from standard warfare as guerrilla soldiers act on their own authority and are merely civilians. Violence was unpredictable and random. Motivations ranged from greed to revenge to ideological differences. Battlefields did not exist as attacks were most commonly in the homes of civilians. As war came to the home of civilians, women were forced to expand their roles which was met by a harsh response from men that in this time of social instability looked to women to provide the stability that was missing. A Call for Stability will explore the culture and society of Missouri on the western border and the way that gender relationships and interactions reveal the pressure that was put on women to represent social stability, primarily by using letters, journals and diaries. These sources provide the most in depth look into the personal thoughts and experiences of common Missourians and soldiers during this period. Further this project seeks to fill the holes left by similar literature that focuses on men and women as separate entities rather than the deeper significance of their interactions.
A Call for Stability: The Scrutiny of Social Roles amid Absolute War on the Western Border of Missouri during the Civil War
Indianapolis, IN
The May 1862 diary entry of Private Henry Dysart recorded the “sad affair” of an unnamed widow and her daughter in Springfield, Missouri. A soldier approached the house of these women in search of a meal, when the daughter denied this service, the soldier reacted by shooting her through the head. This situation encapsulates the dynamics surrounding gender roles within the guerrilla conflict on the western border of Missouri. Guerrilla warfare differs from standard warfare as guerrilla soldiers act on their own authority and are merely civilians. Violence was unpredictable and random. Motivations ranged from greed to revenge to ideological differences. Battlefields did not exist as attacks were most commonly in the homes of civilians. As war came to the home of civilians, women were forced to expand their roles which was met by a harsh response from men that in this time of social instability looked to women to provide the stability that was missing. A Call for Stability will explore the culture and society of Missouri on the western border and the way that gender relationships and interactions reveal the pressure that was put on women to represent social stability, primarily by using letters, journals and diaries. These sources provide the most in depth look into the personal thoughts and experiences of common Missourians and soldiers during this period. Further this project seeks to fill the holes left by similar literature that focuses on men and women as separate entities rather than the deeper significance of their interactions.