Born: 19 July 1817, United States
Died: 8 November 1901
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Mother Bickerdyke
The following is republished from the Library of Congress. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
1817, July 19 Born, Knox County, Ohio
circa 1833 Attended Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio
1837 Studied nursing, Cincinnati, Ohio
1847 Married Robert Bickerdyke (died 1859)
1861 At start of Civil War distributed supplies to soldiers in Cairo, Ill., and worked to improve living conditions for the soldiers; named matron of military hospital there
1862-1865 Worked as agent for United States Sanitary Commission; set up field hospitals and cooked, cleaned, and nursed Union soldiers; traveled with the armies of generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman
1866 Resigned from duty as army nurse
1866-1867 Worked at Chicago Home for the Friendless, Chicago, Ill.
1867-1869 Operated boarding house, Salina, Kans., and campaigned to get former soldiers to move west to Kansas
1870-1874 Conducted missionary work, New York, N.Y.
1874 Returned to Kansas; secured relief for victims of grasshopper plague
1876 Moved to San Francisco, Calif., and got job at United States Mint
1887 Returned to Kansas
1901, Nov. 8 Died, Bunker Hill, Kans.
The following is excerpted from Woman: Her Position, Influence and Achievement Throughout the Civilized World. Designed and Arranged by William C. King. Published in 1900 by The King-Richardson Co. Copyright 1903 The King-Richardson Co.
Gentle yet stern, affectionate yet wrathful on occasions, courageous, persistent, roughly eloquent, but above all a woman of executive ability who could bring things to pass. “Red Tape” she hated and relentlessly cut on all necessary occasions.
At the outbreak of the war she was a widow, somewhat past middle life. She had but a moderate education. Her frame was robust and well fitted to do the bidding of her iron will.
It is interesting to observe that her ministrations were almost exclusively to the private soldiers. She declared that the officers were sufficiently looked after, and she would work where most needed. And they were ardently devoted to “Mother” Bickerdyke.
Her presence had a wonderfully stimulating effect, not only on sick men but even surgeons and hospital attendants. She could, and did, denounce with terrible vehemence any unfaithfulness on their part, and often secured their removal.
In the Memphis hospitals, with which she was connected, it was reported one morning that the surgeon of a certain ward had not appeared, that the special diet list had not been made out, and that the men were suffering for their breakfast. Quick as thought she gave orders for coffee, soup, gruel, and toast, and started a procession of the attendants with the supplies, heading it, of course, herself. While they were busy feeding the sick men, the surgeon came. She at once faced him with, “You miserable, drunken, heartless scalawag, what do you mean by leaving these fainting, suffering men go till noon with nothing to eat and no attention? Off with your shoulder-straps and get out of the hospital! I’ll have them off in three days, sir.” She was as good as her word. She made charges against him and he was dismissed. He went to General Sherman to complain. The General asked him who made the charges. “Why — why, that spiteful old woman Bickerdyke.” “Oh, well,” said the general, “”she ranks me. She has more power than I. I can’t do anything for you.”