Women Close Combat fighters of America's Civil War

During the American civil war (1861-1865) saying the war is hell was first spoken, and with good reason. All battles was a meat Grinder and even the winner would take large losses. Each battle boiled close fight, despite technological advances, and only well-educated and incredibly courageous survived. Not all those who fought was, however, men. There were women, who were motivated by patriotism and a sense of adventure, who dressed as men and joined the fight. These women would fight bravely, and serve.

The war was a mixture of new weapons, old strategies and fanatical patriotism and the results were devastating. Almost all generals on both sides were trained the exactly the same and used the strategies and tactics created by General Napoleon Bonaparte. The problem was his ideas were difficult to understand, and it was easy to make mistakes. To make things worse was the set up for a second time. Soldiers fought in closely packed groups and was devastated by new and deadlier weapons. If you managed to get past all the various weapons had you still take the enemy in close combat.

Policy set aside, it took an awesome amount of courage to enlist and fight. While a number of women are helped by nurses and spying on, other train frontline positions. There is at least 400 cases in the Union's Army of women dressing as men to battle. There were also a number of Southern women joined the fight for the Confederacy. Some were caught right away and sent home, but more than a few experienced their share of struggle. The men they served with often times kept their secret, and treated them as comrades.

Pennsylvania native Mrs. Francis l. Clayton merged with her husband in 1861 and fought together in 18 battle. She was wounded three times, captured once and so her husband die by Stone River. After that she told her chief officer who she was, and she was sent home with full honnor and went home to bury her husband. Another married couples served at Antietam where the wife was recognized for bravery and promoted in its two years of service. An officer reported that a corporal under his command, which had been promoted to Sergeant and had served the goodly in Fredericksburg returned home after the birth.

Those who survived the shot and shell of a civil war battlefield had still to be included in the handout hand fight with the enemy the worst conditions. It took everything a soldier had to survive on the battlefield, and both women and men gave it all they had. Today women serve in many positions in the United States's military and police officers and instructors is martial arts. Women come a long way, but many still do not think they belong in battle. Some seem to believe women can not aggressive enough, or worse-that a life of a woman is worth more then the life of a man. Perhaps not all women are fit to serve, but not all men are either, and we must never forget those who served valiantly before.

Captain Chris Pizzo has dedicated his life to not only spread "truth" about martial arts and self defense, but also to teaching the very same simplistic and easy-to-learn answers he discovered after nearly stabbed to death during a road rage attacks. You can learn more about him and take a no-obligation "test drive" of his award-winning Close Combat training system completely free at http://www.CloseCombatTraining.com