Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil War Tragedies

by Tanya Anderson Narrated by Carrie Olsen

Overview

In the Civil War, the government hired women and girls-some as young as nine-to make millions of rounds of ammunition. They worked 72-hour weeks with little training. Poor immigrant girls and widows paid the price for carelessness at three major arsenals. Many of these workers were killed, blown up and burned beyond recognition. Gunpowder Girls is a story of child labor and immigrant hopes and the cruel, endless demands of an all-consuming war. A Junior Library Guild selection.

Editorial Reviews

"Outstanding … Thoroughly researched and beautifully written, this tragic story of 140 girls and young women killed by gunpowder explosions in three arsenals where they produced ammunition for Civil War armies reveals details previously unfamiliar even to Civil War historians. We can now add their names to the human toll of America's greatest conflict." — James M. McPherson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era

School Library Journal

10/01/2016
Gr 6 Up—During the Civil War, women and girls filled rifle cartridges by hand for the armies of the North and the South. These women and girls, most of whom were immigrants, poured gunpowder, worked with percussion caps, and stacked completed ammunition. Flammable and explosive materials were everywhere—one spark spelled disaster. Anderson pieces together the before and after of the deadly explosions that occurred at the Allegheny Arsenal in Lawrenceville, PA; the Confederate States Laboratory in Richmond, VA; and the Washington Arsenal in Washington, DC. Each event is foreshadowed, described in detail, and then investigated. With the help of primary source documents, the author examines life working in an arsenal (including diagrams on how to fill a cartridge) to give shape to the lives of these often forgotten women. Using census records, Anderson identifies the victims of each accident by name and age. Extensive back matter makes this a useful selection for research or reports. Pair this highly readable title with Albert Marrin's Flesh and Blood So Cheap for a look at working conditions in U.S. history. VERDICT Recommended for teen history buffs.—Lisa Crandall, formerly at the Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI

Kirkus Reviews

2016-08-24
During the Civil War, with many men serving in both armies, young women, and even girls, joined the work force, finding employment in armories.Unfortunately for this hardworking group, the jobs they were often assigned were spectacularly perilous. The projectiles for rifles and muskets of the era were handmade. Large caliber minié balls were inserted into the front end of rolled paper cartridges filled with gunpowder, and the whole lethal package tied up with string, or “choked.” The young women sat on benches for hours at a time, assembling the cartridges. Gunpowder pervaded the workrooms, and the women, clad in long, hoop-skirted dresses, would have little chance of escape in the event of an accident. Anderson describes three tragic explosive disasters: the Allegheny Arsenal in 1862 (78 dead), the Confederate States Laboratory in 1863 (48 dead), and the Washington Arsenal in 1864 (21 dead). In clear, engaging prose she introduces some of the victims and describes the horrific incidents. Photographs, maps, diagrams, and numerous informative (but intrusive) text boxes round out the presentation. Extensive backmatter adds gravitas. The employment plight of so many women of the era—few jobs and low pay—is amply illustrated. This grim, enlightening tale is most likely to appeal to those who seek out disaster stories or have an interest in American history. (Nonfiction. 11 & up)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940173193773
Publisher:	Quindaro Press
Publication date:	10/01/2016
Edition description:	Unabridged

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