"The first history--incisive, witty, fascinating--of the fight against sexual harassment, from the author of the New York Times bestseller Sisters in Law"--

A Quaker woman dares the unknown to be a missionary in the western wilderness of the United States in 1837.

In this engrossing and informative companion to her New York Times bestsellers Founding Mothers and Ladies of Liberty, Cokie Roberts marks the sesquicentennial of the Civil War by offering a riveting look at Washington, D.C. and the experiences, influence, and contributions of its women during this momentous period of American history.

With the outbreak of the Civil War, the small, social Southern town of Washington, D.C. found itself caught

...

At the time of the American Revolution, women were not given many opportunities to participate in life outside the home. As many men headed off to war, their wives, daughters, and mothers had to take on new roles. Some women disguised themselves as men and fought as soldiers, while others helped the American war effort through spying and gathering information. Still others wrote and published revolutionary propaganda or helped raise money for the...

"Without the support of American women, victory in the Revolutionary War would not have been possible. They followed the Continental Army, handling a range of jobs that were usually performed by men. The author focuses on the many key roles women filled in the struggle for independence, from farming to making saltpeter to spying"--