Born December 25, 1821
Oxford, Massachusetts
Died April 12, 1912
Glen Echo, New York

Union nurse known as the "angel of the
battlefield" for treating wounded Union soldiers

Founded the American Red Cross

Clara Barton is one of the most remarkable women in American history. A former schoolteacher, she never received any formal training in nursing. But she became a famous figure on Civil War battlefields, where she tended to thousands of sick and wounded soldiers and delivered huge quantities of medicine, food, and other provisions to Union troops. She also remained in the public spotlight after the war concluded. In 1881 she founded the American Red Cross, and in her later years she emerged as a leader in the fight to gain women's suffrage (right to vote).

An early taste of nursing