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    Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil War Tragedies
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    Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil War Tragedies
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    Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil War Tragedies
    Ebook146 pages1 hour

    Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil War Tragedies

    By Tanya Anderson

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    "With thousands of men off fighting in the Civil War, the government hired women and girls—some as young as ten—to make millions of rounds of ammunition. 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.

    As Steve Sheinkin did with The Port Chicago 50, Tanya Anderson in Gunpowder Girls tells an amazing war story that finally gives its subjects their due. Hidden history comes alive through primary-source research and page-turning narrative.

    Gunpowder Girls is a story of child labor and immigrant hopes and the cruel, endless demands of an all-consuming war.

    "Outstanding," raves Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson, author of Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. "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."

    “Clear, engaging prose," writes Kirkus Reviews in its September 2016 issue. "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. ”

    “Wow! This story is unprecedented. The accounts of the explosions themselves are as harrowing as narrative gets.” —Elizabeth Norton, Commerce Township (Mich.) Community Library

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherQuindaro Press
    Release dateOct 11, 2016
    ISBN9780966925845
    Author

    Tanya Anderson

    Tanya Anderson is an award-winning editor of books for young readers. Her particular passion is to create engaging nonfiction books for reluctant readers, those who are capable readers but who have become uninterested in reading. Anderson discovered this need when she taught high school history and English. She continues in her role as a teacher and guide through the books she edits and writes. Anderson graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, after a dozen years in the education field, she followed her dream of joining the children's book publishing world. She has worked for more than twenty years in various editorial functions for Pages Publishing Group/Willowisp Press, Guideposts for Teens, SRA/McGraw-Hill, Darby Creek Publishing, and now has her own book packaging company, School Street Media. Besides working with some of the most wonderful authors and illustrators in the business, Anderson has also had more than thirty books published in the children's and educational book markets.

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    Reviews for Gunpowder Girls

    4.5/5

    24 ratings20 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I love reading about the strong women, The girls in the books worked hard during the war and sometimes are forgotten in our history books. The book shows the compassion the women for the family, country and each other.
    • 3/5
      This was a quick read, but certainly not an easy one. Ms. Anderson does a wonderful job of making the reader care about her subjects, making the tragedies of which she writes all the more heartbreaking. In addition, I learned quite a bit about the process of ammo making during the Civil War.Disclaimer: I received a free copy for review
    • 4/5
      3.75 Stars A YA historical account of 3 civilian tragedies during the American Civil War in which most of the casualties were girls and women. A book for students interested in the topic that is written more like a novella than a collection of historical facts with a subject matter that is long overdue. A few photographs are included as well as a decent bibliography. LT Early Reviewer
    • 4/5
      In this time of women organizing to march in Washington, D.C. to assert their value and rights, this book connects beautifully. This is a documentation of the history of woman and girls who worked in arsenals during the Civil War to provide munitions for soldiers. The author describes in detail how difficult the lives were for these people and how dangerous as they marched forward into disaster. The explosions and the ensuing investigations had been largely forgotten in the pursuit of history of the Civil War. The home front death tolls were horrific. As we look at issues in today's world, there is much that echoes down from the past. The women and girls were ruled over by men who would abide no disruptions to productivity. The investigations were fraught with political overtones. All of this happening in the north and the south during the war. There is also a focus on the role of African American women in the war efforts. Most intriguing is the description of how women covering clerk positions during the war for the U.S. government fought for and won the right to equal pay with men for those positions when the men returned from war to their jobs. Equal pay for equal work in the 1800's....amazing! The book also provides recommended reading which should be helpful to any reader wishing to pursue this line of interest.
    • 5/5
      I love history, especially American Civil War history. This book was a treat because the whole concept of it was about something that isn't well known and women! It was tragic, really, but so well researched and I really, really liked it. It opened up a whole new part of the war to me. I would recommend this book. 5 out of 5 stars.
    • 5/5
      Thnak you, Tanya. Your book should be standard reading in all American Elementary Schools. Not only have you ensured these brave souls are not forgotten, but you have enlightened us all as to the lesser known roles of women during war-time. Your thorough research and vivid depiction of these historical events have shined a stunningly bright light on such subjects as, but not limited to, child labor, workers' rights, suffrage, work-place safety and many others. I truly commend your inclusion of African American Women and their vital impact to keep our nation free and whole. May all your endeavors be Blessed by The Holy Father. . . SMILE!!!
    • 4/5
      During the Civil War, ammunition was made by girls and women in tightly packed workshops. Dealing with inflammable materials, the smallest mistake could be fatal. This book tells the story of 3 different ammunition workshop tragedies which killed about 150, some as young as 10 years old, and many burned beyond possible identification.
    • 5/5
      I've been reading books about history and wars this late months. I honestly had no idea about the US Civil War before starting this book; I just knew it had been a war between two sides of the country. However, this book opened my eyes regarding this event in history. Tanya Anderson tells the story of three woman in the middle of the Civil War, describing the roles of woman in the war and the way the battles, soldiers, slavery, politics, discrimination, and others worked during that time. Her writing makes the pages fly easily, and the information in the pages is described in a way that doesn't make you want to "run away", but want to investigate and know more.
    • 5/5
      I received this book through the Library Thing Early Reviewers Program.I have read numerous books on the Civil War, but I was completely ignorant of the three tragedies related in this nonfiction book: the young women, mostly immigrants, who assembled ammunition and were killed in accidental explosions on both the Union and Confederate sides of the war. These work place disasters took place decades before the Triangle Shirt Company Fire revolutionized work place safety. These were women tightly packed in rooms--and adorned in hoop skirts--who sat still for hours at a time as they packed cartridges. In only one of the cases was a woman the cause of the disaster; the other two were caused by the actions of men outside of the building. While investigations were made and some new safety standards were instituted, no one was held accountable, and the families (who in some causes lost multiple members) were not compensated for their losses.It's a short, educational, and heartbreaking book. Anderson's writing is excellent. Illustrations and photographs throughout greatly illuminate the text; for example, they show how the ammunition was assembled and how the buildings were arranged. The target audience for the book is YA, and I think this would be a very eye-opening book for teenagers and adults when it comes to 19th century labor practices and the desperation of the times. Kudos to the author for exploring this topic and paying tribute to these women who were lost and forgotten.
    • 4/5
      Author Tanya Anderson scoured primary sources to research the history of girls and women who worked in the ammunition factories during the American Civil War. Child labor, strict production rates, and other unsafe working conditions lead to the three tragic explosions in Pennsylvania, Virgina, and Washington, D.C. Anderson recounts the need for ammunition, wages, and other factors that result in loss of life and property. Photos, background information, endnotes, and a bibliography round out this historical book.
    • 5/5
      Tillie Pierce grew from a young girl into a woman in just a few days time by experiencing the horrors of war. This book tracks Tillie's experience from the time her town of Gettysburg was invaded by the Confederates thru the time they were repulsed by the Union Army. Its the story of her life being caught up right in the middle of the blood and gore. She witnessed death all around her and provided aid to the wounded and dying. It is incredible to think that she fled the main part of the city thinking she would be safe but landed in the middle of some of the bloodiest fighting anyway. The book is not just another overview of the war but is a collection of the personal stories and incidents of Tillie's experience as recorded in her journal. The experience of the book is capped by an invitation to use Google Earth to trace Tillie's footsteps through the conflict....what a unique experience presented by author Tanya Anderson. This was a great read.
    • 5/5
      This book provided an interesting look at one civilian's experience during the Battle of Gettysburg. The boxes of historical information, the period photographs, and the map the author included really complemented Tillie's own words. I'm older than the target audience, but I would especially recommend this book for younger readers who could learn about history through the eyes of someone their own age.*Note* I received a copy of this book from Library Thing Early Reviewers for my honest opinion.
    • 4/5
      An interesting and informative book about an eyewitness to the battle of Gettysburg. In simplifying the narrative, though, the author appears to project a bias, though it might have been unintentional.
    • 5/5
      Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg is an excellent read. It should appeal to a junior high audience of students who are asked to read nonfiction in their English classes or who are studying the Civil War in their U.S. History classes. Before reading the book, I thought that the book would appeal primarily to a female audience. After reading it, I know I will recommend it to the boys as well. I honestly enjoyed it as an adult reader. Reading history textbooks can sometimes make history seem distant and a bit overwhelming with so many facts. Tillie Pierce humanizes the Battle of Gettysburg and makes it feel much more authentic to the reader.I will be donating my copy to the school library but will be ordering a hardbound copy to stand up to the wear-and-tear of frequently read books. I see that Quindaro Press is releasing another book called Gunpowder Girls: The True Stories of Three Civil War Tragedies which is also authored by Tanya Anderson. I will have no trouble ordering this new release sight-unseen because I am so impressed by the writing and photographs in Tillie's story. I hope the author and publisher create a whole series of these books.
    • 4/5
      Author Tanya Anderson scoured primary sources to research the history of girls and women who worked in the ammunition factories during the American Civil War. Child labor, strict production rates, and other unsafe working conditions lead to the three tragic explosions in Pennsylvania, Virgina, and Washington, D.C. Anderson recounts the need for ammunition, wages, and other factors that result in loss of life and property. Photos, background information, endnotes, and a bibliography round out this historical book.
    • 4/5
      This slim volume tells the tale of three arsenals that exploded during the height of the Civil War, causing multiple deaths and great concern among the area residents who thought the enemy was on their doorstep. Coming from the Pittsburgh area I was surprised to see that was the first, and most damaging explosion. The author includes interesting sidebars and a lengthy bibliography. There are three times the amount of citations for Pittsburgh as either of the other two cities even though the text of the book seems to be evenly divided. What I don't understand is the bibliographic section on women and child labor. Those books discuss topics that occurred well after the civil war and although interesting, seem out of place in this book.
    • 5/5
      GUNPOWDER GIRLS by Tanya Anderson tells the tragic story of 140 women and girls who were killed in arsenal explosions during the Civil War.This quick-read is told in three parts including the catastrophes at Allegheny Arsenal, Confederate States Laboratory, and Washington Arsenal. The author weaves in primary source materials and interesting informational pages to bring the events to life for middle and high school readers. The book includes an epilogue, author’s note, endnotes, bibliography, recommended readings, and index.Librarians will find this book to be a welcome addition to the history collection. Pair it with other little-known events in the American Civil War. Or, connect it with other tragedies in women’s history.Published by Quindaro Press October 11, 2016. ARC from the publisher.
    • 5/5
      As a future social studies teacher, I am always looking for books that are historically accurate, use primary sources and provide students with a look at an important event from a different perspective. This book meets all of the above. Here the author provides the reader with a look at some of the important roles women played during the Civil War that often put them in harm’s way as they worked long shifts in the arsenals that supplied each side with the necessary ammunition for war. The book looks at why women took on these dangerous jobs, what was involved in performing them and what happened when things went wrong, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. I will definitely be using this book when teaching any lessons about this time period in our nation’s history.
    • 4/5
      I received a free advanced copy of this book from the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway in exchange for an honest review.Very interesting story about three tragedies that took place at three different arsenals where women were making ammunition for the men fighting in the Civil War. There seems to be so much written on the Civil War with regards to battles, soldiers, slavery, politics, etc. that it’s fascinating to read about the lives of everyday women who left the home and went to work to help support their families. It’s a fairly quick read, but packed full of information and a well written narrative that keeps you interested in the events leading up to and following these tragic munitions explosions. I only wish the author was able to write more about the lives of these women and their roles in supporting the war effort. This is a great supplemental book to a unit on the Civil War or a jumping off point for a research project on the role of women in the war.
    • 5/5
      Before their granddaughters and great-granddaughters went to work for the war efforts in World Wars I and II, women and young girls were employed on the home front in the U.S. Civil War. This book provides a history of three tragedies affecting young women and girls working in Civil War ammunition factories in Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania, Richmond, Virginia, and Washington, DC. Anderson describes their work, provides details of the circumstances that led to each disaster, and gives an account of each of the subsequent investigations. Anderson provides a list of all who were killed in each of the explosions. She has calculated the victims' ages from their ages in the 1860 census. The plentiful and clear illustrations enhance the reader's understanding of the more technical details in the text. The primary sources for Anderson's research are the historical newspaper accounts of the tragedies. Anderson provides both a selected bibliography of resources with information about these three events, as well as recommended reading lists on the Civil War and on women and child labor reform. This well-written history is recommended for all middle and high-school library collections. Anderson's compilation of lists of fatalities for each explosion will make this a worthwhile purchase for many genealogical collections as well.This review is based on an advance review copy provided by the publisher through LibraryThing's Early Reviewers program.