ABOUT THE BOOK Clara Barton is perhaps best known as the founder of the Red Cross. This organization helps those in need, particularly after a natural disaster or those in an emergency situation. Though Barton started her career as a teacher, she found nursing particularly interesting. She nursed her older brother David after he suffered a work-related injury, and also helped other family members with their medical problems. Her father served in the Revolutionary War, and when the Civil War started, Barton found her chance to shine. A train of wounded soldiers arrived in Washington D.C on April 21, 1861. The U.S. Senate chamber was the only spot in town suitable to hold the dead and dying men. Volunteers came from neighboring areas to take care of the men, including Barton. Seeing the suffering that the men faced, Barton vowed to help in any way possible. By the end of July that same year, Barton found her way to help. She decided to create an organization that would take supplies to soldiers injured in the line of duty. EXCERPT FROM THE BOOK Despite leading the organization for decades, Barton worked well into her eighties. She was 79 years old when she led the Red Cross to Galveston, and some commented publicly on how she ran the organization. Facing pressure from the outside, Barton stepped down from her position. She was 83 when she left the Red Cross in 1904, turning over the reigns of the organization. Barton did not let her age slow her down, as she created the National First Aid Society. The organization helped those in need of first aid in local communities. The Red Cross later absorbed the organization. Barton lived until the age of 90 before passing away. She died on April 12, 1912 almost one year after the Titanic sank. Her friends gathered in Glen Echo, Maryland to be with her in her last days. The Civil War Home notes that General Benjamin F. Butlers named her the superintendent of nurses during the Civil War. Most of her major accomplishments came during the Civil War period. While some women disguised themselves as men to help with the war effort, Barton was the first woman officially allowed on the battlefield. She worked side-by-side with men, and found herself face-to-face with combat on a daily basis. Following the end of the Civil War, Barton had the chance to launch the American branch of the Red Cross. She served as the President for nearly two decades before leaving to launch the National First Aid Society. She is also well-known as a teacher, and was one of the first female teachers to earn the same level of pay as male teachers working in the same school... Buy a copy to keep reading! CHAPTER OUTLINE Biography of Clara Barton + Introduction + About Clara Barton + First Experiences In Nursing + Summary + ...and much more