In a time of great emphasis on the separate roles of men and women, hundreds of females—Union and Confederate—cut their hair, bound their breasts, donned men’s clothing, and reported to army recruiters for duty during the Civil War. Others served as scouts, spies, or rode with their husbands and brothers in contested areas.

Public historians Diane Eickhoff and Aaron Barnhart explore how and why these extraordinary women defied cultural norms to participate in America's largest domestic military conflict.

Eickhoff and Barnhart have traveled throughout Missouri and Kansas, visiting and writing about historic sites. They are co-authors of The Big Divide: A Travel Guide to Historic and Civil War Sites in the Missouri-Kansas Border Region.