Gentle Annie: The True story of a Civil War Nurse Research Activity
Based on the book by Mary Francis Shura
Directions: Read the questions first.
Use the links to go to a web site with the answer.
If a link is broken, use your online research skills to answer the question. Answer sheet info
1. Annie's father and later her coworker, Florrie, die of consumption. What is this disease called today?
Why is it still a danger?
How can people reduce its risk?
2. Will gives Annie a book as a birthday gift. It is about Florence Nightingale.
Who was she?
3. Annie observes that Washington D.C. will be pretty when the Capitol dome is finished.
Which of these Washington D.C. sights were present during the Civil War? (Do some online digging to make your decisions)
| The Peace Monument | Smithsonian castle | Jefferson Memorial |
| The Vietnam Memorial | Washington Monument | Lincoln Memorial |
| Albert Einstein | Arlington Cemetery | National Museum of American History |
When was the dome on the U. S. Capitol completed?
Write one fact about the dome.
What is on top of the Capitol Building dome?
Does your state Capitol have a dome?
4. Casualties of War. Read this Smithsonian article about medical service during the Civil War.
What are three mistakes that were made?
5. Annie is horrified by the battle at Bull Run. Kady tells her that some people had a picnic while watching that battle.
How many soldiers died during the Civil War? Explore this Civil War Soldier life resource.
What do you think of the idea of people having a picnic while watching a battle?
6. Several songs are mentioned in the book. "Yankee Doodle", "Tenting Tonight", "John Brown's Song"
Look into one of the song's story. Write two facts.
Bugles were used to communicate during the Civil War. The "Scott Tattoo" was one such tune. It became "Taps".
Why was it played during the Civil War?
When is it played today?
7. Ms Shura writes that after the battle at Gettysburg, guns were stacked in clusters like cornstalks.
In November 1863, the battlefield was dedicated as a national cemetery. She described the crosses as
stretching out of sight, just like the stacks of arms.
Who gave a famous speech at that dedication ceremony?
What was the title of the speech?
8. What do think Annie Etheridge Hook would think regarding where she is buried?
9 Mary Francis Craig was a recipient of the Carl Sandburg Literary Arts Award in 1985.
She wrote children's books under the name Mary Francis Shura. She also wrote
many adult books and mystery novels
under the names M. S. Craig, Mary Francis Craig and Meredith Hill.
When an author publishes their work under another name, this is called using a ...
Name another American author who published their work under a different name.
Why do you think an author would use another name for their work?
"WHERE our government to order a gold medal to be given to the woman who has most distinguished herself by heroic courage on the field, and by the most patient and effective service in the military hospitals, there can be little doubt that the united voices of the soldiers and of all the army nurses would assign the honor to Anna Etheridge, of Michigan." 1
1 Moore, Frank, Women of the War: Their Heroism and Self-Sacrifice, S.S. Scranton, Hartford, CT. 1866. 604 pgs. P 513 - 518. Available online through Questia - The World's Largest Online Library of Books that provides 24/7 access to the world's largest online collection of books and journal articles in the humanities and social sciences, plus magazine and newspaper articles.
Extend your knowledge and thinking:
* Watch: Timeline Introduction to Benjamin Banneker - Make a timeline for Annie Etheridge.
* Make a pamphlet or a web page/site about another woman who served her country during the Civil War.
Lorinda Anne Blair Etheridge Hook was not the only woman who nursed the injured.
Look into the life of one of these patriotic women of the Civil War: Sarah Emma Edmonds Seelye (aka Franklin Thompson), Susie King Taylor, Louisa May Alcott, Rose O’Neal Greenhow, Bridget Divers, Dorthea Dix, Annie Wittenmyer, Jane Hoge, Amy Clark, Mary Ann ("Mother") Bickerdyke, Sally Tompkins, Pauline Cushman, Mary Safford, Sarah Wakeman, Kady (aka Kate) Brownell, Mary Dennis, Frances Hook, Ella Newsom, Mary Hancock, Jane Stuart Woolsey, Katharine Prescott Wormeley, Felicia Grundy Porter, Nancy Hart, Cornelia Hancock, Mary Ann Cary, Nancy Slaughter Walker, Jennie Hodges, Maria Isabella "Belle" Boyd, Mary Livermore, Elizabeth Van Lew or Clara Barton. Alternatively, you could research a woman in your area that took action.
*Discover how the people in your community supported the Cause during the Civil War.
* Make a character trait word cloud
* Make a GoogleLit Trip about the story.
* Flags:
 |
Several times in the story Annie comments on the regimental flags. Which one inspires you the most? Why? |
Gentle Annie Essays | Build a Vocabulary Crossword on Gentle Annie
The Civil War @ PBS | Civil War Women: Primary Sources on the Internet
Spotsylvania Stump | Civil War Soldier @ NPS | The Capitol Dome - learn more about it
Make a Book Trailer with Photo Story 3 free software and tutorial
Internet Hunts / Nature / Pennsylvania Project / Computers / Puzzles & Projects / Site map / Home
10/2007 Cynthia J. O'Hora,
updated 2/2024
In honor of Annie Etheridge and the many other women who have offered succor in the face of war - Released to public domain.
Individuals and educators may print a hunt for use in a classroom setting.
How to make a digital answer sheet: Highlight the text of the questions on this web page, copy them - Edit .. Copy. Open a text document or word processing document. Paste the questions into the blank document. Answer the questions in the word processing document in a contrasting color (not yellow) or font ( avoid fancy fonts like: 
, Symbol, 
or 
. Enter your name and the date in a document header. Save frequently as you work. I do not like losing my work. You will not like it either.
Proof your responses. It is funny how speling errors and typeos sneak in to the bets work. 
Make Your Own Printed answer sheet.
Aligned with Pennsylvania Academic Standards Science and Technology, Arts, Reading, Writing, History, Civics and Government,
The history of the "New York 40th Mozart Regiment" is detailed in Fred C. Floyds 1909 book.
This is the entry regarding...
ANNIE ETHERIDGE HOOKS.
Among the Army Nurses no one was better known than Annie Etheridge, whose maiden name was Annie Blair. She was born in Detroit, Mich., and was the daughter of John Blair. She was reared in luxury, but in early girlhood her father met with business reverses. She married James Etheridge, who enlisted in the 2d Michigan Regiment. Annie offered her services as a volunteer nurse and they were accepted. She went with the Regiment to the seat of war, but when the Regiment was ordered to Tennessee, she was transferred to the 3d Michigan Regiment, and when that Regiment was assigned to the Army of the Potomac she remained with it until its term of enlistment expired. She was then transferred to the 5th Michigan Regiment, which was attached to the Brigade in which the Mozart Regiment served. She engaged in the Hospital Service, and ministered to all within her jurisdiction with motherly tenderness, and to such a degree was her manner compassionate and sympathetic that she became known throughout the Second and Third Corps as " Gentle Annie." She rode horseback on the march, and in battle was attended by an orderly, who carried the medicine chest. She was many times exposed to rebel bullets and was once slightly wounded. She succored many helpless men on the field of carnage and dressed their wounds long before they could have been carried to the surgeons for treatment. She witnessed all the horrors of war, and saw men killed while she quenched the flow of blood from the wounds of those around her. Gen. Kearny, Gen. Berry, Gen. Birney, Gen. Hancock, and many other Commanding Officers held her in high esteem and valued her services. She even appeared upon the skirmish line, and was often on the line of battle whenever a fight was expected or in progress, in consequence of which the Kearny Medal of Honor was conferred upon her. Many incidents might be related of her bravery and inspiring patriotism. Wherever she appeared the men welcomed her with cheers and extended to her every possible respect and courtesy. Her life was blameless and so fully devoted to the soldiers that no word was ever spoken in her presence, or deed committed, that could give her offense or cause her humiliation. She was regarded as a ministering angel and the personification of all the womanly virtues. After the war, she married Mr. Charles E. Hooks, with whom she is now residing in the City of Washington, where Comrade Hooks, who served in the 7th Connecticut Regiment, is now employed as a messenger in one of the Government Departments. Gentle Annie is enjoying a serene life and is never happier than when she meets some of the men with whom she was associated in the perilous days of the Great Rebellion, and to whom she exemplified the Golden Rule. |