Clara Barton

(http://s4.hubimg.com/u/3402335_f260.jpg (http://s4.hubimg.com/u/3402335_f260.jpg))

Standing on the battlefield, with a face blue from gunpowder and skirts soaked with vermilion blood, she stood there, silent but strong. Her determination to shield the soldiers from harm enveloped her in a fiery passion. To mere onlookers, it was the sight of an incredibly brave woman. But the men she saved that day saw more than that. They saw the image of an angel. The owner of this angelic soul is Clara Barton, a philanthropic woman who dedicated her life to helping others. Clara Barton was born on December 25, 1821, in North Oxford, Massachusetts. ("Contemporary Heroes and Heroines"). Barton's strong bond with her father influenced her patriotism, love of military lore, and humanitarian interests ("Curti"). Her eagerness to help others was strongly sparked by the severity of the conditions for the wounded soldiers fighting in the Civil War ("Contemporary Heroes and Heroines"). During wartime, Barton blew away the assumption that women could not assist on the battlefield. She aided many soldiers and organized wagon trains that were to be lead into the Union Army ("Contemporary Heroes and Heroines"). After realizing that her work must continue, she lobbied for the ratification of a humanitarian organization. This organization would aid in times of war and disaster and was later named the "American Red Cross" ("American Red Cross Museum"). Through her benevolent mindset and passion for her work, Barton was able to overcome many obstacles, and she sacrificed much of her time for the sake of the people. She determinedly sought out what was best for her country and destroyed the notions that women did not deserve to fight alongside their male companions. Clara Barton's aspiration for the well-being of mankind not only gave her the passion and philanthropic attitude to care for the wounded and dying against overwhelming odds, but also caused her to strive with determination to overcome the prejudicial boundaries of her country's people and change the world around her.   

Barton helping soldiers. (http://mickmaurer.com/sitebuilder/images/wounded-soldier-civil-war-314x366.jpg (http://mickmaurer.com/sitebuilder/images/wounded-soldier-civil-war-314x366.jpg))

Barton's passion towards her work gave her an undying will to better improve the lives of others. After Barton established the newly found American Red Cross, she realized there were many other uses for the humanitarian organization, and made the steps to better enhance civilian lives: "For the next twenty-two years, Barton was president of the American Red Cross. She never married and dedicated herself totally to the organization. Sensing that peacetime emergencies would be more compelling than war service, she began to use society to aid in relief of natural disasters" (Pryor). Clara Barton dedicated much of her life to aiding people in troubling situations. Because of this, she no longer had the fundamental desires to search for a partner, start a family, and like the many other women during her generation, live out the rest of her life in comfort. The only goal that fueled her was the aspiration to improve other peoples' lives. In an effort to achieve this, Barton altered the conditions of the American Red Cross, enabling the organization to aid civilians in times of peace. To accomplish such a feat, she sacrificed an immeasurable amount of her time. She believed that her deeds should always help others and made sure that the organization dedicated all its time to that sole purpose. During the Battle of Antietam, Barton's devotion to helping the soldiers gave her strength to endure the appalling scenes in order to assist the injured and dying. "'I saw many things that I did not wish to see and I pray God I may never see again,' Barton later wrote of the especially gruesome aftermath of the Battle of Antietam. Yet she never hesitated to go where she was needed, declaring that 'while our soldiers can stand and fight, I can stand and feed and nurse them'" (Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). There were many opportunities where Barton could have fled for her safety. However, her adherence to supporting the soldiers rooted her to the spot. It gave her the calm mind to accomplish her duty with maximum performance, saving the lives of many soldiers. Clara Barton's humanitarian aspirations were woven deeply into her soul. The passion that Barton showed came with a sacrifice, but it allowed her to overcome many emotional hurdles and helped save the lives of others. 

Barton at adulthood. (http://www.historyguy.com/civilwar/clara_barton.jpg (http://www.historyguy.com/civilwar/clara_barton.jpg))

An early Red Cross ambulance. (http://americanhistory.si.edu/dynamic/images/press/image_2_699.jpg (http://americanhistory.si.edu/dynamic/images/press/image_2_699.jpg))

When the prejudicial boundaries blocked Barton from achieving her goals, she wasted no time in blowing them away with her confidence and determination. Just as the Civil War began, Barton was stunned to see hundreds of wounded soldiers without treatment. She sought to help them but decided that she would be much more useful in a different way: ""At first, Barton opened up her own apartment to as many of them as she could and cared for them herself. She then sought permission to go directly into the field, a request that met with overwhelming resistance from those who felt women lacked courage and stamina and would just 'get in the way.' She persisted, however, and in mid-1862 at last received official permission to serve as a battlefield nurse" (Contemporary Heroes and Heroines). After Barton saw the wounded troops, she decided that she was going to make a change. However, back then, women were not considered "change material," and many key decision makers overlooked the ingenuity and determination that many women, in fact, possessed.  She did not let the higher ups' "petty insults" get in the way of her ambition, but instead she justified that she deserved to be able to fight for her country. Even though Barton was being discriminated and judged for being a woman, she did not shy away at their biases, and sought out to prove that she was determined to stand by the men who were prepared to give up their lives and future for the sake of the war. After seeing the Geneva Convention, Barton understood that America would also greatly benefit from a humanitarian organization: "But over the course of nearly a decade she lobbied virtually alone for its acceptance, against a bureaucracy that believed that any agreement meant compromising America's autonomy. Barton's determination and her agility at operating in the political sphere ultimately led to her success" (Pryor). When Clara Barton first began arguing for the Red Cross acceptance, she knew it would be a difficult battle, and she knew the minds of the American leaders were already closed before she even began to speak. However this did not stop her, and she was determined to not give up until she had her way. With all the ability she could muster, Barton alone battled for the ratification of the American Red Cross. These conditions didn't bother her in the least, and with her head held high, she continued to persistently argue that the United States was in need of a humanitarian organization until the Senate agreed to ratify it. Over the years, Clara Barton was eventually able to prevail over the harsh prejudicial thinking that was made by many people. Her indifference towards biases and her strong determination allowed her to accomplish many feats that few could achieve in several lifetimes.

Clara Barton in her middle ages. (http://0.tqn.com/d/usparks/1/0/0/L/-/-/ClaraBartonNationalHistoricSite.jpg (http://0.tqn.com/d/usparks/1/0/0/L/-/-/ClaraBartonNationalHistoricSite.jpg))

"All God's angels come to us disguised" (James Russell Lowell). Barton's conviction to stand up for what she believed in helped her persevere through the toughest of situations, and guided the people around her to change their mentality of how they view the world. The occurrences during the Civil War altered much of Barton's life. She developed a stronger aspiration towards protecting mankind and enhancing the well-being of others, and it gave her the determination to follow what was in her heart, no matter what the consequences were. Her passion towards caring for others saved the lives of many people, and she is known as a renowned hero even to this day. Barton may be recognized as an "angel of the battlefield," but she was much more than that. Her ability to inspire people originates from the simple feeling of wanting all human beings to be treated equally. There was no hidden meaning, wealth to be gained, nor impure motives. To me this means everything. Nowadays, many people reach for the title of "hero," just for recognition. They want to be known as a person who helped change this world. However Barton wasn't like that. She helped countless people not for the fame and glory, but for the sheer desire to improve the lives of people less fortunate then her. Her actions reminded me of an old saying my teachers would tell me. "Do what is right, even when no one is looking." Barton inspired me to help my community to be the best that it can be. At one point, I realized the happiness I achieved from helping others didn't come from the praises of various people. It came from the simple joy of knowing the fact that I made someone's day a little more special. Barton's willful personality brought out the best in many people. With the emanating charisma of an angel, Clara Barton exemplifies the strengths capable of humans, and ingrains it in us all.

Works Cited:

Pryor, Elizabeth B. "Clara Barton." American National Biography (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.

"Clara Barton." Contemporary Heroes and Heroines. Vol. 2. Gale, 1992. Gale Biography

In Context. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.

Curti, Merle. "BARTON, Clara." Notable American Women, A Biographical Dictionary: 1607-1950 (Vol.1-3) (1971):

   103.Biography Reference Center. Web. 25 Mar. 2012.

"American Red Cross Museum." American Red Cross. American Red Cross. Web. 26. Mar. 2012.

Barton, Clara. "Clara Barton at Chatham." National Parks Service. National Parks Service, 23 Oct. 2005. Web. 26 Mar. 2012.