Emma Stephenson: the “slave nurse” with the kindest hands that Union soldiers wrote home about

Emma Stephenson’s Fatal Service at Kennesaw Mountain

Emma Stephenson got her first taste of freedom when Union troops came through Kentucky. Soon after, she chose to join them as a nurse with the 17th Army Corps.

At Kennesaw Mountain in 1864, she worked round the clock in a makeshift hospital set up in Marietta’s Masonic Hall. Wounded soldiers wrote home about her care.

"She treats us with tender hands," one soldier told his mother. Sadly, Emma caught the same diseases that plagued her patients.

She died on July 16, 1864.

Today, her grave sits in Marietta National Cemetery among the very soldiers she once nursed back to health.

Emma Lived in Slavery’s Shadow in Kentucky

Emma Stephenson grew up as a slave in Kentucky. Her owner controlled her work, home, and future.

She couldn’t make any choices for herself. Kentucky stayed with the Union during the Civil War but kept slavery legal.

Like many slaves, nobody wrote down Emma’s birthday, family details, or childhood stories in any official records.

Freedom Came When Union Troops Arrived

Union soldiers freed Emma during their Kentucky operations. Her sudden freedom brought both chances and risks with few resources to help her.

Many newly freed people struggled to find food, shelter, and safety during the war. Some went north to safer places, while others stayed near Union camps for protection.

Emma now had to decide what to do as a free woman.

She Chose to Join the Fight as a Nurse

Instead of seeking safety elsewhere, Emma boldly volunteered with the Union 17th Army Corps as a nurse. This was likely her first big free choice after years as a slave.

The 17th Corps was part of General Sherman’s large army heading toward Atlanta in 1864.

By joining the medical team, Emma put herself in danger, traveling with soldiers into battle areas and facing the same hardships.

Sherman’s March Brought Her to Georgia

The Atlanta Campaign began in May 1864, with Sherman’s 100,000 soldiers moving from Tennessee into Georgia. Emma traveled with the 17th Corps through rough land and small towns on their way to Atlanta.

The campaign had constant small fights against Confederate General Johnston’s defensive forces. Emma helped care for soldiers suffering from wounds, sickness, and tiredness during the tough summer advance.

The Mountain Loomed as a Deadly Challenge

By June 1864, Sherman’s army reached the strong Kennesaw Mountain line northwest of Atlanta. Confederate troops under Johnston built heavy defenses along a seven-mile curved front anchored by the mountain.

Standing 1,800 feet above Marietta, this natural fortress gave Confederate gunners clear views of any Union soldiers coming near. Emma got medical supplies and hospital spaces ready as Sherman planned his next move.

Thousands Fell in the Bloody Assault

Sherman launched a huge frontal attack against the Confederate lines on June 27, 1864. Over 200 Union cannons fired at 8 AM before three columns of blue-uniformed soldiers charged uphill toward the enemy.

The attack failed badly, with Union forces losing about 3,000 men compared to only 1,000 Confederate losses.

Wounded soldiers from units like the 30th Illinois Infantry soon filled every space in field hospitals behind Union lines.

Masonic Hall Became a House of Suffering

Emma worked non-stop in a makeshift hospital set up in Marietta’s Masonic Hall after the battle. Wounded men lay on every floor, their groans filling the air as doctors did surgeries with limited supplies.

The summer heat and crowding created awful conditions for both patients and medical staff. Emma moved from soldier to soldier, changing bandages, offering water, and comforting men far from home.

Soldiers Wrote Home About Her Gentle Care

Private Asa Soper of the 30th Illinois Infantry sent a letter to his mother praising the "slave woman who cares for us on this floor" with kindness and gentle attention.

Another soldier, William Walls, wrote on July 9, 1864, telling his family not to worry because Emma took care of the wounded men "with the same tender hands" as their mothers would.

These rare written accounts show Emma’s compassion and skill during those hard days.

The Same Diseases That Killed Soldiers Took Her Too

Emma caught a deadly illness while caring for the sick and wounded in the crowded hospital.

Disease spread quickly in the dirty conditions of Civil War field hospitals, killing more soldiers than actual fighting. Typhoid, dysentery, and other infections passed easily between patients and caregivers.

On July 16, 1864, just weeks after the battle, Emma died from the same conditions that killed many of her patients.

Her First Burial Came Near the Hospital

Army staff buried Emma at the 17th Corps hospital cemetery close to Marietta after she died. Her grave stood among hundreds of others who died from battle wounds or disease during the Atlanta Campaign.

Military authorities marked and recorded her burial spot, recognizing her service to the Union cause.

The temporary cemetery held the remains of soldiers and support staff until more permanent arrangements could be made after the war.

A National Cemetery Became Her Forever Home

In 1867, workers moved Emma’s remains to the newly established Marietta National Cemetery as part of a larger reburial project.

They placed her in Section F, Site 4841, among 238 Black Union soldiers who died between 1864 and 1866. This final resting place gave Emma the same honor afforded to the soldiers she had cared for in life.

Today, she lies in this peaceful spot, her sacrifice remembered alongside thousands of others who gave their lives for the Union.

Visiting Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park, Georgia

Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park at 900 Kennesaw Mountain Drive offers free admission to learn about Emma Stephenson, a formerly enslaved woman who volunteered as a Union nurse during the Civil War.

The visitor center opens daily 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM with self-guided trails like the Illinois Monument Trail.

Emma died caring for wounded soldiers and was buried at Marietta National Cemetery (500 Washington Avenue, Marietta) in Section F, Site 4841.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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