Chapter I: Introduction: xi

I. HER FIRST ATTEMPT AT AUTOBIOGRAPHY 1

II. THE BIRTH OF CLARA BARTON 6

III. HER ANCESTRY 9

IV. HER PARENTAGE AND INFANCY 16

V. HER SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS 22

VI. THE DAYS OF HER YOUTH 36

VII. HER FIRST EXPERIENCE AS A TEACHER 50

VIII. LEAVES FROM HER UNPUBLISHED AUTOBIOGRAPHY 56

IX. THE HEART OF CLARA BARTON 76

X. FROM SCHOOLROOM TO PATENT OFFICE 89

XI. THE BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM 107

XII. HOME AND COUNTRY 131

XIII. CLARA BARTON TO THE FRONT 172

XIV. HARPER’S FERRY TO ANTIETAM 191

XV. CLARA BARTON’S CHANGE OF BASE 225

XVI. THE ATTEMPT TO RECAPTURE SUMTER 238

XVII. FROM THE WILDERNESS TO THE JAMES 263

XVIII. TO THE END OF THE WAR 282

XIX. ANDERSONVILLE AND AFTER 304

XX. ON THE LECTURE PLATFORM 328

ILLUSTRATIONS

CLARA BARTON AT THE TIME OF THE CIVIL WAR

MOTHER AND FATHER OF CLARA BARTON

BIRTHPLACE OF CLARA BARTON

STONE SCHOOLHOUSE WHERE SHE FIRST TAUGHT

CLARA BARTON AT EIGHTEEN

MISS FANNIE CHILDS (MRS. BERNARD VASSALL)

THE SCHOOLHOUSE AT BORDENTOWN

FACSIMILE OF SENATOR HENRY WILSON’S LETTER TO PRESIDENT LINCOLN

FACSIMILE OF LETTER OF CLARA BARTON TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON WITH
INDORSEMENTS BY THE PRESIDENT, GENERAL GRANT, AND OTHERS