Mary O'Connell (nurse) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sister Anthony SC
Sister Anthony, from an 1897 publication.
Born	Mary Ellen O'Connell 1814 Limerick, Ireland
Died	December 8, 1897 Cincinnati, Ohio
Other names	Sister Anthony

Sister Anthony, born Mary O'Connell (1814 – December 8, 1897), was an Irish immigrant to the United States. She became a Catholic religious sister, also known as a nun. She was a member of the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati.

Sister Anthony became famous for her work as a nurse. She helped many wounded soldiers during the American Civil War. People called her "the angel of the battlefield." She was also known as "the Florence Nightingale of America." This was because she cared for so many people. Her portrait is now in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Life and Work of Sister Anthony

Early Life and Becoming a Sister

Mary Ellen O'Connell was born in Limerick, Ireland, in 1814. In 1821, her family moved to Boston, USA. She went to the Ursuline Academy in Charlestown, Massachusetts.

On June 5, 1835, she joined the American Sisters of Charity. This group was started by Saint Elizabeth Seton. In 1837, she officially became a sister. She took the name Sister Anthony. Soon after, she moved to Cincinnati, Ohio.

Helping Children and the Sick

Sister Anthony started working in Cincinnati in 1837. She first helped at St. Peter's Orphan Asylum and School for girls. In 1852, she took charge of St. Joseph's Orphan Asylum for boys. Later, she helped combine these two orphanages.

In 1852, the Sisters in Cincinnati became independent. Sister Anthony was then put in charge of St. John's Hostel for Invalids. This was a new hospital.

Nursing During the Civil War

When the American Civil War began, many Sisters of Charity volunteered. More than one-third of the sisters became nurses. In June 1861, Sister Anthony was one of six sisters sent to Camp Dennison. This camp was near Cincinnati.

Later, a request for nurses came from Cumberland, Virginia. Eight sisters, including Sister Anthony, went to help. They cared for wounded soldiers from both sides of the war.

The Battle of Shiloh

The Battle of Shiloh was a very important moment for Sister Anthony. Ten sisters, including her, went to the battlefield. She quickly became known as a trusted nurse and leader. Officers, doctors, and soldiers respected her decisions.

Sister Anthony and other sisters often treated prisoners of war. They showed no favoritism. They helped all soldiers, no matter if they were Union or Confederate. They also helped both white and Black soldiers.

"Angel of the Battlefield" and Triage

At Shiloh, Sister Anthony earned the name "Angel of the Battlefield." She went onto the battlefield to find the sick and dying. She helped bring them to safety.

Sister Anthony developed a system called "Battlefield Triage." This was a new way to sort wounded soldiers. It helped them get faster hospital treatment. This method saved many lives during the war. Even President Lincoln praised her work. Her medical skills also helped save soldiers' limbs from being amputated.

Other Battlefields and Service

Sister Anthony served at many other battlefields. These included Winchester, Virginia, Cumberland Gap, Tennessee, and Richmond, Virginia. She also helped at Nashville, Tennessee, Gallipolis, Ohio, Culpeper Court House, Virginia, Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee, and Lynchburg, Virginia.

She also worked on a hospital ship on the Ohio River. Sister Anthony treated all soldiers equally. She did not care if they fought for the Union or the Confederacy. She even met Jefferson Davis and many generals from both sides.

After the War and Legacy

After the war, in 1866, Sister Anthony received a special gift. Two friends, Joseph C. Butler and Louis Worthington, bought a large building for her. This was to thank the sisters for their war service.

They had two rules for the new hospital:

• No one could be turned away because of their skin color or religion.
• The hospital had to be named "The Hospital of the Good Samaritan." This name honored the sisters' kindness.

The hospital opened in the same year. It also included the St. Joseph Foundling and Maternity Hospital. Today, it is still known as St. Joseph Hospital. It helps children and adults with severe mental and physical disabilities.

Sister Anthony was also recognized for her work during the yellow fever outbreak in 1877. She stopped working actively in 1880. She passed away in 1897 in Cumminsville, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Images for kids

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  Camp Dennison, a military training and hospital camp during the Civil War.