Clara Barton’s childhood affected her life and shaped her mind ready for the horrors she would have to face. Youngest of seven children, Clara was small and shy but showed her devotion to her family when at the age of eleven she nursed her brother, who had the small pox, back to health. After hearing many stories from her father, a retired soldier, Clara had gotten the inspiration that she needed. Patiently, Clara befriended a turkey and while doing so showing her loving nature and tom boyishness. Because she lived on a farm Clara was home schooled. She was very bright. But being shy could Clara make anything of herself? Her mother thought of this and decided that at the age of fifteen Clara would go and teach at a school. Little did she know that the things in her pass would prepare her for her further career.

Clara Barton played an important role in the civil war. Before the outbreak of the war Clara was hired at the patent office in Washington D.C. Fervently she organized supplies depots, where supplies could be collected and received. Serving as a nurse, Clara was quickly promoted as superintendent of nurses in 1864. When Clara received a letter from a former neighbor, asking for her help in finding their missing son, Clara was soon determined to find all missing soldiers. Surprising as it may be Clara was given the permission to pass the battle lines unharmed to carry soldier who were injured back to the hospital. She went on the battlefield. She was strong. She was brave. The Civil War gave her a great deal work and much experience.

After the Civil War, Clara Barton who was well past her prime, went to Europe for her health, while she was there she organized the Red Cross. Studying the Red Cross in the Franco- Prussian war Clara took many of the basic principles to create the American Red Cross. Confidently, in 1872, Clara sailed back to the U.S. and structured campaigns. Because of persistent campaigning finally Clara had succeed in 1881 and ran the Red Cross herself for twenty-three years before resigning in 1904. Clara Barton wrote books on her life and on the Civil War. She was a active person. All in all Clara Barton was a philanthropist, patriot, author and a visionary and the strength she put in her effort encourage people across the globe. She truly was the angel of the battlefield and she left behind the Red Cross.