Existing comment:
"For all her services she only received about $200"
Harriet Tubman's name is nearly synonymous with the Underground Railroad for her work helping runaway slaves escape to their freedom. But once the Civil War started and paths to freedom opened, she concentrated her efforts on helping the Union.
Determined to see an end to slavery, Tubman transferred the skills she mastered working in the Underground Railroad -- to blend in and stealthily navigate backwoods areas -- to help the Union in the Civil War. While serving as a scout in the Union army, Harriet Tubman earned the distinction of being the first American woman to lead American troops into battle. She also served as a nurse, cook, and spy.
After the war, she received a pension as the widow of Union veteran Nelson Davis, who had served as a private in the Eighth United States Colored Infantry, but she received very little compensation for her own service. She petitioned Congress for decades, seeking additional benefits for her service. In 1898, she marked her signature with an "x" to an affidavit that outlined her responsibilities during the war. An increase in her pension was finally granted by an act of Congress on February 28, 1899. |