When the Civil War broke out, women answered the call for help. They broke away from their traditional roles and served in many capacities, some of them even going so far as to disguise themselves as
"More than 60 women who fought or who served the Union or Confederacy in other important ways are featured in this work. Among those included are Sarah Thompson, Elizabeth Van Lew, Sarah Malinda Blalo
The history of Porter County goes back several centuries. The area now known as Porter County was first inhabited by several Indian tribes, primarily the Potawatomi. With the formation of the state of