Ursuline Convent in the Civil War
Galveston, Galveston County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Before the Confederate recapture of Galveston on January 1, 1863, the nuns of this monastary declined an evacuation offer. During and after the battle the east wing was used as a hospital for treatment of wounded from both sides. Young Lieutenant Sidney Sherman, mortally wounded, died here in the arms of Mother St. Pierre Harrington. The Confederate medical director's report said , "all our exertions would have failed but for the noble conduct of the ladies of the Ursuline Convent." A Memorial to Texans Who Served the ConfederacyErected by the State of Texas, 1963
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Before Confederate forces recaptured Galveston on January 1, 1863, the Ursuline nuns refused to evacuate their convent. During and after the battle the building's east wing became a hospital treating wounded from both sides, and a mortally wounded Confederate lieutenant died in the arms of Mother St. Pierre Harrington. The Confederate medical director credited the sisters' "noble conduct" with saving lives.
Why it matters
The convent shows how women, and religious sisters in particular, served as frontline nurses during the Civil War, caring for soldiers regardless of the uniform they wore.
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Related people
- · Mother St. Pierre Harrington
- · Sidney Sherman
Related events
- · Battle of Galveston
Themes & tags
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