Before the Civil War only men were nurses. In the Civil War women had to be nurses because men needed to fight. One famous nurse named Clara Barton saved over 200 wounded soldiers in the Civil War. She also saved wounded Drummer Boys and slaves. Since Clara Barton saved wounded soldiers, she was called ''Angel of the Battlefield.'' She saved the most wounded soldiers in the Battle of Antietam, which is in Maryland. 

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Then she went to Europe to learn about the International Red Cross. Clara Barton also wrote a book about the Red Cross. She decided to make the medical symbol the Red Cross.

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If you want you can visit her National Historical Park in Glen Echo, Maryland.