Elizabeth Nichols

Elizabeth Nichols was a Union nurse during the American Civil War.

Civil War service
Nichols began her wartime service at the request of her husband. He was stationed in Chicago at the time, after being taken prisoner at Harper's Ferry, and was ill. Nichols arrived for service on October 17, 1862. After arriving at his regiment, Nichols became a field nurse, traveling throughout the east coast with the regiment, including service at Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Fairfax, and Gettysburg.

During her service, Nichols endured many hardships including sleeping on the ground on piles of straw and dealing with numerous outbreaks of illnesses, such as typhoid fever and smallpox. Nichols served for about two years, until her husband was discharged.