Heart in Tatters: Eunice Hunt Tripler and the Civil War
Eunice Hunt lived during tumultuous times. Descended from patriots who fought in the Revolution and the War of 1812, she knew firsthand the costs of military service. Still, she fell in love with and married a U.S. Army surgeon who was sixteen years her senior. Of their nine children, five predeceased her.
Dr. Charles Stuart Tripler provided medical care to troops in Florida, Louisiana, on the Pacific Coast, during the Mexican- American War, and at a major Army recruiting base in Kentucky on the eve of the Civil War. As the first medical director of the ill-starred Army of the Potomac, he was charged with the health of the largest American armed force ever created. Eunice aided his office work, invested in Congressional reform of the Medical Bureau, and lobbied President Abraham Lincoln and Major- General George B. McClellan for her husband’s career.
Widowed in 1866 by her husband’s painful death from cancer, she spent the long remainder of her life pressing for recognition of his service and remuneration as surviving spouse for his contributions to U.S. victory in the War of the Rebellion. Experiencing national and personal tragedies, her fortitude and spirited character become evident throughout these revealing and intimate reminiscences.
All proceeds from the sale of this book goes toward the Michigan Monument at Antietam project.
Available: Heart in Tatters: Eunice Hunt Tripler and the Civil War
Praise for Heart in Tatters: Eunice Hunt Tripler and the Civil War
“This volume enables us to hear the voice of a woman, and her words reveal the experience of the Civil War through a gendered lens, one we don’t often get to see through. This perspective prompts the reader to think about the Civil War and the experience of war in new ways. This exciting inaugural volume stands as a tremendous contribution and sets the stage for the series of MCWA publications to follow.”
—Dr. Martin J. Hershock, historical author, Dean and Professor of History at University of Michigan-Dearborn
“During the Civil War, military wives did more than keep home and hearth intact while their husbands fought hundreds of miles away. Some of those fiercely proud and determined wives insisted on meeting with President Lincoln during the Civil War to urge him to promote their husbands in the U.S. Army. Eunice Hunt Tripler did that – and much more. Her story, told in this first volume of the MCWA’s projected series, launches this project with candid insights into some of the war’s most famous men and fascinating details of life during that era that I have not seen anywhere else before.”
—Candice Shy Hooper. Historian, author of the award-winning “Lincoln’s Generals’ Wives: Four Women Who Influenced the Civil War for Better and for Worse,” contributor to the New York Times’ “Disunion” blog
“Most accounts of the American Civil War focus on the battles and men of the times. This compelling book from a woman’s point of view recounts Eunice Hunt Tripler’s experiences and interactions with many influential people. She was an eyewitness to this crucial period of history. Many of the issues of her time still resonate in America. As a first-person performer of historical women, I find Mrs. Tripler a fascinating woman worthy of wider renown.”
—Bonnie Johnson, co-founder of Historical Echoes, current chair of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum Board of Trustees
“Eunice Hunt Tripler’s detailed and accurate recollections of her well-connected life before and during the war are enlightening and entertaining. The MCWA has done a real service to Civil War scholarship in publishing these lively and forthright memoirs.”
—Dr. Gerald J. Prokopowicz, professor of history, East Carolina University, host of Civil War Talk Radio
Reviews of Heart in Tatters: Eunice Hunt Tripler and the Civil War
5.0 out of 5 stars. Easy, fun, educational read.
“The Civil War can be overwhelming and intimidating. I have shied away from many books because the battle names, casualty lists, and locations can be hard to remember. But this book gives humanity and perspective in an easy to read manner.
Yes, I know the author, and yes, I was given the privilege to proof the book. BUT my response is not because of my involvement. It was hard to proof the book because it was so easy to read that I lost myself in the story.
Here is a story about a woman in the Civil War and her experiences. Let's be honest, there are not too many stories about women during the Civil War unless you were married to President Lincoln or Jefferson Davis or another well known man. Women are largely forgotten.
Here is a chance to learn about a woman's story before, during and after the Civil War. Married to a dedicated surgeon who was well regarded by his colleagues, she struggled to keep the family going through many challenges.
I encourage you to purchase this book. I have bought many for friends and my local library. Please do the same!”
5.0 out of 5 stars. An Incredible Life Journey!
“Heart In Tatters shares the incredible life and experiences of Eunice Hunt Trippler during the American Civil War. From Michigan to our nation's capital, Washington DC, Mrs. Trippler shares the amazing people she met and her thoughts of what was going on around her and in the nation at the time. Her heartfelt thoughts and feelings are recorded in such a manner that it draws the reader right in and makes it hard to put the book down!
Huzzah to Jack Dempsey and the Michigan Civil War Association on the first in a series of books that you'll want in your library!!”
5.0 out of 5 stars. A Unique View Of The Civil War And More
“I had the privilege of reading the original memoirs of Eunice Hunt Trippler many years ago. It was fascinating. A woman who met Andrew Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, General Sherman, and many more. Whose likeness resides in the Capitol Rotunda deserves this caliber of work.
Mr. Dempsey's expansion, knitting together, and background information in Heart In Tatters, had added depth and insight to that original read. This is a fascinating woman and I am thrilled to finally see her story out to a wider audience.”
