Margaret Hamilton

Margaret Hamilton (October 19, 1840–January 11, 1922) was a Union nurse during the American Civil War. Early life Hamilton was born October 19, 1840, in Rochester, New York. She was the only child of Cornelius and Mary (née Sheehan) Mahoney. Cornelius was the son of Dennis Mahoney and his wife, Margaret Hamilton was quite close to both of her parents until her mother's death in 1857. She was educated at the public schools and St. Joseph's Seminary in Emmitsburg, Maryland. At the seminary, she joined Sisters of Charity, even though her father did not approve. Religious life In 1860, Hamilton entered an orphan asylum in Albany, New York, aspiring to be a sister. She experienced a three-month probation period, after which she was sent to the Mother House in Emmitsburg, Maryland, for instruction. After six months, Hamilton was given the habit of the Order, and sent her to an orphanage in Albany to teach. Civil War service In spring of 1862, Hamilton and three other religious sisters received an order from the Mother House to go to the Satterlee General Hospital in West Philadelphia. Hamilton arrived for service in early May; the hospital at the time was newly established and poorly supplied. Only a few days after she began her service, Hamilton witnessed the consequences of so few resources as hundreds of soldiers arrived from the various battles around the Chickahominy River.