Who is Esther Hill Hawks?
- A native of Hooksett, living in Manchester, NH at the start of the Civil War
- One of the USA’s first female doctors
- An abolitionist… confronting her own deep-seated stereotypes about race
- A volunteer teacher with the Freedmen of coastal South Carolina
- A Civil War-era diarist
- … and more!
SOURCES:
Gerald Schwartz has edited this fine edition of Esther Hill Hawks’ Diary. |
 I first learned of EHH from Mike Pride’s book, “Our War”, which features a chapter about her work with wounded soldiers in the early colored regiments.[/caption] |
READ Dr. ESTHER’S DIARIES:
CLICK to read any of the following selections from Esther’s diary:
Hawks INTRO: “I Answered Accordingly” – 1862: An unexpected letter at tea time on Saturday evening kicks off the adventure of a lifetime… 
Hawks 1: Civil War Diary (cover) – 1862: A color cover of Manchester native Dr. Esther Hill Hawks, all alone on the pier at New York City, on her way to occupied South Carolina… 
Hawks 2: Alone in the City – 1862: Dr. Hawks makes her way South, towards mission work with the freedmen…
Hawks 3: Lovejoys Hotel – 1862: Dr. Esther makes friends during a short stop in a stinky New York hotel room…
Hawks 4: Unfit for Ocean Travel – 1862: To South Carolina, by leaky boat full of diseased soldiers … 
Hawks 5: A Most Grateful Party – 1862: Amidst tempest, terror, & rumors of a wreck, Dr. Esther’s ship somehow pulls into Hilton Head … 
Hawks 6: Take Us in Charge – 1862: Dr. Hawks’ party steps onshore in occupied South Carolina … 
Hawks 7: Home – 1862: Dr. Esther & her band of missionary women arrive at their new quarters …
Hawks 8: Miserable Night – 1862: Dr. Esther’s party passes a difficult first night in their new quarters …
Hawks 9: Beautiful City – 1862: Dr. Esther seems to have a weak spot for the opulent luxury of plantation culture … 
Hawks 10: Mere Love of Destroying – 1862: Dr. Hawks continues to document the depredations of Union troops occupying coastal South Carolina … 
Hawks 11: Every Indignity Which Human Ingenuity Could Devise – 1862: Even worse than property damage is the abuse of former slaves by Northern soldiers …
Hawks 12: No One Is Punished – 1862: General Saxton confronts the ruthless tide of violence against former slaves …
Hawks 13: From a Military Point of View – 1862: Dr. Hawks lays out some of the military realities of her surroundings …
Hawks 14: The Shell Road – 1862: Scenic South Carolina in the midst of war … 
Hawks 15: Looms Up the Grand Mansion – 1862: Dr. Hawks explores the “grand mansions” & grounds of Beaufort …
Hawks 16: Praise & Pride – 1862: Many of Dr. Esther’s notes on the freedmen of South Carolina seem to mix equal parts observation and prejudice …
Hawks 17: Merely a Subterfuge – 1862: Dr. Esther suspects the former slaves are trying to trick her …
Hawks 18: Morality – 1862: Dr. Esther’s observations of the “peculiar characteristics of the negro”: 
Hawks 19: The Lowest Type – 1862: Dr. Esther sets out to write about freedmen volunteering to fight for the union, but once again encounters her own racial prejudices …
Hawks 20: Their Environment – 1862: Dr. Esther confronts head-on the situation of the South Carolina Freedmen: 
Hawks 21: Family of Servants – 1862: Dr. Esther has some help at her new home in South Carolina … 
Hawks 22: Eager to Go to School – 1862: Roman poets among the ruins … 
Hawks 23: 300 Pupils – 1862: Dr. Esther loses her voice teaching 300 freedmen students at a time …
Hawks 52: Emancipation! (January 1st, 1863) – 1862-3: NH doctor ESTHER HILL HAWKS rings in the New Year with the 1st South Carolina (Colored) Regiment … as the Emancipation Proclamation take effect, and the Union is changed forever!
Hawks: Nursing the 54th Massachusetts (poster) – 1863: Dr. Esther Hill Hawks confronts many of her own racial preconceptions when she finds herself managing the camp hospital that receives over 500 wounded men of the 54th MA following their assault on Fort Wagner…
Hawks INTRO: “I Answered Accordingly” – 1862: An unexpected letter at tea time on Saturday evening kicks off the adventure of a lifetime… Hawks 1: Civil War Diary (cover) – 1862: A color cover of Manchester native Dr. Esther Hill Hawks, all alone on the pier at New York City, on her way to occupied South Carolina… Hawks 2: Alone in the City – 1862: Dr. Hawks makes her way South, towards mission work with the freedmen… Hawks 3: Lovejoys Hotel – 1862: Dr. Esther makes friends during a short stop in a stinky New York hotel room… Hawks 4: Unfit for Ocean Travel – 1862: To South Carolina, by leaky boat full of diseased soldiers … Hawks 5: A Most Grateful Party – 1862: Amidst tempest, terror, & rumors of a wreck, Dr. Esther’s ship somehow pulls into Hilton Head … Hawks 6: Take Us in Charge – 1862: Dr. Hawks’ party steps onshore in occupied South Carolina … Hawks 7: Home – 1862: Dr. Esther & her band of missionary women arrive at their new quarters … Hawks 8: Miserable Night – 1862: Dr. Esther’s party passes a difficult first night in their new quarters … Hawks 9: Beautiful City – 1862: Dr. Esther seems to have a weak spot for the opulent luxury of plantation culture … Hawks 10: Mere Love of Destroying – 1862: Dr. Hawks continues to document the depredations of Union troops occupying coastal South Carolina … Hawks 11: Every Indignity Which Human Ingenuity Could Devise – 1862: Even worse than property damage is the abuse of former slaves by Northern soldiers … Hawks 12: No One Is Punished – 1862: General Saxton confronts the ruthless tide of violence against former slaves … Hawks 13: From a Military Point of View – 1862: Dr. Hawks lays out some of the military realities of her surroundings … Hawks 14: The Shell Road – 1862: Scenic South Carolina in the midst of war … Hawks 15: Looms Up the Grand Mansion – 1862: Dr. Hawks explores the “grand mansions” & grounds of Beaufort …
Hawks 16: Praise & Pride – 1862: Many of Dr. Esther’s notes on the freedmen of South Carolina seem to mix equal parts observation and prejudice … Hawks 17: Merely a Subterfuge – 1862: Dr. Esther suspects the former slaves are trying to trick her …
Hawks 18: Morality – 1862: Dr. Esther’s observations of the “peculiar characteristics of the negro”: Hawks 19: The Lowest Type – 1862: Dr. Esther sets out to write about freedmen volunteering to fight for the union, but once again encounters her own racial prejudices … Hawks 20: Their Environment – 1862: Dr. Esther confronts head-on the situation of the South Carolina Freedmen: Hawks 21: Family of Servants – 1862: Dr. Esther has some help at her new home in South Carolina … Hawks 22: Eager to Go to School – 1862: Roman poets among the ruins … Hawks 23: 300 Pupils – 1862: Dr. Esther loses her voice teaching 300 freedmen students at a time … Hawks 52: Emancipation! (January 1st, 1863) – 1862-3: NH doctor ESTHER HILL HAWKS rings in the New Year with the 1st South Carolina (Colored) Regiment … as the Emancipation Proclamation take effect, and the Union is changed forever! Hawks: Nursing the 54th Massachusetts (poster) – 1863: Dr. Esther Hill Hawks confronts many of her own racial preconceptions when she finds herself managing the camp hospital that receives over 500 wounded men of the 54th MA following their assault on Fort Wagner…~ MORE TO COME ~
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