Anna Ella Carroll was born in 1815 and raised in a very political household. Her father was a two-term governor of Maryland from 1830-1831.  Anna’s father educated her to be his aide, he taught her politics and the law.  It was very rare for a woman to be educated in these areas and actively involved, and yet she was. She not only wrote about political issues, her writing was used to sway Maryland not to secede during the Civil War. Later during the Civil War Anna wrote political pamphlets that supported Lincoln, and assisted his generals and cabinet with military information and strategies which were used to eventually win the war. Historians debate how much Anna Ella Carroll contributed.  However, what was most important and impressive was that Anna requested to be paid a pension for her military service, to be recognized publicly for her contribution, whatever that was. Anna did not receive recognition or a pension during her lifetime, that did not stop her from writing and speaking out, still she persisted.