Mandana Coleman Thorp (née, Major; January 25, 1843 – July 7, 1916) was an American Civil War nurse and singer.

She rallied the Union Army troops by singing battle hymns and national airs, and tended to the sick and injured.

[1] After the war, she moved west with her husband, Colonel Thomas J. Thorp, and worked as a public official in Northern Michigan.

Mandana Coleman Major was born in Karr Valley, Almond,[2] Allegany County, New York, January 25, 1843.

The national airs and the stirring battle hymns were sung by her at nearly all of the meetings held in that part of New York state.

[3] At the close of the first peninsula campaign, in the summer of 1862, President Lincoln requested the Governor of the State of New York to raise and equip two regiments at once for service in front of General Lee, whose forces were invading Pennsylvania.

During the months of July and August, 1862, the loyal people of those communities filled the ranks of the 130th and 136th New York Infantry Regiments.

After attending scores of war meetings, urging with song every stalwart person to rally for the sentiments of Union, Miss Major married Lieutenant colonel Thomas Jones Thorp at the military rendezvous on the banks of the Genesee River in Portage, New York, on September 6, 1862.

[3] During the years of the war, Mrs. Thorp rendered devoted service in the ranks with other women of that period in their efforts in gathering and distributing every needed comfort for the wounded and sick in camp and in hospital.