Civil War Letter

Civil War Letter

To my beloved family,

Not a day goes by that I am not constantly reminded of my stupid decision to leave home, in search of a name for myself. People told me that joining the Confederate Army would be a grand adventure. Let me tell you, Father was right in more ways than one. I could have never have dreamt of such horrors that I have seen on the battlefield. Everywhere, I look is disaster. The skinny, pale eyes of dead men lying on the field, alongside enemy and assorted gored limbs in one mass grave, still haunts me to this day in my sleep. I no longer sleep for more than four hours without seeing those yellowed eyes of the dead.

Just the other day my good friend and wise mentor, Private Nathaniel Gordon passed away. He had received a horribly shocking letter from his wife and family. Not only had his youngest daughter, sweet Isabelle died from malnutrition, but the Almighty Lord also took the lives of his father, mother, and two sisters. To top it off, his charming wife Susana also vividly described the whole town in flames. Apparently some damned Yankee General by the name of Sherman had passed through and looted the city. As if that was not enough, when he left, he also torched the city. With no home, Susana was forced to move to Richmond where her sister took her in. The same very night Nathaniel read the letter, he ran away in hopes of seeing his suffering wife again. However, word spread quickly and General Robert E. Lee rode out and dragged the miserable private back and shot him. He told us that the same fate met all of those who tried to desert, because it was treason.

Now morale is at an all time low. All thoughts of desertion have been erased from our minds. Also lack of, well everything leaves us with no comfort. General Robert E. Lee has continually reassured us that a supply train filled with blankets, shoes, and new clothes was on the way. After days turned into weeks, and weeks slur into months, all hope of much needed supplies