Civil War Letters

American Civil War Letters

   
Each of the five letters are written from a soldier during the Civil War and are all addressed to the soldiers families and loved ones.

Letter 1 - This letter is written by Captain Watson Squire, and is addressed to his mother on August 7, 1861. This letter is written to his mother in order to bid her farewell before his excursion on this particular night.

Letter 2 - This letter is written by Captain William McMicken, and is addressed to his daughter (Nellie) and wife on July 31, 1864. The Captain is writing to his daughter and asking her about her life and how school has been while also mentioning the freed slaves that had been following the army since Mississippi. He hopes to one day bring back some of those freed slaves for his family when he returns.

Letter 3 - This letter is written by Captain Watson Squire, and is addressed to both his father and mother on May 21, 1861. The writer is writing to his parents to assure them not to worry about him and the "necessary evil" of war in politics.

Letter 4 - This letter is written by Captain Charles M. Scott, and is addressed to his wife (Anna) on April 7, 1862. Captain Scott is writing to tell his wife about the hours of battling at the Battle of Shiloh that he had just endured and to let her know that he was doing alright.

Letter 5 - This letter is written by Captain James A. Sayles, and is addressed to his sweetheart (Florence) on February 24, 1864. He is telling her about how he wishes to start a glee club for his battalion and how he plans to marry her someday.

Civil War Soldiers legacies are able to be passed down throughout generations with the use of letters. Stories and tales can be told through the sometimes shocking and in depth reviews of the soldiers at the time. From the battlefields of Shiloh to the political views of an active soldier, all of this information is useful for those outside in order to empathize with those soldiers and put themselves in the viewpoints of those who fought with such courage and valor.
- How do you think these letters can still have meaning to a person many generations down the road?
- Do these letters give you a better understanding of the Civil War and some of the thoughts that might have been crossing these soldiers minds?
- Are you able to empathize with these soldiers and their hardships?

Sources:
Washington University Libraries - This is the source that I used to locate all of the Civil War Letters.