"DEAREST AMANDA..." (A Civil War Letter) Grades 4-5
by Nadine Tomsa
"Jessie, would you stop pestering me? I don't know when it'll be here any more than you do!" The little girl was only slightly bewildered by the comments of her older sister, who stood bent over the washtub, scrubbing away at the morning laundry. The table nearby was scattered with piles of clothes belonging to children of all shapes and sizes.
Jessie tugged at Emma's skirt again. "Aren't you even a little bit excited? He hasn't sent one in such a long time, so it should be here any day now. Mama even said so. She's been taking me into town to wait for the stage at the same time every day this week!"
Emma said that she was looking forward to the big event, too, but reminded her lively little sister that they all had chores to finish. Jessie shook her head and proudly replied, "I'm already done. I finished early so I could go into town with Mama again today. She's hitching up the team right now. We'll be back soon!"
With that, she buttoned up her coat, pulled on her wool hat and mittens, and scurried out the door to join her mother. Mama had just finished closing the barn doors. She made sure that Jessie was bundled up to protect her from the bitter February weather, and lifted her up onto the wagon. They huddled closely all the way into town, anxiously awaiting a long-awaited treasure.
Emma finished hanging the last of the laundry. She began to make her rounds, taking care that the rest of the children were finishing their chores. Suddenly, the front door of the house burst wide open, and Jessie appeared, waving a small white envelope. Nearly breathless, she exclaimed, "It's here, everyone - come see! Papa wrote us a letter!"
Instantly, the room was filled with several brothers and sisters, all scrambling to see if what she said was really true. Mama soon rushed through the door and shed her coat while Emma helped Jessie with hers. They gathered around the kitchen table, waiting to hear the latest news from their father and his camp of Union soldiers. Jessie handed the letter over to Mama. She carefully opened the envelope, and as her children listened intently, she read:
"‘Savannah, Georgia. January 19, 1865. [Dearest Amanda], As we are expecting to move every day, I thought I would address you a few lines for I may not have the opportunity in some time. I have no idea where we are going, but we shall bring up somewhere in rebellion, although the people talk more as though they wished to come back again into the Union. How cheering the prospect, how full of hope that we shall soon be home with the loved ones enjoying our seats at the family beyond. I wish it might be this next Spring but let us wait ‘til the Lord shall bring it about in His own good time. I can tell you that I have enough to do yet and I get along very well. I have this to comfort me: They appear to be satisfied with what I do for them and that I am willing to do, all that I can for their benefit is what I like to do. I have just or nearly finished issuing another 5 days rations...the first of coffee and sugar since we left Atlanta. It is raining, the nights are cold, and in the morning I hate to get up, as bad as I did at home. My cook makes the fire in the stove before I get up, but this morning I got up first for I wanted to send up some rations to the guards with the teams. If you could have seen me last evening, in fact the afternoon too, it kept me very busy ‘til late in the night. Then this morning as soon as I came back from the city...I set down to talk to you. I wish it was by your side. The time will soon come when I can talk with you all, and how glad I shall be. I guess that you will be too - if I am not mistaken by your letters, that is the case. Well I guess that they have glorious news from some part. They have just been firing a salute as though there was good news. You will know before this letter reaches you. I hope that you have got some of my letters before this. If not I shall expect that you will think I have not written to you at all, but I have written about one a week. I hope that you will not cease to write direct as usual. Wherever the division goes the letters will come to me. Well now [I'll] stop for the present. I wish you a good afternoon. Your ever affectionate husband, Alonzo Swift.'"
For a few moments, the children remained spellbound. One of the boys broke the silence with "Wow, do you think he's in any danger of the rebel soldiers, Mama?" She felt Jessie's tiny hand slip into hers, and glanced around the room at the rest of the children.
"I'm not sure, but I do know that your father is a very brave man. It takes a strong servant to keep those soldiers fed and taken care of every day," Mama said. "Somehow, it doesn't seem so bad when you know that he's serving more than just his troops. If God sees fit, it won't be long before your Papa is sitting right here by your side."
Those words were just what the children (and Mama herself) needed to hear. Their strong faith kept them going until the war was over, along with the hope that Papa would soon be back where he belonged - home.
(This story is based upon the real life and family of Alonzo Swift, a teamster's assistant with the 137th division of the New York Volunteer Infantry in the United States Army during the American Civil War. The children's names in the story were given by the author, due to incomplete historical records. The letter is an excerpt from one actually written by Alonzo to his family while he was at camp in Savannah. Some of the spelling and mechanics have been corrected for the purpose of the story.)
Review Questions for "DEAREST AMANDA..."
1. Who were the main characters in this story?
2. What was the "long-awaited treasure" that Mama and Jessie brought home?
3. Why was Papa away from home?
4. If you were Jessie, how would you have felt when the letter from Papa came? Why?
5. How do you think Papa feels about being away from his family?
6. Why do you think this family can remain so strong in the middle of a war?
Outline:
I. Jessie and Emma
A. Pestering
B. Excitement
C. Chores
II. Mama and Jessie
A. Bundled up
B. Trip to town
C. Return with the letter
III. Papa
A. Mama reads letter
B. Brave man
C. Soon will be home
Prop suggestions: envelope with copy of letter from Papa inside to be read; possibly some kind of apron or smock to play the part of Mama
Answers to story questions:
1. Jessie, Mama, and Emma
2. The letter from Papa
3. Papa was away at war (specifically, with the Union troops in the Civil War).
4. Answers may vary
5. Answers may vary
6. Answers may vary
Sources: Traditional family history, as well as actual letters written by my great-great-grandfather, Alonzo Swift.
Lesson Extension: For a creative extension, students may assume the role of one of the children in the Swift family, and respond in a letter to their father, describing what life has been like at home while he's been away.