The Life of a Civil War Soldier

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The Life of a Civil War Soldier
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Step 1

• Use your photo analysis worksheets and analyze
  photographs B, C, and D.

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Stereographs
A.
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B.
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C.
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D.
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E.
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Step 2

• Use your poster analysis worksheets and analyze
  the following posters

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A.
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• Add to your Poster Analysis Sheet this Question
  Which of the first two posters, A B, do you
  believe came before the other in time?
• What reason do you believe this?

B.
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Add this question to back of your Poster
Analysis Sheet How do you think this poster
related to the Civil War?
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Step 3

• Use your document analysis worksheets and analyze
  the following letters

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• November 1863 from siege lines overlooking
  Union troops at Chattanooga, Tennessee
• We have just returned from a trip into East
  Tenn where we got big amounts of everything to
  eat and everything we eat is so good to me as I
  had been starved out so long on some bread
  beef, all that we got while we were here
  besieging Chattanooga. up there we got sweet and
  Irish potatoes, chickens, molassas, wheat bread
  and everything that was good for a poor soldier.
  Oh, how I do wish that I could be at home now,
  for it is getting late in the evening and I have
  had nothing to eat since breakfast and no telling
  when we will get rations for our rations are out,
  since we left our ration wagons behind in coming
  here to this place, for I know you have all had a
  good plentiful dinner. I know you will say poor
  John, but this is only a chapter in military
  service which we often read, but I am content and
  will be more so when we get rations. The
  independence of the bounty is what I want and I
  am I am willing to suffer for something to eat
  many, many days if it will only send me to my
  dear parents, a full and independent boy.The
  enemy still holds their position in Chattanooga
  and our lines drawn up close around the place. We
  are now on the top of Lookout Mountain
  overlooking the town. We have a fine view of our
  entire line and also of theirs. It is said that
  we can see into five different states from our
  position. It is very cold up here, as cold as it
  is where you are in mid-winter. You must excuse
  this exceedingly bad letter as I have written in
  great haste. My love to you and all. Write when
  you can and a long letter as I am very anxious to
  hear from you.
• John H. Sweet

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• Camp near Fredericksburg, VA
• Nov 25th 1862
• Mrs Juliana Reynolds
• My Dear Sister,
• It is a long time since I have written to you,
  and I feel that I have acted somewhat
  disrespectful in not replying to your letters
  before as I have received two letters from you
  which I have neglected to answer until now. The
  last letter I received from you was written when
  you were in Washington. It came to hand soon
  after we left Poolesville. I was sorry that you
  could not come to the regiment, as it would have
  been a great satisfaction to have conversed with
  one so near to me by the ties of nature. But that
  happy privilege I may never enjoy in this life.
  Life is uncertain any where but far more in the
  army than it would be in our peaceful and quiet
  homes. The soldier is not only slaughtered upon
  the battle field, but he is ever exposed to
  diseases accumulated by the exposures of camp
  life, which is bringing thousands of our brave
  soldiers to an untimely grave. I do not however
  blame you in the least for not comeing as the
  expense would have been considerable and you saw
  the one you came to see without coming to the
  regiment.
• We are again on our way to Richmond but whether
  we will succeed in getting there is for time to
  determine. Our army has been quite unsuccessful
  in Virginia. We have been doing a good business
  in other places but in Va we have done
  comparatively nothing. But the army we have in
  the field at the present time should and no doubt
  will accomplish something. But if we fail in
  taking Richmond during this campaign the Southern
  Confederacy will probably be acknowledged by
  foreign nations. If we cannot conquer the South
  with the vast army we now have we may come to the
  conclusion that Providence is against us. I
  flatter myself with the hope that the war will be
  over by next spring but if it should not I fear
  it will be more terrible than ever. We are now
  about three miles from Fredericksburg which is
  yet in possession of the rebels, they occupy one
  side of the Rappahannock and we the other and our
  pickets and theirs can converse with each other.
  I dont know when we are going to cross the
  Rappahannock to take possession of Fredericksburg
  but I presume when we do the rebels will dispute
  our passage as they seam disposed to keep us on
  this side of the river but that they will know
  doubt fail to accomplish.
• We have rather an uncomfortable time of it not
  having comfortable quarters, and the weather is
  quite cold, especially at night. It will probably
  be some time before we will go into winter
  quarters. I think there will be an attempt to
  take Richmond first. Tilton is in good health and
  appears to enjoy him self quite well. I hope the
  time may soon come when I will not be obliged to
  write to you but that I may have the privilege of
  conversing with you personally. Give my respects
  to all enquiring friends. Write soon. I remain
  your affectionate brother.
• J.S. Smith

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• Step 4
• Look over the Civil War Slang. You will need to
  incorporate at least five slang terms into your
  final project

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Step 5

• Using your Analysis sheets and your slang sheet,
  image you are a Civil War soldier writing a
  letter home describing a day in your life. The
  content of your letter should be based from the
  observations you made from the documents along
  with your own educated inferences based on your
  prior knowledge of the Civil War and your own
  experiences in life or serious thought on what
  you think it would have been like as a soldier in
  the war.

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Extension Activity

1. Read aloud or as a class, Soldiers Heart by Gary
   Paulsen
2. Compare your Civil War letter/diary entry to the
   website account of Camp Life for a Civil War
   Soldier (see next slide for link)

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• http//www.cr.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/gettex/

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