April 7, 1863
Joining the union seemed to be not that difficult. They have taken any man who can hold a musket and fire. It has been 4 months since I have joined the Union and finding my husband is proving to be much more difficult than I had anticipated. I look around and see many men; many also looking like boys yet no one are my husband. I have drawn a photo of how I used to look and how I look now.
I must say I look very different and now much more like a young man, this is why no one questions my having no facial hair and my voice that still has a trace of a females .I have had to cut my hair and also bound my breast to leave no trace of my womanhood. Now I am called by the name of Charles Smith. I have kept my last name to remind me of Thomas and the journey I have come on to find him.
