Cease My Worries, Ease My Sorrow

Letter 2: Henry

                                                                                                 July 1, 1861 

   To my beloved, 

   To see your writing makes me so glad, though it is not as glad as if I were to see your beautiful face. I almost thought that you might have forgotten about your poor husband. But I am foolish to ever think that, because you are my Martha and I am your Henry and we shall never forget each other. We love each other too much to ever do so. 

   To say that I miss you would be wrong. I long for you. I crave your gentle smile and your musical laugh. I desire your sparkling eyes and calming voice. I hope that every moment of the war be the last, so that I could go home to you, my love. I wish nothing more than to open our little cabin door and have you run into my open arms. But my dear, my fantasies and yours must wait 'til this war is over. I shall wait for you my love, and hopefully you will wait for me. And I promise you Martha, I will make it so you will not have to wait long at all. We, Union soldiers will come home victorious with those pesky Johnny Rebs will be running home with their tails between their legs like the dogs they are. When that happens, Martha dearest, our fantasies will continue and become a reality. Don't worry one little bit about that. 

   You are right when you said the transition from teacher to soldier would be hard. It's difficult for many of us, being that we're not used to physical labor or the outdoors. I believe that the farmers have it the easiest out of all of us because they have spent years on the farm, building up their strength. It's surprising and a little sad to think that all those years of building up strength were also building up the utter defeat of at least half of a country, by a war meant to keep the country together. Wars between its fellow countrymen are the saddest type of war by far. Not only do they split up the country into two, but they also split up many families. Why, I know of a man whose whole family is on the other side of the war, whilst he is on the Union's side. And yet another had to kill his own brother. Part of me almost believes that we should have not started this war at all. Yes, we want to keep our country together, but is this the way to do it Martha? By killing other men? By killing our families? How would unity come from all this slaughter? I am so confused, Martha. I want to win. I want to come home to you. I want this united country to go back to being united as one. But my logical sense is telling me that this is not the way to do it.  

                                    Your befuddled and loving husband, 

                                                            Henry