Life of a Soldier

1863
I have just received the most dreadful news. James has died. He was sick for a very long time and he has died of pneumonia. I am so so sad. Zachary left just before we found out about the death of James . On the bright side Harriet has been found. Adam found her by some miracle and he has wrote to me about her. She is acting as a man so she can fight for what she believes and I am proud she feels about this so strongly but I'm scared that she will also be killed. It would be unbearable to have another family member die. They have been writing to me about the conditions of the camps and the sound absolutely dreadful. I wish my family would just come back home. From what I have heard about the armies in the north and south they are more safe but nothing is guaranteed. For every 5 people that are able to 4 were chosen within the confederacy but only half of the men in the Union have served so far. This is a large number but the statistics of the north are better than the south and I can only hope that these number don't go up.
1864
Zachary writes me letters quite often and he claims that when he isn't fighting there isn't much to do except write and play games. I am glad he isn't fighting and he is able to write. He has been traveling much like Adam is with his troops. Zachary written me saying that he may be able to join Adam because most troops are put in groups depending on what town they're from. He has also said he is practicing his religion greatly in hopes to keep the rest of our family safe. He has met many different types of people but I wish he would come home. He says war life is too complicated right now and he must fight because the soldiers from boarder states are choosing what side they want to be on. The Union army needs as many people as they can get but I just wish it would end.
1864

Things have been getting worse in the army. Zachary, Harriet and Adam have written to me describing the amount of death that is aroused from tiny wounds. They have said that the water is filthy and food can be scarce. Thousands of soldiers have died so far and many have been injured due to the new technology and apparently there has been lots of amputation of limbs. Minor wounds and diseases are killing so many and the doctors can't seem to help everyone so they are dying. I am so scared for my family because if more die than I won't have a family anymore. My husband has told me about the prisoner of war camps and he says that they are even more harsh than anything he has ever seen. He has heard of the prisoners of war captured by the confederacy have a huge lack of food and many have died from malnutrition and according to the statistics my husband has they currently have 33,000 Union soldiers. I can't even imagine the awful conditions that they are put in. The confederacy is so harsh apparently when an African American is captured from the Union they are just killed. This is such a bloody war and it is the most gruesome that I have been alive for but with all the fighting this war can stop as soon as it started or it can last forever.