July 6, 1863

Brooklyn, New York

Dear Evan,

I hope that you are doing well. Mother is having a hard time without you but I’m doing my best to cheer her up. We’ve created a small hospital in the house. I’ve learned a lot from Mom but I can’t quite tend to the men as well as she can. The worst part is watching the men die. One soldier started talking about his family before he passed away. His wife was expecting their second child. The soldier screamed to see them one last time but there wasn’t anything we could do. He tried so hard to get up but one of his legs was fully paralized. Mother and Nathan had to pin him to his bed to stop him from hurting himself even more. Matthew is scared of the blood and doesn’t want strange men sleeping in his room but he knows it’s for a good cause. When Nathan has to perform a large procedures Mother tells me to take Matthew for a walk. We walk along the creek and throw stones into the still water. The only thing that seems to be peaceful right now. Matthew is so happy and vibrant with little knowledge of the war around us. Sometimes I wish to be young again so I can live in a simpler world. His seventh birthday is coming up soon and he hopes you’ll be home by then. 

I heard from Annabelle that war was intensifying. I believe the South won’t be able to fight for much longer. I hope they’re army will begin to weaken and they’ll surrender. Annabelle also said the Union won the Battle of Gettysburg. That must be great win for Lincoln but this victory cost 40,000 soldiers their lives. What’s the point of winning a war if so many must die. It isn’t fair for Lincoln and Davis so play games with other people’s lives. 

Sending you all our love,

Sasha