May 22nd, 1862

Dear Martha,                                                                                            

I have been longing to write to you, but many things have happened since the last time you have received one of my letters. We have been camped near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania for 8 weeks. Our food supply is getting low and most of our horses have been shot down. Today, May 22nd 1862 was when I was almost discovered as a woman. There had been a battle between us and the Confederate soldiers. There was blood everywhere. My fellow soldiers screamed while they suffered slow deaths. I could do nothing but watch them die. Gunshots filled the air while everyone was in panic. I had already blown the heads off of most of the shooters, but I had been hit. I couldn’t see where it had come from, but I could feel the blood dripping down the side of my ribs. I had been shot in the shoulder. I could still move but there was excruciating pain. As I walked to medbay I could see the piles of dead bodies surrounding camp. Many of those soldiers were loved. I can’t imagine how their families will feel after hearing from our messenger. The medic bandaged me up but couldn’t help asking if I were a woman because of my figure. Of course I denied but I already knew he figured it out. He didn’t say anything to our commander. That could have ended terribly. This battle had taught me to not be fearful of what will come next, but to be ready to fight. 

I do not have everyday to write to you, so this letter will consist of what has happened to me. After I had been discovered as a woman by that medic he has been very careful around me. As if I were not the strongest soldier at our camp. I was on the front line. On May 30th 1862 we had another battle. This battle was hell! Soldiers ran around the forest with their guns and would shoot us off like flies. The best we could do was hide, but I knew that wasn’t our only option. I led my soldiers into battle and the Confederate soldiers saw defeat. We spent the night dancing and drinking as a celebration for our victory. This battle will add on to the Union’s victory list. It has been too long for slavery to continue. I am disgusted to have the same color skin as the men that torture and capture slaves. The Union will change that! 

It looks like I cannot write to you anymore. We are being sent to battle far away from Gettysburg. This battle will change our lives, Martha! I will come back even stronger and visit you back at home! —– Unfortunately Edward Martin (Rosie Douglas) has passed away from her most recent battle. She was discovered as a woman during an examination of her dead body. Her death was quick by a shot to the head. She had no last words.