Question
For Unit 2's portfolio item, you will pretend you are a soldier stationed at a frontier fort, and write a letter home. You will read more about your friendly letter portfolio later in the lesson.
Heading: Indent your heading to the left side of the paper. Write your return address and the date in the heading.
Greeting: Greetings can be formal, such as Dear Jane, or informal, such as Hi Mary, but should always followed by a comma.
Body: The body of your letter contains the main text. When you start your letter, skip a line from the greeting and then indent at the start of each paragraph. The first paragraph of your body should have an introduction explaining why you are writing to the reader. If you are writing a longer letter, separate the ideas in your letter with paragraphs, just as you would for another type of writing. When you are ready to end your letter, you will skip a line to create the closing. Notice that the closing and signature are lined up with the heading.
Complimentary Closing: This short closing expression always ends with a comma. Examples include: Sincerely, Yours Truly, and Your Friend, followed by a comma. The closing should line up with the heading at the top of the page.
Signature Line: The signature line is where you write or type your name. Skip a line, and then sign your name below the closing.
While the content of each friendly letter will vary significantly, the format stays the same.
Pretend you are a solider stationed at the Riley frontier fort. You have been there for three months. Write a letter home. In the letter, describe life at the fort providing relevant details to support your main points. Part of the letter must account for what you have done with your pay over the last three months. Click on the link below to view the rubric for this portfolio assessment.
Info about fort Riley:
Established as a supply headquarters in 1853, Fort Riley'ss location made it a focal point of activity during the Indian wars of the post-Civil War period. Its main function became organizing and drilling troops, as well as headquarters for supply. The regiment that came to be identified with George Armstrong Custer, of the 7th U. S. Cavalry, was organized there in 1866. Fort Riley has continued to play an important military role in the 20th century. (See Fort Riley: Citadel of the Frontier West.)
In 1853, one year before Kansas became a territory, Fort Riley was established. Its beginning was
connected to the overland trails.
In the 1850s Kansas was on the edge of the frontier. Many felt the United States was destined to reach
farther west, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Americans felt it was their right and responsibility to
spread democracy and freedom across the continent. This was called “Manifest Destiny.” Many
ordinary citizens believed their personal fortunes also lay in the west. The eastern United States seemed
crowded to those who wanted more land. More than four million people made their way west. Most
were looking for cheap land.
What was the original purpose of Fort Riley?
Traders who moved commerce through Kansas to Mexico used the Santa Fe Trail. Families moving west
followed the Oregon-California Trail to the west coast. The United States government set up a number of
military forts to protect both people and trade. Fort Riley, located at the junction of the Republican and
Smoky Hill Rivers, was one such military outpost.
The military outposts in Kansas also were given the assignment of protecting the Indians. Americans
traveling west were disrupting the traditional way of life of many plains tribes. The Cheyenne,
Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche all moved across the plains of western Kansas. The scarcity of
resources created a mobile, or nomadic, lifestyle.
In order for the military to keep the peace, it needed to establish cavalry units. Soldiers on horseback
needed to move quickly throughout the plains. These units needed a base of operation that was near a
supply line. Being near the river would serve that purpose, because supplies came up river by boat. The
U.S. government also wanted to establish a fort
farther west, but close enough to patrol both the
Oregon- California and Santa Fe Trails.
Once the site was selected, Congress authorized
money to build “Camp Center.” It was called that
because it was near the geographic center of the
United States. Soon the post was renamed
Fort Riley.
What was it like to be stationed at
Fort Riley in the early years?
Life for the soldiers stationed at Fort Riley was not a
lot different from civilian life on the Plains. Soldiers
©2011
did participate in military drills and target practice, but they spent much of their time building and
keeping up the fort. Many of the enlisted men were assigned to construction work. This was much
cheaper for the military than hiring civilians.
Other soldiers were given jobs in the kitchens. They chopped wood to heat the stoves and carried
water. They washed dishes, set the tables, and waited on their fellow soldiers. Members of the cavalry
units had to take care of their horses and the stables.
The U.S. Army believed that having women on the post was a good influence on the men. Married
soldiers sometimes brought their wives and children to live at Fort Riley. Officers and their families rarely
socialized with enlisted men and their wives and children.
More soldiers at Fort Riley died of cholera than in combat. Drinking contaminated water caused
cholera. Personal hygiene and clean sanitary conditions were not understood as they are today. The
men often bathed in the river. George Sternberg, the post surgeon, wrote the following in 1869.
As soon as practicable arrangements may be made to enable the soldiers of each company at
the Post, to bathe themselves as often as once a week at or near their quarters. For this purpose a
special room should be provided for each company, with bathtubs and facilities for obtaining
water. The half a pork barrel would answer very well for a bathtub, two or three buckets of water
in such a tub would enable a man to take a very satisfactory bath…
What happened to Fort Riley?
• After the Civil War, troops from Fort Riley protected the railroad lines being built across the state.
• The 9th and 10th Cavalry, made up of African American soldiers, were at times stationed at Fort
Riley. They are sometimes referred to as “Buffalo Soldiers.”
• In 1884 Fort Riley became the cavalry headquarters for the U.S. Army.
• During World War I the post expanded to train soldiers from across the country.
• Soldiers from Fort Riley have been deployed all over the world.
• Fort Riley is an active military post today
Heading: Indent your heading to the left side of the paper. Write your return address and the date in the heading.
Greeting: Greetings can be formal, such as Dear Jane, or informal, such as Hi Mary, but should always followed by a comma.
Body: The body of your letter contains the main text. When you start your letter, skip a line from the greeting and then indent at the start of each paragraph. The first paragraph of your body should have an introduction explaining why you are writing to the reader. If you are writing a longer letter, separate the ideas in your letter with paragraphs, just as you would for another type of writing. When you are ready to end your letter, you will skip a line to create the closing. Notice that the closing and signature are lined up with the heading.
Complimentary Closing: This short closing expression always ends with a comma. Examples include: Sincerely, Yours Truly, and Your Friend, followed by a comma. The closing should line up with the heading at the top of the page.
Signature Line: The signature line is where you write or type your name. Skip a line, and then sign your name below the closing.
While the content of each friendly letter will vary significantly, the format stays the same.
Pretend you are a solider stationed at the Riley frontier fort. You have been there for three months. Write a letter home. In the letter, describe life at the fort providing relevant details to support your main points. Part of the letter must account for what you have done with your pay over the last three months. Click on the link below to view the rubric for this portfolio assessment.
Info about fort Riley:
Established as a supply headquarters in 1853, Fort Riley'ss location made it a focal point of activity during the Indian wars of the post-Civil War period. Its main function became organizing and drilling troops, as well as headquarters for supply. The regiment that came to be identified with George Armstrong Custer, of the 7th U. S. Cavalry, was organized there in 1866. Fort Riley has continued to play an important military role in the 20th century. (See Fort Riley: Citadel of the Frontier West.)
In 1853, one year before Kansas became a territory, Fort Riley was established. Its beginning was
connected to the overland trails.
In the 1850s Kansas was on the edge of the frontier. Many felt the United States was destined to reach
farther west, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Americans felt it was their right and responsibility to
spread democracy and freedom across the continent. This was called “Manifest Destiny.” Many
ordinary citizens believed their personal fortunes also lay in the west. The eastern United States seemed
crowded to those who wanted more land. More than four million people made their way west. Most
were looking for cheap land.
What was the original purpose of Fort Riley?
Traders who moved commerce through Kansas to Mexico used the Santa Fe Trail. Families moving west
followed the Oregon-California Trail to the west coast. The United States government set up a number of
military forts to protect both people and trade. Fort Riley, located at the junction of the Republican and
Smoky Hill Rivers, was one such military outpost.
The military outposts in Kansas also were given the assignment of protecting the Indians. Americans
traveling west were disrupting the traditional way of life of many plains tribes. The Cheyenne,
Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche all moved across the plains of western Kansas. The scarcity of
resources created a mobile, or nomadic, lifestyle.
In order for the military to keep the peace, it needed to establish cavalry units. Soldiers on horseback
needed to move quickly throughout the plains. These units needed a base of operation that was near a
supply line. Being near the river would serve that purpose, because supplies came up river by boat. The
U.S. government also wanted to establish a fort
farther west, but close enough to patrol both the
Oregon- California and Santa Fe Trails.
Once the site was selected, Congress authorized
money to build “Camp Center.” It was called that
because it was near the geographic center of the
United States. Soon the post was renamed
Fort Riley.
What was it like to be stationed at
Fort Riley in the early years?
Life for the soldiers stationed at Fort Riley was not a
lot different from civilian life on the Plains. Soldiers
©2011
did participate in military drills and target practice, but they spent much of their time building and
keeping up the fort. Many of the enlisted men were assigned to construction work. This was much
cheaper for the military than hiring civilians.
Other soldiers were given jobs in the kitchens. They chopped wood to heat the stoves and carried
water. They washed dishes, set the tables, and waited on their fellow soldiers. Members of the cavalry
units had to take care of their horses and the stables.
The U.S. Army believed that having women on the post was a good influence on the men. Married
soldiers sometimes brought their wives and children to live at Fort Riley. Officers and their families rarely
socialized with enlisted men and their wives and children.
More soldiers at Fort Riley died of cholera than in combat. Drinking contaminated water caused
cholera. Personal hygiene and clean sanitary conditions were not understood as they are today. The
men often bathed in the river. George Sternberg, the post surgeon, wrote the following in 1869.
As soon as practicable arrangements may be made to enable the soldiers of each company at
the Post, to bathe themselves as often as once a week at or near their quarters. For this purpose a
special room should be provided for each company, with bathtubs and facilities for obtaining
water. The half a pork barrel would answer very well for a bathtub, two or three buckets of water
in such a tub would enable a man to take a very satisfactory bath…
What happened to Fort Riley?
• After the Civil War, troops from Fort Riley protected the railroad lines being built across the state.
• The 9th and 10th Cavalry, made up of African American soldiers, were at times stationed at Fort
Riley. They are sometimes referred to as “Buffalo Soldiers.”
• In 1884 Fort Riley became the cavalry headquarters for the U.S. Army.
• During World War I the post expanded to train soldiers from across the country.
• Soldiers from Fort Riley have been deployed all over the world.
• Fort Riley is an active military post today
Answers
Answer
Can you make it shorter, please?
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
[Your Name]
Fort Riley, Kansas
November 15, 1853
Dear Jane,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. It has been three months since I arrived at Fort Riley, and I wanted to share with you a bit about my life here on the frontier.
Life at the fort has its challenges, yet it carries a sense of purpose that I find comforting. My days are filled with drills and training, but much of my time is spent on various duties around the fort. We have been engaged in construction efforts, repairing and maintaining our wooden structures, which are both our shelter and protection against the elements. The camaraderie among the men is strong, and despite the hard work, we find ways to support each other through the long days.
The location of Fort Riley is quite strategic; it lies at the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers, serving as a vital supply post for the troops stationed here. I have learned a great deal about the importance of our role in protecting the trade routes and assisting travelers heading west. Occasionally, I get to role-play as a cavalryman, taking care of the horses and learning how to ride with more skill, an essential part of our training.
Regarding my pay, I have been diligent in managing what I earn. The military pays us every month, and I must admit, I have found it a challenge to save. Most of my earnings have gone toward supplies like warm clothing, as the nights can grow quite chilly. With the rest, I've been able to send a little back home to help support the family. Additionally, I treated myself to some tobacco, which I find helps to ease the stress of our duties. I plan to save more diligently as winter approaches because the cold can be unforgiving.
One gloomy aspect of life here has been seeing how many of my comrades have fallen ill. I learned that more soldiers have succumbed to cholera than from combat injuries. We often bathe in the river, and the conditions here remind me of how important it is to keep our surroundings clean. It is a harsh reminder of the challenges faced by those who choose this path.
Despite these trials, I remain hopeful and committed to my duties. Please tell Mother I miss her dearly and that I am well taken care of here, surrounded by good men. As always, your support means the world to me.
Yours Truly,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]
Fort Riley, Kansas
November 15, 1853
Dear Jane,
I hope this letter finds you in good health and high spirits. It has been three months since I arrived at Fort Riley, and I wanted to share with you a bit about my life here on the frontier.
Life at the fort has its challenges, yet it carries a sense of purpose that I find comforting. My days are filled with drills and training, but much of my time is spent on various duties around the fort. We have been engaged in construction efforts, repairing and maintaining our wooden structures, which are both our shelter and protection against the elements. The camaraderie among the men is strong, and despite the hard work, we find ways to support each other through the long days.
The location of Fort Riley is quite strategic; it lies at the junction of the Republican and Smoky Hill Rivers, serving as a vital supply post for the troops stationed here. I have learned a great deal about the importance of our role in protecting the trade routes and assisting travelers heading west. Occasionally, I get to role-play as a cavalryman, taking care of the horses and learning how to ride with more skill, an essential part of our training.
Regarding my pay, I have been diligent in managing what I earn. The military pays us every month, and I must admit, I have found it a challenge to save. Most of my earnings have gone toward supplies like warm clothing, as the nights can grow quite chilly. With the rest, I've been able to send a little back home to help support the family. Additionally, I treated myself to some tobacco, which I find helps to ease the stress of our duties. I plan to save more diligently as winter approaches because the cold can be unforgiving.
One gloomy aspect of life here has been seeing how many of my comrades have fallen ill. I learned that more soldiers have succumbed to cholera than from combat injuries. We often bathe in the river, and the conditions here remind me of how important it is to keep our surroundings clean. It is a harsh reminder of the challenges faced by those who choose this path.
Despite these trials, I remain hopeful and committed to my duties. Please tell Mother I miss her dearly and that I am well taken care of here, surrounded by good men. As always, your support means the world to me.
Yours Truly,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]
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