In this portfolio you will pretend to be a soldier stationed at a frontier fort in Kansas. You are going to write a letter home describing life at the fort and what you have spent your last three months of pay on. Keep in mind that what happened to the Native Americans during this time period was horrific. In your letter, you can educate the person you are writing to about the sad and unjust treatment of the Native Americans.

Question

Parts of a Friendly Letter
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.

Use this info about Fort Riley to do this portfolio: Fort Riley 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. Soldiersdid 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.

Answer 1

[Your Return Address]
Fort Riley, Kansas
[Date]

Dear Jane,

I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits. It has been three months since my last pay, and I thought it best to pen down a few thoughts about my life here at Fort Riley and what I have spent my earnings on. The days pass in a cycle of duties, drills, and the unending pull of the frontier, but there are stories worth sharing, especially regarding what our actions mean for the Native Americans who inhabit this land.

Life at the fort is both demanding and monotonous. Much of our time is spent engaging in drills or maintaining the fort’s defenses. The work is varied; some days my fellow soldiers and I are tasked with construction jobs, while others, I find myself in the kitchen chopping wood or hauling water. The officers live in relative comfort with their families, while us enlisted men have our own barracks. The presence of women is seen as a civilized influence, and a few of my comrades have been fortunate enough to have their wives with them, providing a touch of normalcy amidst the chaos of military life.

As for my wages, I must confess I have tried to make the most of them. I spent a portion on practical items such as a new pair of boots—my old ones had seen better days. The dusty trails and endless patrols are hard on footwear, and I find a sturdy pair essential. I also saved some coin for a new set of uniform trousers; the ones I had were becoming threadbare.

Most importantly, I indulged in a few luxuries—some fresh fruits and a new book. Fresh food is a rare treat here, given how difficult it is to transport goods through these vast plains. The book was a collection of stories that remind me of home, bringing a fleeting comfort to the long nights under the stars.

However, while I write of our daily lives, it is impossible to ignore the plight of the Native Americans around us. We are often told tales of the honor we bring to this frontier, as if our presence is justified by a divine right to expand westward. Yet, the reality is far bleaker. The Cheyenne, Arapaho, and other tribes have lived on this land for generations, and our expansion disrupts their way of life. Resources they depend on grow scarcer by the day, leading them to be pushed further away from their ancestral lands. We are soldiers of a government that claims to seek peace, yet our very existence here is a constant source of tension for these tribes.

I have witnesses too many instances of their suffering—the broken treaties, the encroachments upon their territories, and the whispers of violence in the air. It weighs heavily upon my conscience, as I cannot help but feel complicit in their sorrow, even as I fulfill my duties to protect settlers and traders passing through. It is a cruel irony that the very fort intended to be a sanctuary promotes so much injustice.

I pray my thoughts find you well, dear sister. May we never forget the humanity of all who inhabit this land, for in our quest for a brighter future, we cannot let others suffer in the shadows of our ambitions.

Yours truly,

[Your Name]