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.

You can be a private, non-commissioned officer or officer.
salary and cost of items at the time: The Economics of Being a Soldier On the Frontier The government provided for most of a soldier’s needs. Housing, food, and military clothing were issued to him. A soldier’s pay then could be used for his wants. The lowest ranked enlisted man, a private, received about $13 a month. A non-commissioned officer might earn $30, and an officer’s pay started at $150 a month. Post traders or sutlers were the only civilians allowed to set up shop on a military reserve. The sutler had a contract with the military to operate a general store in return for an annual salary. The prices at the store were determined not by the trader but by a board of officers. Fort Hays had one of the best post trader’s stores on the frontier. It was open to enlisted men and officers, as well as their families. In addition to the store, there was a club for officers and a lounge for enlisted men. On the back is a list of some of the items available for purchase from the Fort Hays sutler in 1863.Potatoes, per bushel Apples, per bushel Flour, per bushel Tomatoes, per can Peaches, per can Strawberriess, per can Oysters, per can Lobsters, per can Pineapple, per can Jelly, per can Coffee, per box Clothes Pins, per box Cigars, per box Eggs, per dozenl Tomato Catsup, per bottle Blue Jean Pants, per pair Canvas, per yard Blankets $ 2.25 $ 3.50 $ 4.75 $ .60 $ .85 $ .85 $ .75 $ .50 $ .85 $ .75 $ .45 $ 2.50 $ 4.50 $ .30 $ .20 $ 4.75 $ .20 $11.00-15.00 Beer, per gallon Crackers, per pound Corn Meal, per pound Butter, per pound Chocolate, per pound Brown Sugar, per pound Cheese, per pound Tea, per pound Mixed Candy, per pound Soap, per pound Playing Cards, pack Diaper Pins Neckties Candles Wash Boards Hoop Skirts Lead Pencils Cologne, per bottle $ 1.00 $ .13 $ .04 $ .25 $ .50 $ .18 $ .22 $ 1.25 $ .90 $ .30 $ .25 $ .25 $ .30 $ .25 $ 1.00 $ 2.50 $ .10 $ .25

Answer 1

[Your Name]
Fort Riley, Kansas
[Date]

Dear Jane,

I hope this letter finds you well and in good spirits. As I sit here in my quarters at Fort Riley, I feel the need to share some details about life here on the frontier and how I have spent my last few months' pay. It's a strange existence, caught between the harsh realities of military life and the beauty of the Kansas plains.

Life at Fort Riley has its routine; each day begins with early morning drills and maintenance around the fort. Most of my fellow soldiers and I are assigned to tasks that keep the fort operational—repairing buildings, chopping wood for cooking and warmth, and ensuring our horses are well taken care of. The work is demanding, but I've grown quite fond of the camaraderie among my comrades. Still, more of us have succumbed to the maladies of this land than to any scuffle with the local tribes. Cholera, primarily due to contaminated drinking water, has claimed the lives of many fine men here. On the days when the sun is particularly hot, we often bathe in the river, though it does little for our hygiene.

The reason I wanted to reach out, beyond simply sharing life at the fort, is to shed light on what is happening to the Native American tribes around us. As settlers pour into Kansas, drawn by promises of land and prosperity, the displacement and suffering of the tribes—the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Kiowa, and Comanche—cannot be ignored. Families and communities that have lived on these lands for centuries are facing relentless pressures, their traditional ways of life crumbling. We soldiers are tasked with maintaining order, but as I see it, we are often playing the role of enforcers against those we ought to view as our fellow countrymen.

Over the last three months, I received my typical soldier's pay of $13, which has dwindled faster than I imagined. I spent a portion acquiring a pair of sturdy blue jeans for $4.75 from the sutler. They shall serve me better on the rugged terrain than the issued trousers. I also splurged on a dozen eggs for $1.45 and a small package of mixed candy for 90 cents—it felt good to treat myself amidst the tough conditions of fort life.

Another significant purchase was a can of peaches for 85 cents—a slice of home that reminds me of the orchards back east. I've also set aside a bit for some chocolate, which brings a certain comfort to my long evenings spent writing letters like this one.

As I close this letter, let me implore you to think about the larger picture of what is happening out here. As settlers rampage toward their vision of "Manifest Destiny," we must not lose sight of our humanity. Our nation is joyfully growing at what cost? It pains me to see the struggle of those who lived here long before us. I hope you can share this sentiment when talking to folks back home, to remember the shared responsibility we have toward all who inhabit this land.

Take care, Jane, and know that I am thinking of home and the life we once shared.

Yours Truly,

[Your Signature]
[Your Name]