Question

The year is 1865 and you are a Texan serving as a soldier in the Confederate Army. You have been serving since the start of the war and miss your family terribly. Write a letter home to let them know about your experiences and thanking them for their support from back home in Texas.

MUST HAVES
Explanation why the year 1861 is important (20 points)
Description of at least TWO battles you have fought in Texas (30 points)
Explanation of how at least TWO ways your loved one has supported the war effort from back home in Texas (30 points)
Shows significant effort; historically accurate (10 points)
Few to no spelling/grammatical errors (10 points)
Word Bank: Civil War, secession, home front, Sabine Pass, Galveston, Palmito Ranch, supplies, battle, Confederacy, Ft. Sumter

Dear ____,
I must tell you about my experiences in war.
In 1861…
One battle I fought in Texas was....
At this battle, I…
Another battle fought in Texas was…
During this battle, we…
Thank for supporting our soldiers by...
Love, _____
Make it sound like a 7th grader and short witting

Answer 1

Dear Mama and Pa,

I must tell you about my experiences in war.

In 1861, the trouble began. After secession, the Southern states formed the Confederacy and the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Ft. Sumter. That is why 1861 is so important — it is when our country split and the fighting started. I joined then and have been away since.

One battle I fought in Texas was Sabine Pass. At Sabine Pass, we were few but held the fort and stopped Union ships from coming inland. I stood by a cannon with men from our town and we fired until the water was full of smoke. We captured some enemy boats and it felt like a big moment for Texans.

Another battle fought in Texas was Palmito Ranch, which happened after a lot of the fighting was over. During this battle, we rode out on horses near the river and fought the last little fight of the war. It was strange to be fighting when news said other armies had surrendered, but we did our duty and held our ground. We also remember Galveston from earlier — that harbor fight was loud and scary too.

Thank you for supporting our soldiers by sending supplies and warm clothes. Your letters keep my spirits up and your good cooking sent in jars helped feed us when food was scarce. At home you kept the farm running and mended uniforms — that hard work on the home front mattered more than you know.

I miss y’all every day. I hope to come home soon and see the fields and hug Ma. Tell the neighbors I remember them.

Love,
Sam