American Centuries

Pocumtuck Valley
Memorial Association

American Centuries > Lessons > History Lessons By Teachers > The Thoughts of a Civil War Soldier

The Thoughts of a Civil War Soldier

Details

Author
Aimee Brown
Topic/Subject Area
Military, Wars, Battles
Historical Era
Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861–1877
Grade Level
Middle School (6–8), High School (9–12)
Creation Date
2002
Last Revision Date
2024

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About This Lesson

Summary and Objective

The goal of this activity is for students to understand perspective “first-hand” through reading actual person’s experiences/thoughts using the letters to Ella Melendy found on the American Centuries website. Students will critically analyze through questions (i.e. What things are important to this soldier? Which campaign do you think he is a part of? How do you think he feels about the War?). Students can connect on a personal level to the subject, examine period language, social/political concerns, time frames and geography, build reading/writing skills, oral presentation, group cooperation. They will research and write their own letters from Civil War era based on research they do. Students can “become” actual Civil War figures (i.e. Grant), person at “home”, or enslaved persons, writing from that person’s perspective based on research/insight. Students can then answer the same questions they asked of the original authentic letters. Place letters in envelopes addressed to someone that person may have “logically” written to, including state, and “mail” letters around classroom and to other history classes so that others may learn from their letters. Obtaining some insight to the human experience of the war and factual information will help students to better understand what happened and why, and will grasp attention and connectedness to the subject.

Materials & Resources

Collection Items

Teaching Plan

  1. Break students into 5 groups, each group receives a copy of the original letters to Ella Melendy and “transcribes” at least the first page of each (adjust for ability level). After time has been given to read original, give text copy to groups.
  2. In chronological order, each group reads their transcription of a letter aloud.
  3. Each student reflects on readings by answering a set of questions to invoke critical thought. Share answers.
  4. Students begin to read/research a specific aspect of the Civil War experience. Students will become a specific “person” from the war, real or fictitious. Examples: Generals Lee or Grant, a member of the 54th Massachusetts (first northern black regiment), a Civil War surgeon, a wife or child left behind in the North or South, Frederick Douglass, Abraham Lincoln, and Clara Barton.
  5. Students create a letter written to someone else that reflects their understanding of that person, some issues revolving around the war, thoughts and feelings, geographical location, challenges etc. (customize to needs/ability – from great detail to simple!) Students may want to “antique” their letter by dunking paper in tea. Older students sometimes scorch edges (with adult supervision).
  6. Have students answer one or all of the questions originally asked in the letters to Ms. Melendy.
  7. Place letters in envelopes to be “sent” to classmates to open, read, then pass on.
  8. Assessment could be a self and peer review where information learned is written about/reflected upon. Could include writing 5 or more questions students have about the Civil War aroused through their reading of the letters.