Civil War Letter to Jacinta

Dear Jacinta,

I miss you so much. I still can’t believe that it had be this way, you fighting for the South and all. I wish it didn’t have to be this way. I’m sorry if I hurt you or any of your new friends back at Antietam. I just had to. General McClellan was yelling at all 90,000 of us to open fire. I guess the major reason we won is because a friend of mine—I swore not to say who—found your side’s fighting strategy. It was a pretty lousy plan to be frank. I’m happy to be alive though, I mean I wasn’t at the front shooting like almost everyone else. No, I was on the side manning the cannons. Gosh, I was there for so long, so long that my blue jacket (which I had cleaned two days before) was nearly gray and black from all the gunpowder. You should’ve seen Stonewall. He was yelling like a madman, running everywhere making sure there were enough cannonballs at each station.
And General Ambrose is just horrible though. He makes us practice in the cold every morning, and he beats people who make the stupidest mistakes. I already have whiplash marks on my back. I guess the only good thing about being a soldier and all is the free food—not that it’s any good. My bacon was good this morning but some of the men have been getting sick from the meat, and the cornmeal isn’t bad, but I do hate those crackers they give us to stuff our bodies with fiber. My bed—we’ll it’s not really a bed, but there are six of us living in one hut and I sleep on a bunch of hay, but at least the tent is big enough to get a little fire going to keep the cold out.
Anyways, I can’t wait to see you Jacinta. It’s been a really long time. I just wish we didn’t have to be on opposite sides. Not that I would fight for the Confederates or anything—I really hate the thought of slavery—but I just wish we didn’t have to fight. I hope to see you soon, not in a fight but for drinks or any good occasion.
Your friend,

Elie Weinstein