Question

As I awoke, I couldn't remember why I was feeling so anxious. Eventually, I sat up and blinked at the dawning light as I remembered what was so terrible about today. It was May 10, 1863, the day Carl was leaving for Washington, and I didn't know if I would ever see him again.

When I went downstairs for breakfast, everyone was already seated and finishing the hot eggs, plump sausages, sweet rolls drizzled with powdered sugar, and coffee that Ma had made for the occasion. Carl proudly wore his uniform, which fit him like a glove and made him look especially mature. I suddenly realized that h

Answer 1

As I awoke, I couldn't remember why I was feeling so anxious. Eventually, I sat up and blinked at the dawning light as I remembered what was so terrible about today. It was May 10, 1863, the day Carl was leaving for Washington, and I didn't know if I would ever see him again.

When I went downstairs for breakfast, everyone was already seated and finishing the hot eggs, plump sausages, sweet rolls drizzled with powdered sugar, and coffee that Ma had made for the occasion. Carl proudly wore his uniform, which fit him like a glove and made him look especially mature. I suddenly realized that he was going away to war not as my big brother, but as a brave and formidable soldier.

Of course, I understood why he felt it was important to enlist in Wisconsin's 26th regiment and join the Union soldiers. Our father had come to the United States from Germany, seeking the freedom to succeed and to grasp new opportunities. Pa was undoubtedly more patriotic than any other man we knew, including those who had been born here. He had instilled in us pride for our country and taught us to respect and defend the opportunities America presented our family and families like ours from all over the country. I understood that Carl's sense of duty had led him to enlist, to preserve the Union, and to defend freedom of opportunity for all men, especially men like Pa, who had come during an earlier time when life was a lot harder. I realized that he wanted to fight for the many men and women who would come later in pursuit of some of the same freedoms and opportunities.

I wondered if my father was thinking about that as he sat and chatted with Carl about the weather, the train route, and anything else other than the war. I suspect that Pa was not thinking about how proud he was that Carl was volunteering to defend our new homeland. I think, instead, Pa was as concerned as I was, wishing for normalcy wishing that Carl would just change back into his overalls and go into the fields with us as he always did.

After breakfast, Pa would take Carl to the train station in the wagon while my sister, Ma, and I stayed behind. We had to say our good-byes on the front porch, and we all stood around stalling. Mary, the oldest, embraced Carl and offered a smile. She promised to write every day, and then she stepped back. I couldn't help crying as I clung to his shoulders, and he held me tight. Carl told me he would be thinking of me and promised to bring back a gift from Washington when he returned.

Then Ma stepped forward and held him for a long time, and we could tell she was whispering something to him. When she finally let go, he just nodded at her, saying nothing. Then he quickly climbed into the wagon, and they departed, heading to the train station. Ma hurried us back into the house. Then, although we were emotionally exhausted, we went about our normal daily chores, as if it were just an ordinary day on which our brother went off to war.