Letters During the War
Chapter 1
(Author's Note: This is part 2 of the story I started in Printers Daughter. It would be useful to read it first. That story ended with the end of the series. I'm using letters as a means to tell this part of the story. Letters that would have ended up in the notebook that Ike used to start the story of the romance between Buck and Maggie. I will be sticking to real history as opposed to what happened in the series. Enjoy!
earth dragon: I tend to take the series writers view on Jesse James. I think his time with the Express was pivotal for him. He could have chosen a better path, but instead he chose to return home and down that dark path. He was a nasty piece of work, but he might have been redeemable, despite the pressure on him by family. Rosemary Burke was clearly out of her mind with her need for revenge. I don't like her as a character, and since she doesn't appear in James Hickok's life, she'll be gone. A note on Noah's attempt to enlist-while there were all black regiments, Orbach could not have accepted Noah into his regiment. Noah's best chance at fighting in the war would have been to travel back East and to enlist with said black troops. Seems crazy to us now.)
Late September, 1861
Minnesota
Dear Buck,
I am sorry I haven't written sooner. Getting ready and starting the semester took way too much time.
Please, tell me how things are going! We don't get a lot of news here. I'm going to ask my father to send me the newspaper so at least we have some real news instead of the rumors.
I've only been here for a while, but I'm starting to get a feel for the situation and the students and staff. The school is located in the middle of what is called the Dakota reservation. The elders here signed away (last year) most of their lands and agreed to settle on a 20 mile wide, 150 mile long stretch of the Upper Minnesota River. The nearest government agency is the Lower Sioux or Redwood Agency. The property was well thought out. We have 3 one room school houses. There are also two houses on the property. There are some storage buildings and a large barn. Most of the staff lives in the two houses.
The goal is to educate, train (for live in white society), and to make the children into followers of Christ. Some of what we do is good. Unfortunately there is no understanding of the Native culture, or any desire to know. The children are forced to learn English and to only speak it, which inhibits understanding.
I teach the younger students in the morning. The older students are learning white occupations in the morning, while it is cooler. The boys mostly work with the animals and are learning to farm. Those that show aptitude are taught carpentry, blacksmithing, etc. The older girls are taught how to cook, clean, and sew the white way. The "better" of the older girls are allowed to live in the two houses as unpaid maids and cooks assistants. The Indian part of me is appalled by most of this.
I am concerned about the families of my students. I will write more about that another day.
Know that I love you and will write again soon,
your Maggie
(Author's note: I apologize for the shortness of this chapter. I wanted to get this story started. The Dakota reservation on the Upper Minnesota River was real, as was what is going to happen. The school is not, though it is similar to church schools of the period. Let me know what you think.)