An awesome kid who lived during the civil war rights in his journal about his reasons for fighting in the war and about some people who are very dear to him.

Nichelle Rohrbach

    Journal,                                  August 17, 1862
I received this book yesterday, Monday, August 16, 1862, from my dear Evangeline. Evangeline wrote to me from back home in South Carolina. She said her father has been struck with a terrible fever ever since her brother Richard left to join up with the Union Army in West Virginia. I can understand how both Richard and Mr. Rickley, Evangeline’s father, must feel considering the recent events which have taken place. My Uncle, whom I have lived with ever since the death of my parents, is a well off business man who resides mainly in New York City and was very upset with my joining the Confederates. I tried explaining to him that in a way my choice was based off of his own actions three years previous when he had sent me to visit my cousins in Atlanta.
    During my stay, I was introduced to the beautiful young socialite, Evangeline Rickley. From the moment of our being introduced, to this very day, I have had no will of my own. I knew of course, upon hearing of the young heiress in conversations between my cousins and myself, that marriage to Evangeline was surely out of the question. Her father would never permit it. Yet now with the war, I found a chance, as if from God almighty, a chance to prove myself to Sir Rickley, by joining up with the Confederate army.
    It was not until the day that I met the Miss Evangeline Rickley, that I was certain of all I would ever need. We met on a Saturday afternoon, at a Dinner Party held in honor of Richard Rickley’s eighteenth birthday. I had been invited, along with my cousins Caroline and Edmund, to join them in the festivities held on the Rickley Plantation. Upon our arrival, we were greeted first by Sir Rickley, then Richard, and lastly Miss Evangeline Rickley.  I lifted her hand and stared into those electrifying green eyes. Her red hair fell upon her shoulders in bright ringlets, giving her face a slight resemblance to that of Aphrodite.  “Thank you for joining us Sir Clayton Elbry,” She said as I kissed her hand, “It is a lovely evening for Atlanta weather. You must tell us all about New York, I have so longed to travel there, but of course father is strongly opposed.” Before I was able to reply, the orchestra was heard playing a lively tune in the Ballroom. I was still quite stupefied by Miss Evangeline and found myself unable even to speak to ask her to dance.
    “Well Mr. Clayton I see you are unaccustomed to the ways of the South but I do hope you are a quick learner. Well?” she asked looking at me in the most quizzically beautiful way. It looked like five pound notes swirling around her irises. Of course I then asked her to dance and we danced all night long, typical after such a meeting between two people. As the festivities were carried on long into the morning by the other guests, Evangeline and I walked about the gardens talking. So we talked and soon I departed for my cousin’s home with my cousins, and the next day we began the typical sending of letters which was expected to follow such an evening between two people. I suppose we next would have gone for a picnic, if it were not for the Civil War. So instead we settled for a walk in the park all solemn like as we talked about our future. I wanted to go to New York on a trolley and be married but she insisted I ask her Pa and I insisted that I just knew he would say no because he was so old and gray! Poor Evangeline, I had never felt so stooped down before that day. The look in those electrifying eyes was a look of electrocution, like the chair.
    I fear what would have become of us if a pigeon had not carried away her grandmother’s broach at that very next instant. I chased the pigeon all the way down the street until I tamed it and had it perch on my shoulder while I carried him back to the park. There I softly placed the broach in Evangeline’s soft white hands. All things were quite resolved then until her brother ran off to join the Union and told her father it was all because I had gone and convinced him that the North had better cigars than the South!
    So then Mr. Rickley would not even hear of my marrying Evangeline. We were both devastated, me and Evangeline were quite sad as well. Evangeline and I talked for many minutes that evening. Cousin Caroline and Edmund were leaving for Massachusetts in the morning. After Evangeline had bid me goodnight, I sat on the cold stone in the garden outside her window, and thought lots about what I should do. I wasn’t quite sure if those electrifying eyes were worth going into battle for. I saw a shooting star shoot over Evangeline’s bathroom window. I knew of the omen of the shooting star so I went right away to the recruiter’s tent and signed up with the Confederates.
Now as I sit rethinking all the events of the past three years, I wonder once more if Evangeline is worth it. Her cook made very good pea soup which Evangeline wished to have served on our second anniversary of marriage. Yes, that soup was delightful and being with Evangeline was as well. So now my problems are simply to not be blown to bits and to return home safely to the Rickley Estate. Another hope is that I am so fortunate that Mr. Rickley would look favorably upon my offer of marriage to Miss Evangeline. I am aware of Mr. Rickley’s great fondness for the South and my returning back to his plantation a war hero will certainly please the man I hope to one day be my father in-law.