You are a young Southern or Northern man in 1861. You have left home to join the army. Write a letter to your family explaining your reasons for joining the Union or Confederate army.

To start with you can do ...

Dear family,

i am joining the confederate army because i need more money and i thought i would the family i wont becoming back in a while but i will be vivisiting tell all my chindren i love them tell my wife i love her. First I think you need to understand that I in no way support the abhorrent institution that was Slavery in the United States prior to the ratification of the 13th amendment. However it did exist and was guaranteed by law and the Constitution. No this did not make it right, but there it is. Reading literature of the time and many political speeches you find it referred to in many veiled ways. i really hope you understand i love you all.

- from blah blah blah