Sarah Morgan was only 20 years old when Union forces sailed up the Mississippi River and captured her hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Living in occupied territory created tensions and confusion that were hard to bear. To cope, Sarah poured her heart and frustrations into her diary.
There she tells of being moved from place to place, and facing issues we don't usually consider when thinking about the Civil War -- what to do with her pet bird as the Yankees approached? Should her family accept much-needed food from their soldiers at the risk of being branded as traitors? Where to find shoes?
I first learned about Sarah on my son's field trip to the Port Hudson Battlefield. Later I bought a copy of her diary to learn more about the Civil War in south Louisiana. But in the end, it was not a battle I wanted to write about, but Sarah herself -- an ordinary girl living in perilous times, with a buoyant spirit that enabled her to rise above them. I hope you enjoy her story.
Reviews:
"A tale of perseverance and fortitude, the book is an articulate and lively account of the war from a non-combatant's viewpoint. It will be a valuable resource to students interested in learning more about everyday life and attitudes in the South during the Civil War." 2001, Pelican Publishing, $10.95. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Valerie O. Patterson , Children's Literature
"Good children's literature-lively, well-written.
While looking for stories surrounded by the Civil War, I found this. My children and I have been plesently surprised at the gripping story and the beautiful way in which it was written. This book has been a pleasure to read aloud with the detailed descriptions that put you in Sarah's world and the flowing sentences and paragraphs turn some parts into poetry. Wonderfully refreshing to find a story to read aloud to the family that is beneficial to their language skills and historical knowledge as well as entertaining."
caroline good, 35-year old history buff
"What makes this story especially powerful is the fact that it is based on the true story of Sarah Morgan. Furthermore the diary entries are the ones she wrote as she lived and suffered through those dreadful war years. Her voice is a strong and sometimes haunting one and we are able to see how civil war can destroy the hopes and dreams of an ordinary family. The author has skillfully weaved together her own telling of Sarah's story and the words she has chosen to use from Sarah's diary." Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review
MORE ABOUT SARAH AND THE CIVIL WAR:
Sarah Morgan: The Civil War Diary Of A Southern Woman by Charles East (Paperback 1992)
Excerpt from Sarah's diary
civilwarinteractive.com for just about everything else
docsouth.unc.edu/fpn/dawson for the first edition of Sarah's diary, published in 1913 by her son.
Included in SCBWI list of Books Publishers Recommend for Children Dealing with Crisis and Tragedy
