Program

You will see photos of the day, the letters themselves, and lyrics of the choruses projected on a large screen. Judy, in costume, will read the letters, play tunes of the time, and sing songs that were written and sung during the Civil War. The letters are between the Claflins: Gilbert, a Wisconsin Farmer, drafted at age 40, and his wife Esther, keeping the farm going with their two teen-aged sons.

- One Man's Civil War focuses on Gilbert and his time in the Army.

- Women of the Civil War focuses on Esther and mothers wive, sweethearts.

- Hijinks and Home focuses on camp life and the home front, the lightest of the three programs.

The Stories are told in the words of the people of the day: the writers of the songs and letters. You will have a personal, eye-witness experience and gain fascinating insight into camp and home life in Middle America of the 1860s.