Are here at the National Postal museum at the heart of this book and one of the wonderful things about the way they have organized this book is that the letters really pull you in period 160 years ago and help you understand the sensuality of the great when families were frequently separated for the first times. They have provided the information you need to not win the understand the Family Networks by community networks, postal network, what is happening geopolitically in the United States during the civil war. Really looking forward to this talk. Lynn is a curator at the smithsonian National Postal museum. She specializes in the use of the u. S. History postal service. As well as my fellow soldiers, letters from world war i from which you can see at the smithsonian secretaries Research Prize in 2018. Thomas pay own creates a lighter than air collection with balloons, lamps and air ships at the Smithsonian National air and space Museums Research focuses on in the civil war as well as the u. S. Air ships and blimps in america. Hes the coauthor of milestones of flight, the epic of aviation the national air and space museum. In december 1863, Lauren Walters sat down to write a letter from her home in northwestern indiana. She opened up she wrote, quote, kind and affectionate companion i want to again try to draw with silent language upon. Four months later, her sister dolly wrote him and used very similar versions shot david as well to meet up with the family connections. She wrote, in dear brother, after shameful silence i want to get dressed to with the silence of a pan. Although rachel and phoebe say that their language is silent, to the collection were talking about tonight that their words come alive and their expressions and they share with the family, their thoughts, and their perspective. In particular, during moments of national strife and certainly for this family and individuals within it. The phrases that rachel and phoebe and others used about the silent language of the pan are really embody in what people were trying to do with the mail and keep up that communication. Those kind of phrases work and back conventions of the time, used to a certain etiquette of letter writing and it was very widespread. It was common to run into such phrases as these. They were commonly taught at school for reading and writing purposes and it was a time when more and more people were writing letters in the mid 19th century where americans were becoming accustomed to using the male and had become far more affordable with the reforms of the post office in the 19th century making the postage more affordable and using innovations like the posted stamp which made it far easier to access. In that time the americans had become used to a reliable mail service, a certain timelyness of those letters, and they talk to each other through that language of those letters about this, always making notes of when they had received the letter and apologizing if things were delayed. Those kind of delays came far more emotionally compounded in times of war. Like the full Walters Family experience. Cutting into those phases that phoebe and uses a way to get used to writing and seeing what everybody is used to. As easily slide before. The post Office Department and military made every effort to keep personal letters flowing through the lines, the home front, and now on the front. Keep posted, informed of the reasons why they were fighting touch with each others these can fight the four letters that a National Postal museum came to us in two installments from the Walters Family of indiana. They donated the smithsonian and one of the first few items i came to in 1964, the grandson of Rachel Walters. His grandson luna walters traded that for the collection of letters in 1991. Previous with amelia walkers, wheeler being the son of Rachel Walters. It is through these lines that we have this to share with you and the public in this become clear on your 80 years of use envelope that shows the way that the male traveled, the cost of that mail when the address had to change to find somebody who had relocated and the work put office viewing the process male and we have piece of mail a year so items, and a few pieces of hammer that families include trying to communicate with each other. Including lineup in the middle here which is a special order that was issued 1863 and this envelope with his letter that featured to secure peace in the area, particularly e special orclaring martial law in theies so that the state election could go along peacefully. This is one of those items that he chose to share with his wife to let her now the kind of experiences that he was having. Then these passed through the family and into the collection. So, we are fortunate to have not only their letters and their words but also these kind of momentum that they shared in small souvenirs but also some of the pension document that the family worked with and worked david chose tose in this envelope with his lettt is featured to secure peace in the area, particularly the special order declaring martial law in the counties so that the state election could go along peacefully. This is one of those items that he chose to share with his wife to let her now the kind of experiences that he was having. Then these passed through the family and into the collection. So, we are fortunate to have not only their letters and their words but also these kind of momentum that they shared in small souvenirs but also some of the pension document that the family worked with and worked in the aftermath of the war. The entire collection actually spans from the beginning of the war, prewar tate and 59, a few letters with rachel getting the relationship just before they were married. A close with her letters in 1868. Through this wonderful collection we were really able to pull out the details, not only during the eight because the use of the family members, each of these had. We started by completing an accurate transcription of the letters and then place them in conjugal order and what we did that they were no longer just 180 pieces of individual pieces of mail and envelopes, but there is a story, a narrative that unfolds. We really able to see conversations start to develop these families write a member it really gave them a life that they, you can realize before that time. You really start to see connections for for them in the family of what a writers think help with going on and understand what experience each of them was having. The, although there are several writers like from phoebe as you mentioned these the main writers. The heart and soul of the collection. First you have rachel jane ward as mentioned, she married Steven Walters on octor th 1960. Rachel walters. She becomes the nexus of this communication hub. Shes one of the most literate of all of the writers and,n fact, works as a schoolteacher later. She really is the one that her brotherinlaw and husband are writing to her and she is disseminate that information back to the other brothers. She also is including messages from what is going on at home in their county and individual houses and anything that will help them stay connected to their home. So she becomes a critical element of this group of letters. Next we have David Walters, her husband, who i mentioned joined the 50th indiana calgary. He is innocent to the middle ar o the country. Sa walters, who is one of the brothers showing up. He serves the anacondas infantry. Mostly in virginia he joins the 46th in the infantry and theisand, at the time, the mississippi river. These threehe three brothers, the corners of the war, are as geographically suffered as they can be. It only makes like that recognition even more important. Finally im john he is in davids company and eventually becomes the Commanding Officer of davids company but, there is letters, we were able to decipher that some of the ones early years were mostly dictated by david but written by john letter back to send messages home. As we follow these letters through the conflict, you really start to feel the individual personality struck out through. For example uses a blue ink right. This is a way to tell that its one of rachels letters. Thats the lyne that she illustrated, this of a flag. He gives a personal touch. It is so important to see who these people were as they were writing thesleers. It is, they really become these individuals instead of just random pieces of although we have numerous letters in the collection, weve selected a few to present to you tonight. To show you who this family was and who these people were. First you have to describe is being five and ten inches. He just finished 29th birthday hes first of the walter brothers to join the union army, he joined 2018 indiana he factually in our 1961 the first you sent home between october and december 17th 1861. In a time he is training in indiana and his unit shifted to the east coast. He actually find himself in the Eastern Theater of war along some of the silent of North Carolina the union mix naturally in the war to capture the island he was involved in very early campaigns, when first things he specifically mentioned is news he received, mostly from rachel in previous letter he said, quote, i was little surprised to hear that you so soon, but i hope you will live and well. They wl have someone less on the for him. I fancies name very much. I believe th the name i wouldve given him myself. Hes responded tois high today but rachel have a son, willard, and ey obviously just informed isaac of his birth. So, again, u are already starting to see this network for the importance of these letters as they are sharing information back and forth. Isaac goes on to give some detail about what he has experienced with his family, describing his experience in North Carolina and he writes that there is nearly half of the regiment taking medicine, still more taking sick. This is a very sickly hole. That is not how most people describe nowadays, but at the time this is what he was experienced. So, this is sort of ugly him pain phony indiana fired him a fierce battle of the civil war and that this beginning stage of the war to more serious combat later after the letter by as a two of his brothers join up. The 20th indiana. Their Third Brother in line, David Walters joins in the summer of 1862 with the 15 and a calgary cavalry. He reports to camp joe reynolds, in indiana indianapolis,. From the records, we know a little bit about the water alter. Here we find about a bit but his passable take as well, he was a farmer. Hes 23 years of age when you volunteered, but like his brother isaac he was also had a dark complexion, dark hair, and brown eyes. So, those are the only ways that we have to picture david other than his letters. We do know that once he reached indianapolis he was soon put through the pieces of drilling. He writes to his wife about this. This would prepare him within the indiana cavalry and the duties that they would soon have to the middle of the country and, soon in the war, campaigning the georgia. At the time he writes this for october 1st, he writes to his wife about some of the excitement that he is having with the new events and have him join and be a soldier he writes, quote, we are dealing about a strong as we are can. Yesterday there was about 6000 drilled at one time. Today we had abouthe same number of soldierse had the base times today than we havent ive been there he goes on to toms wife the reasons why he volunteed. I in a moment he writes, quote, im sorry they are protesting was trouble with are things. It cant be helped now. I feel im doing my duty to help and maintain the loss of our country and put down rebellion. Is one of the few times in the series of about 18 letters that we have in the collection that he discusses the reason why he has joined up in a way, kind of echoes what he said in the letter with the patriotic symbols that has won at the center of it is an American Eagle a symbol of the u. S. , around a 34 penance, and abbreviations for 34 statesed including all of the states that had recently succeeded duri the war. Just a few days time, his wife was writing a letterback home, a 20 year old and raising the one year old, willie she was writing about her experience of closures move her other family members. She discusses going to her church. And as tom pointed out using her blooming very common. The smugglers feelable to seen about cover gallery and shows that you side page. Likely to be reread. I fully ripped david about what was going on trend at the quote willie, hes not very tall and hes his teeth. But hes very clever and i hope designs are reaching the theory you well. I am one from you, the status lasted a evening and it was really mailed when went on a star city. Like her head to the she closer to saying, well, i must close and wait and take the letter to the office. Belize crying for me to take. It splits right soon as you got us. That pleading for more letters is a Common Thread throughout the walter family. Several months later, rachael receives a letter from john wesley. He is described as somewhat isaac. He shouldnt five face six. Hes joining the 46th indiana. He mustered up service october. Before, before moving up an animosity river. He is actively engaged in several of the early battles from that the other, including battle ford Island Number 10 which was fortified island that the Confederate Army had built up to try to prevent any ships from going by. They failed to open up the way. This specific letter was written in june 10th 1863 and a detailed on top campaigning that john lindsey had experience with his unit. He uses this letter to inrm the family of a wod he received. He writes, we found them, referring to the Confederate Army, at a place called the champions hill. There is where i got wounded. Basketball struck me in my right side just above the hip. We listen to three weeks. This help dispel amash median that he had been killed the evolution of hounds who newest a relief not explain that to me start in the battlefield for so long he eventually moved to lower hospital okay. He also really saw rachel how glad he was to receive a letter from her and receive from back home. And that you spoke to david, if he gets it, please let me know what he thought of it. Another sample of how Important Network is to the brothers. Not only are they receiving us from home, but one quick is wait for them to receive news from one of the other brother sister receive it from rachel. They are literally using her as a kind of middle to get that information back and forth. His unit goes on to participate in the siege of which i mentioned. You have heard is not, it takes some time to recover from the wound he has. As he recovers from last. He continues to write to either throughout the service. I guess will he in the field. So this letter that we selected is about a year after that one its may 1964 and her life is hectic on the cold front. Health of the neighbors. Hes trying much of a focus on herself. There many things that she is doing. I want her progress for self. A high schoolane from 20 to 58 is week, a bit more encouraging. This saturday, about four noon, i expect to help this afternoon as we has funny teenagers planted and i dont know how mh es going to plan. Really as well. Hes ll pleased to see me come home. He always runs to me at expects ts mom a boy and bobs boy and put this pae wn and takes the fighting that most. I asked him whate ught thought about and what would pop fetch him wh hcomes home. He said im ready to go to the field, so i must lift finish ts little while later. She. She continues the letter in the next day on may 15th. Ts time, telling them about visiting his sister. She asked about receiving a letter from we do have husbands from both statues in the collection. Closing that she uses may tip scenes letter and timeline. She writes, quote, i will close hoping i im afraid you might not get them as we looked at the website there were things that were prescient in the interviews. At the time when she is writing a 14 to 15, david is engaged at the battle of osaka northern georgia. Its pretty evenly matched battle between the union and confederate forces. It is actually an inconclusive battle, but his regiment and company have several number of casualties including the capture of david, which we believe happened on may 14th. It is not until later in may that does rachel received word about divots capture. This is all to the osmosis of his Commanding Officer, john louder back who was taken himself to write a letter for himself is captured at the next battle that the cavalry is engaged in and it sent to the Anderson Phil prison. This letter from he is obviously learned the information about capturing rachel. He responds to offer his condolences that they would have been captured. As we falls family through the to the others. This one in paicular became quite heartbreaking. Isaacs town shift magically at this point. Could really start to see how, with the news that from you can see that the news may on him but the news whats happened to his family, his brother, suing on a more and more. The condolences that he offers are such, quote, that i feel very sorry for you that you cant hear from david. I feel that you must be a great suspense and feel very lonely. U must look on the bright side of the picture and hope for the best. I think he will turn up all right sometime. If the dont termed yet i think david has a right eye predictive constitution i will get through l right if he is only alive. Again, just a small portion of the letter staircases, again, the suffering that and being so far from home and how hes doing is the one where we know suffering isaac i think i was better we have that even austin close aces and risk of us ill close soon eye to hear from you. This sullen attitude most likely come from the fact that his unit hadnt been engaged almost continuously in the siege of petersburg. A city in richmond, which the army was attempting to capture than capture richmond virginia, the capital of the confederacy. So, he even writes that he is loca