April 14, 1861

Two days ago the war started!  I guess there's no 
getting around it now.  Our troops attacked Fort 
Sumter because Mr. Lincoln sent down some men to 
take it from us.  They can't do that, it's inside 
our country, not theirs! Papa and Hall and Mark 
have enlisted.  They're going to be cavalry.  I 
don't know what Hall thinks he's going to do with 
a gun.  He only ever learned to use a sword.  Mark 
can use a gun, but he doesn't ride very well.  

No wonder Sarette is still crying. Mark's younger 
brother, Preston is my beau.  I am going to marry 
him when I'm sixteen.  He'll be twenty then.  I 
only have three more months to go and then I'll 
be old enough.  Papa says Preston won't join the 
war because he lives in Virginia.  Virginia hasn't 
taken sides.  Papa says they probably won't, and 
I'll be married by Christmas.