Between Home and the Front

<p>The personal letters of Americans during the Civil War preserve first-person accounts of the trials and tribulations of this significant period in the nation''s history. These records of news, people, and emotions humanize the horrific events of the Civil War and provide unique insights into the conflict''s effects on individuals, families, communities, and America. Often, only the letters sent home survived, leaving half of the story missing, but the Walters family''s letters in the collection of the Smithsonian''s National Postal Museum includes the exchange of correspondence between the home front and front line, a perspective not often seen in published anthologies.</p><p><br></p><p><em>My Dear Companion</em> gives us a glimpse into the poignant questions, answers, and sentiments Private David Walters of the 5th Indiana Calvary and his wife Rachel shared in their correspondence. The letters from David give details about some of the lesser-known actions of the Western theater of