Love amid the turmoil : the Civil War letters of William and Mary Vermilion /

Rarely is there a fairly complete series of letters between a Civil War soldier and his wife; typically only one side has survived. The letters of William and Mary Vermilion provide a unique glimpse into the changes the war inflicted on men, women, and family relationships. The Vermilions both grew up in Indiana but moved to Iowa in the late 1850s, where William began a medical practice and purchased a farm. The two were educated (Mary was a teacher) and sympathetic to abolitionism. Consequently, their letters offer a rich discussion of the politics of the home front in two states as well as the progress of military action, especially in the western theater. Perhaps most interesting is the correspondence that takes place when Mary went to live with William's family in Indiana for six months beginning in the fall of 1862. Mary clashed with the Indiana Vermilions and the people of Putnam County because of the strong Confederate sympathies of the region, and the letters reveal a good deal about her strong will. This is a welcome complement to the literature on the Civil War's impact on gender and marriage. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All levels and collections. K. Fones-Wolf West Virginia University