John S Emma Edmonds Letter

Hi, my name is Emma Edmonds. I had to sneak out so I could be treated without getting discovered with my disguise. So while I was gone, you wouldn’t believe it, I was just told that Franklin Thompson was charged for desertion. Since i’m Franklin Thompson, I don’t think this is the right thing to do. I have several reasons to back up my complaint.

I disguised myself as a man to be accepted to the army. I wore men’s clothes, changed my name, had the manly structures, was strong, shaved my hair etc…, I just HAD to get in the Union. For my first job, I was a field nurse. “We’re short of medical help so I’m rating you as a field nurse.” I had to help the soldiers that were sick and wounded. As Thompson, I joined the army and was now a field nurse.

I disguised myself as a  fake slave named Cuff for my first spy mission. My job was to find information about the Confederates (Southerners) and I took notes in my shoe. I found out some information about the Confederates like artillery, fake cannons, battle plans, earthworks, names, spies for confederate,etc... “She bent down and shoved some slips of paper and a stub of pencil into her shoe. She’d need them to jot down the information the general wanted.” She had to secretly write down some notes in her shoe so she couldn’t be caught and discovered. As Cuff, I had a lot of risky and dangerous things to serve my country.

For my next mission, I disguised myself as an old, Irish, peddler women named Bridget O’Shea. I was disguised as this old, peddler woman so I couldn’t caught by my true identity. “To complete the disguise, Emma filled a basket with peddler’s goods for the Southern soldiers- spools of thread, needles, matches, a pair of scissors, pieces of soap, corn cakes, and packets of tea.” I dressed myself to look like a real old, peddler woman trying to sell goods. Lots of other Irish came to America and settled here, so it was a safe cover. As Bridget, I was safe from being discovered.

For my last mission, I will illustrate a man named Charles Mayberry- Kentucky- border state but taken over by the Union. I had blue eyes, dark wavy hair, and a neat mustache, and moved with ease and confidence. I was sort of a mystery, meaning no one knew much about me. My job was to be a detective, not a spy. I was informed that i had to make a journey to find out who this devil is. “This is your contact in Louisville. He’ll supply you with funds, clothes, and so on.” I had to go to this contact and get information of who I am and will also be supported there with clothes, funds, etc… As Charles, I was very secretive and had to find out who someone was.

I, Emma Edmonds, should be reinstated as a honorable member of the United States Army because I went through multiple missions without being caught by my real identity. I risked my life multiple times to serve my country and I believe that I should be honored as a memorable member of the United States Army.