Emmeline

Emmeline is a restless fifteen‑year‑old living on a Pennsylvania farm during the Civil War, caught between the ordinary chores of country life and the turbulent world beyond her fields. She watches her brother Henry march off in a Union blue uniform, while his new wife, the Southern‑born Bertha, lies ill in the family home, a situation that stirs hidden resentment and a fierce sense of loyalty to the cause. Emmeline’s sharp mind and boundless energy keep her moving from feeding chickens to picking raspberries, yet she feels trapped by expectations and the looming cloud of war.

Amid the strained conversations with neighbors and the silence of missing letters, Emmeline nurtures a secret dream of becoming a battlefield nurse, hoping to bring comfort to wounded soldiers and prove her worth. Her vivid imagination takes her to Devil’s Den and the rolling hills of Gettysburg, where she envisions herself caring for those caught in the conflict. The story follows her daily struggles, family tensions, and the growing resolve that may shape her future in a nation at war.