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The Day I was Born
I was born in South Ireland with two brothers and two sisters. I am the youngest child. My mother is 32 and my father is 34 years old and I live on a farm with many chores and jobs I have to do. I go to school with my brothers and sisters but I don't like reading and writing like some of the other kids. I don't like living on a farm and recently I heard of a new country across the ocean called America and I'm thinking about going there even though I'm only 15, but I am going to be on my own. -
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My Life
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Ellis Island
Ellis IslandToday I am leaving for America and it is sad to leave my family behind but my older brother is coming who is 21, which is very helpful. We have decided to go west and mine for gold because many people have been getting rich. As we finally make it to Ellis island we wait in a line for 4 hours to get checked in. As we get checked in I am accepted first but my brother has a disease and is sent back. I decide to travel west with other irish immigrants for gold without him. -
California
Gold RushI finally made to California with a few other irish immigrants. It took the w spring and the summer to get here. Many people died and it was very hard to get here. But as we buy all are equipment and go to are mining sight there are only a few people mining on other claims. And as we were mining a couple of days and soon weeks we realized there was barely any gold left. Many people started to get new jobs and there were only a few of us left. So I decided to leave and be a shoemaker. -
Drafted into Civil War
I've been a shoe maker for a long time but now a lot have men are being drafted into the war. And now I have been drafted into the army to fight for the north against the south. I barely no anything about slavery so why am I fighting in this war to free slaves. While I was a shoemaker I met this on nicewoman that I eventually married and we have to kids. So I have to leave my family and may never see them again. Right now we are always doing drills and constantly training. -
Civil War
I am in the 31st regiment of New York. We have only been in one battle and there were a lot of casualties. I have been in the army now for almost 7 months. All we do is train and do drills and the food is horrible. We eat hardtack mostly and the water is usually dirty and contaminated because we get it out of creeks and streams. I write letters to my family and I tell them the horrors of war and how I can't wait to see them. Hopefully the war is soon ending. -
Coming Home
Today I finally came home to my family, it has been almost 4 years. Luckily I was only in a few battles and managed to survive. A lot has changed since I left. It is now not such a gold town and more industrilized. I was trying to find a job to support my family and I work in a factory that is not very far away from our house. It is hard to sleep because I keep thinking of the horrors in war. It id definately a better life tan the world and I think O will be here for the rest of my life.
