Katie Marsico - Tillie Pierces Civil War Story

Lerner Publications Minneapolis

Katie Marsico

Illustrated by Thomas Girard

To my mom, Ann Konrath, who has done more than her fair share of unexpected nursing and who has always demonstrated exceeding compassion to anyone she has comforted

Copyright 2018 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Lerner Publications Company

A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.

First Avenue North

Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA

For reading levels and more information, look up this title at www.lernerbooks.com .

The images in this book are used with the permission of: Library of Congress (LC-DIG-pga-02102), p. 30; Library of Congress (pa0021), p.

Main body text set in Rotis Serif Std Regular 15/24.

Typeface provided by Adobe Systems.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Marsico, Katie, 1980 author.

Title: Tillie Pierces Civil War story / by Katie Marsico.

Description: Minneapolis : Lerner Publications, [2018] | Series: Narrative nonfiction: kids in war | Includes bibliographical references. | Audience: | Audience: K3.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017010168 (print) | LCCN 2017012813 (ebook) | ISBN 9781512497861 (eb pdf) | ISBN 9781512456776 (lb : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Alleman, Tillie PierceJuvenile literature. | Gettysburg, Battle of, Gettysburg, Pa., 1863Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC E475.53 (ebook) | LCC E475.53 .M34 2018 (print) | DDC 973.7/349dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017010168

Manufactured in the United States of America

1-42946-26762-9/21/2017

Publishers Note

This story is based on historical events. The people, places, and dates are known through primary source accounts of the time. While inspired by known facts, dialogue and some descriptive details have been fictionalized.

Foreword

From 1861 to 1865, the Civil War divided the United States. Several Southern states broke apart from the rest of the nation and formed the Confederate States of America, or the Confederacy. The rest of the nation was known as the Union.

In June of 1863, Confederate forces marched through Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. They raided the town for supplies. Union troops were not far behind them, and the Battle of Gettysburg raged from July to

During the battle, fifteen-year-old Tillie Pierce stayed with the Weikert family in the country, a few miles south of Gettysburg. Tillies parents thought she would be safer away from the action. Little did they know how close she would be.

July 2, 1863, the Weikert Farm

The scorching July sun beat down on miles of grain fields, meadows, and fruit orchards. As Tillie Pierce moved across the yard, she raised one hand to shade her eyes. In her other hand, she carried a tin cup brimming with cool water.

The thick grass around Tillie was filled with Union soldiers in their blue uniforms. Many wore slings and bandages. Little by little, Tillie was growing used to the sight of such injuries. The Battle of Gettysburg had begun just one day earlier, but bruised and bloody Union soldiers had quickly appeared across the farm.

The Weikerts made space for the soldiers in their home, barn, and carriage house. In the basement kitchen, Mrs. Weikert always seemed to be stirring broth or shoveling dough into the oven. Along with the Weikerts daughters, Tillie handed out meals to the soldiers who were well enough to eat. She also brought water to passing troops on the road.

Here you are, sir, said Tillie. She handed the drink to a soldier who had been asking for water. A wrapping barely covered the wound on his head, and a deep cut ran close to his eye.

Thank you kindly, miss, the soldier told Tillie in a cracked, raspy voice. He nodded at her before draining the cup.

No trouble, replied Tillie. She smiled at the man and the small cluster of soldiers standing near him. Have you eaten? If youd like, I can bring you a loaf of fresh bread to share. Theres some broth too.

Please! the soldiers said eagerly. They sounded as if she had promised them a huge feast. Tillie wished she had more to offer. Yet she hoped she was bringing the soldiers some comfort, even as the war raged around them.

From Farmhouse to Hospital

May I have more food, Mrs. Weikert? Tillie called out as she headed back into the basement. She looked around and realized how cramped the room was becoming. Yesterday there had been far fewer soldiers. Today the wounded seemed to be filling the Weikerts property