by L. M. Alcott
First published 2022
Tribulation Periwinkle declares she wants something meaningful to do with her life. She rejects writing, teaching, marriage, and acting as insufficient pursuits. When her younger brother suggests nursing wounded soldiers, she accepts immediately. After struggling to secure a position and find transportation, she travels through New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore to reach Washington DC. Upon arrival, she faces her first major test caring for casualties from the Battle of Fredericksburg. Her initial duty involves washing the wounded before putting them to bed. She speaks with various soldiers, including an Irishman and a Virginia blacksmith named John. The blacksmith's death affects her profoundly. Through her six weeks of service, Periwinkle discovers both the harsh realities of war and her own capacity for compassion in the face of suffering.
Genres: american-civil-war, american-fiction, biography-memoir, 19th-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Baltimore, New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC
Period: American Civil War, 19th Century
58 pages · Paperback · Lulu.com
Content warnings: death, war