Martha Schofield letter to Sadie Brouwer Bartram

Martha Schofield met Sadie Brouwer in 1859 while teaching at a school in Harrison, New York, and the two remained close friends. She is very concerned about Brouwer because of the draft riots that have been occuring in Brooklyn. She hopes to hear from her soon that she is okay. She blames the riots on the Copperheads, Northerners who opposed the Civil War and advocated for political compromise. She describes her work gathering and delivering supplies to the soldiers. 600 wounded from Gettysburg have come to the hospital where she volunteers, and she describes her work at the hospital and some of the people she has helped. She reflects on her time teaching at the school in Harrison, New York, and discusses her health. She sends Brouwer a copy of a poem that she wrote for John Bunting about their friendship. She reflects at length on her close friendship with Bunting and states that she has never had a desire to be more than friends with him.