This is still a little rough but getting much better —
While countless southern women dreadfully suffered from Union invasions between the years 1861 to 1865, very few northern women were exposed to encounters with the rebel army. In addition to the town of Carlisle, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania was the only other Federal town that uprooted by the Confederate army. Margaret and Mary Murray and Sarah Meyers serve as crucial witness to rebel bombardment as they were apart of the small handful of women who not only encountered the Confederate army, but also lived to tell their experiences through their letters. The common and overlapping fears of Margaret Murray, Marry Murray, and Sarah Meyers provides telling details that reveal the strong connection that women felt towards their homes and their loved ones. It can thus be concluded that the experiences of the three Carlisle women are distinctively symbolic and noteworthy as they reflect the experiences of a minute number of Union women who came into distinct contact with rebel forces. Their words are not only pertinent in furthering our understanding of the personal reactions of female citizens but more simply provide contextual evidence that provides us with historical details of the shelling.