Louis Hughes

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A Year in the South 1865 by Stephen V. Ash is a book that follows four individuals during the Civil War. These individuals come from different backgrounds and faced different challenges that later affected their ability to adjust to the end of the war and their daily lives after the war had ended. In Tombigbee, Alabama we have Louis Hughes which by the way Stephen described was very educated. Cornelia McDonald has seven children and was the wife of a Confederate army officer. She was located in Lexington, Virginia. The exempt minister that served in the northern eastern part of Tippah, Mississippi was named Samuel Agnew. He was supposed to join the Confederates but his position as a minister helped him stay away from facing the obstacles in …show more content…

After the war, Louis moved to Canada and then Detroit and ended up in Milwaukee. Although it was not easy for him and his family he sure did not give up. Hard working people will always say life is tough but will never accept defeat through their hardships and Louis Hughes was exactly …show more content…

In May 1863 Cornelia’s husband passed away. Since she relied so much on her husband’s salary her and her children lost their home. As a child she had everything but, lacked basic household skills like cooking. "Cornelia have to hire someone to do the cooking for the same reason she had to pay for carding, spinning, and weaving as well-bred woman who had always had money and slaves, she had never learn those skills because she never had to perform those chores." (Ash 38) It is only 1863 two years before the war starts and as you can see she is already struggling which means it will greatly affect her and her children during the war and will drastically drain any possible income going into the household. The only actual skills she had were not very essential; teaching someone how to paint and learn a new language or skills that seem more luxurious. On top of struggling financially Cornelia had emotional struggles as well. “To see my noble sons, little daughter, and my pretty little boys dragged down so low, how can I bear it." (Ash 158) When I read this quote I previously mentioned I was out raged. If you really feel bad about how your kids are and you really can't bear it then why don't you change and try to better your life style. In her case improving and enhancing her skills. I think her biggest struggle was not what happened

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