Between the Wedding & the War: The Bulloch/Roosevelt Letters 1854-1860, letters of the Theodore Roosevelt and Bulloch families in the nineteenth century
Between the Wedding and the War continues the true saga of two families, the northern Roosevelts and the southern Bullochs. For seven years letters flowed between the Bulloch and Roosevelt families capturing a poignant time of upheaval foreshadowed by war. The letters tell of births, deaths, love, religion, and business and follow Martha Bulloch and two of her remaining unwed children North. While stories of family journeys convey the spirit of America’s expansion and growth, stories about the home front reveal two different cultures. In the midst of it all, a president is born.
These authors have done a great service making the Roosevelt family letters available. There are letters between the parents of the future President Theodore Roosevelt as well as letters from family members. They give a vivid picture of the years before the Civil War and some of the rapid changes taking place in the United States. For example, details about the challenges of transportation, medical practice, and communication are especially interesting. (Also--spoiler alert--the future president is born in the midst of these letters!) These letters would be useful primary documents for students writing about this time period. I enjoyed the letters for their historical and cultural insights, but my favorite letters were the love letters between Thee (Theodore Roosevelt's father) and his wife Mittie!