To make my characters authentic, I’m searching for first-hand accounts of life in the 1860s. It’s amazing how the slightest bit of information augments the plot: In Pittsburgh, Eidel’s aunt is with the Hebrew Ladies Aid Society every Thursday to sew, wrap bandages, and pack food cartons for soldiers’ wives, which comes in conflict with Eidel who prefers shooting lessons with a girl she has a crush on.
