7Henry Varnum Freeman Joined the Union Army in 1861. He participated in the Battle of Stone River and the Battle of Nashville and other skirmishes. He was a member of the Pioneer Corps and was promoted to Captain of the Colored Troops. Contained within are his letters home to his family. His daily tasks and thoughts are revealed, as well as his values and morals. He entered at the age of 19, just as he had hoped to attend Yale University. He was a staunch supporter of Abraham Lincoln, having met him while attending the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. He was patriotic to the United States and worried for its future. Varnum was a prolific writer using quotes and prose while writing. He later did attend Yale University and went on to become a federal judge in Chicago, Illinois.