Civil War on Sunday Read online

  Here’s what kids have to say to

  Mary Pope Osborne, author of

  the Magic Tree House series:

  WOW! You have an imagination like no other.—Adam W.

  I love your books. If you stop writing books, it will be like losing a best friend.—Ben M.

  I think you are the real Morgan le Fay. There is always magic in your books.—Erica Y.

  One day I was really bored and I didn’t want to read.… I looked in your book. I read a sentence, and it was interesting. So I read some more, until the book was done. It was so good I read more and more. Then I had read all of your books, and now I hope you write lots more.—Danai K.

  I always read [your books] over and over … 1 time, 2 times, 3 times, 4 times.… —Yuan C.

  You are my best author in the world. I love your books. I read all the time. I read everywhere. My mom is like freaking out.—Ellen C.

  I hope you make these books for all yours and mine’s life.—Riki H.

  Teachers and librarians love

  Magic Tree House® books, too!

  Thank you for opening faraway places and times to my class through your books. They have given me the chance to bring in additional books, materials, and videos to share with the class.—J. Cameron

  It excites me to see how involved [my fourth-grade reading class] is in your books.… I would do anything to get my students more involved, and this has done it.—C. Rutz

  I discovered your books last year.… WOW! Our students have gone crazy over them. I can’t order enough copies! … Thanks for contributing so much to children’s literature!—C. Kendziora

  I first came across your Magic Tree House series when my son brought one home.… I have since introduced this great series to my class. They have absolutely fallen in love with these books! … My students are now asking me for more independent reading time to read them. Your stories have inspired even my most struggling readers.—M. Payne

  I love how I can go beyond the [Magic Tree House] books and use them as springboards for other learning.—R. Gale

  We have enjoyed your books all year long. We check your Web site to find new information. We pull our map down to find the areas where the adventures take place. My class always chimes in at key parts of the story. It feels good to hear my students ask for a book and cheer when a new book comes out.—J. Korinek

  Our students have “Magic Tree House fever.” I can’t keep your books on the library shelf.—J. Rafferty

  Your books truly invite children into the pleasure of reading. Thanks for such terrific work.—S. Smith

  The children in the fourth grade even hide the [Magic Tree House] books in the library so that they will be able to find them when they are ready to check them out.—K. Mortensen

  My Magic Tree House books are never on the bookshelf because they are always being read by my students. Thank you for creating such a wonderful series.—K. Mahoney

  Dear Readers,

  As I’ve said before, my Magic Tree House books are often inspired by ideas that readers send to me. Well, the idea for this book came from Megan Barber, a reader who entered a Magic Tree House writing contest. I am very grateful to Megan for her thoughtful and creative suggestion.

  One reason I love writing this series is that the readers I meet and hear from are always so helpful and supportive. If you could see the world from my point of view, you would see it was filled with wonderful kids, kids just like Jack and Annie who love learning new things and going on daring adventures.

  So now get ready for your next daring reading adventure … a journey to the time of the Civil War in America.

  All my best,

  Text copyright © 2000 by Mary Pope Osborne.

  Illustrations copyright © 2000 by Sal Murdocca.

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

  www.randomhouse.com/kids

  www.randomhouse.com/magictreehouse

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Osborne, Mary Pope.

  Civil War on Sunday / by Mary Pope Osborne; illustrated by Sal Murdocca.

  p. cm. — (Magic tree house; #21) “A Stepping Stone book.”

  SUMMARY: Jack and Annie are transported by their magic tree house to the time of the Civil War, where they meet Clara Barton.

  eISBN: 978-0-375-89478-7

  [1. Time travel—Fiction. 2. Magic—Fiction.

  3. United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Fiction.

  4. Barton, Clara, 1821–1912—Fiction. 5. Tree houses—Fiction.]

  I. Murdocca, Sal, ill. II. Title. PZ7.O81167Ci 2000 [Fic]—dc21 99-054072

  Random House, Inc. New York, Toronto, London, Sydney, Auckland

  RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

  v3.0

  Cover

  Dear Readers

  Title Page

  Copyright

  Dedication

  Prologue

  1. A Light in the Woods

  2. Cruel War

  3. Field Hospital

  4. Freedom Fighters

  5. Angel of the Battlefield

  6. Keep Low!

  7. Helping Hands

  8. Brothers

  9. Don’t Give Up

  10. Home, Sweet Home

  More Facts

  Special Preview of Magic Tree House #22: Revolutionary War on Wednesday

  For Megan Elizabeth Barber,

  who gave me a great idea

  One summer day in Frog Creek, Pennsylvania, a mysterious tree house appeared in the woods.

  Eight-year-old Jack and his seven-year-old sister, Annie, climbed into the tree house. They found that it was filled with books.

  Jack and Annie soon discovered that the tree house was magic. It could take them to the places in the books. All they had to do was point to a picture and wish to go there.

  Along the way, Jack and Annie discovered that the tree house belongs to Morgan le Fay. Morgan is a magical librarian of Camelot, the long-ago kingdom of King Arthur. She travels through time and space, gathering books.

  In Magic Tree House Books #5–8, Jack and Annie helped free Morgan from a spell. In Books #9–12, they solved four ancient riddles and became Master Librarians.

  In Magic Tree House Books #13–16, Jack and Annie had to save four ancient stories from being lost forever.

  In Magic Tree House Books #17–20, Jack and Annie freed a mysterious little dog from a magic spell.

  In Magic Tree House Books #21–24, Jack and Annie have a new challenge. They must find four special kinds of writing for Morgan’s library to help save Camelot. They are about to set off to find the first of these …

  Jack looked out his window.

  It was a dreary Sunday afternoon. There were dark clouds in the sky.

  Thunder rumbled in the distance.

  Jack stared down the street at the Frog Creek woods.

  When is the magic tree house coming back? he wondered.

  “Hey, guess what!” Annie said. She charged into Jack’s room. “I saw a light flash in the woods!”

  “It was just lightning,” said Jack.

  “No, it was magic! A swirl of light!” said Annie. “I think the tree house just came back!”

  “I’m sure it was just lightning,” Jack said. “Didn’t you hear the thunder?”

  “Yeah,” said Annie. “But let’s go check anyway.”

  She started out of Jack’s room. Then she peeked back in.

  “Bring your backpack, just in case
!” she said.

  Jack was always glad for a chance to look for the magic tree house. He grabbed his backpack and followed Annie down the stairs.

  “Where are you two going?” their mom called.

  “Out to play,” said Annie.

  “Don’t go far,” said their mom. “And come in if it starts to rain.”

  “We will,” said Jack. “Don’t worry.”

  They slipped out the front door. Then they ran up the street and into the Frog Creek woods.

  The woods were dark under the storm clouds. A cool wind shook the leaves.

  Soon Jack and Annie came to the tallest oak tree.

  “Oh, man,” said Jack. “You were right!”

  The magic tree house stood out against the gray sky.

  “Morgan!” called Annie.

  There was no sign of the enchantress.

  “Let’s go up!” said Jack.

  He grabbed the rope ladder and started up. Annie followed.

  They climbed into the tree house. It was hard to see in the dim light.

  “Look,” said Annie.

  She pointed to a piece of paper and a book lying on the floor.

  Jack picked up the paper. Annie picked up the book.

  “Listen,” said Jack. He held the paper close to the window and read aloud:

  Dear Jack and Annie,

  Camelot is in trouble. To save the kingdom, please find these four special kinds of writing for my library:

  Something to follow

  Something to send

  Something to learn

  Something to lend

  Thank you,

  Morgan

  “Camelot is in trouble?” said Jack. “What’s that mean?”

  “I don’t know,” said Annie. “But we better hurry and find these writings. Let’s go look for the first: Something to follow.”

  “I wonder where we should look for it,” said Jack. “What’s the title of the book you’re holding?”

  Annie held the book close to the window to read the title.

  “Yikes,” she said softly. She showed the book to Jack.

  On the cover was a painting of a peaceful-looking field and a blue sky. The title said The Civil War.

  “The Civil War?” said Jack. “Cool.”

  Annie frowned.

  “Cool?” she said. “War’s not cool.”

  “It sort of is,” Jack said uncomfortably. He knew war was bad. But some parts of it seemed fun, like a game.

  “I guess we’ll find out,” said Annie. She pointed at the cover. “I wish we could go there.”

  Thunder boomed through the woods.

  The wind started to blow.

  The tree house started to spin.

  It spun faster and faster.

  Then everything was still.

  Absolutely still.

  Glaring sunlight filled the tree house.

  “It’s really hot here,” said Jack.

  “Especially in these clothes,” said Annie.

  Their clothes had magically been changed. Annie wore a long dress. Jack wore scratchy pants and a long-sleeved shirt. His backpack was now a leather knapsack.

  “Where are we?” asked Annie.

  They looked out the window together.

  The tree house had landed in a tree at the edge of a field—the same field on the cover of the book.

  “It looks so peaceful,” said Jack. “Where’s the Civil War?”

  “There,” whispered Annie with a shiver. She pointed to the woods beyond the field.

  Jack saw a soldier riding a horse out of the woods. The horse was covered with mud. The soldier’s blue uniform was torn. His arm was bloody.

  Another man rode into the field. His blue uniform was in rags, too. His head was ban-daged.

  “Oh, man,” whispered Jack. “Who are they?”

  He opened the Civil War book and found a painting of some soldiers in blue. He read to Annie:

  1861–1865

  The Civil War is also called the “War Between the States,” because it was fought between the Southern and Northern states of the United States. Southerners wore gray uniforms and were called Confederate soldiers. Northerners wore blue uniforms and were called Union soldiers.

  “So they’re Union soldiers,” said Jack. He pulled out his notebook and wrote:

  Jack looked at his book again. He read aloud:

  The Civil War was a cruel and bloody war. More people died in this war than in all of America’s other wars put together. One out of every five young men in the nation died or was wounded.

  “That’s so sad,” said Annie.

  Jack wrote in his notebook:

  “Wow, they keep coming,” Annie said.

  Jack looked up. More Union soldiers were coming through the field. These didn’t have horses.

  They all looked sad and weary. Some of them limped. Some of them helped others along. One man stumbled and fell down.

  “I have to help—” said Annie.

  “Wait!” said Jack.

  She started down the rope ladder.

  “You can’t help!” said Jack. “A kid can’t help … ”

  But Annie kept going.

  “Don’t forget—we have to find some special writing for Morgan!” Jack called in a loud whisper. “Something to follow!”

  He packed the Civil War book and his notebook in his knapsack. Then he started down the ladder.

  When he stepped onto the ground, Jack saw Annie in the distance.

  She was holding her hand out to the fallen soldier. She helped him to his feet.

  The soldier slowly started walking again. Annie walked beside him.

  “Oh, brother,” said Jack. And he hurried to catch up with Annie.

  The sun was scorching hot as Jack ran through the dry field. He was sweaty in his scratchy clothes.

  He caught up with Annie. Together, they walked silently with the soldiers.

  At the edge of the field was a steep hill. Everyone stopped and gazed at the sight below them—rows and rows of white tents.

  “Thank goodness,” said the soldier beside Jack. “We’re saved.”

  Jack and Annie walked with the soldiers into the camp.

  Outside one tent was a long line of men in torn blue uniforms. They looked tired and hurt. Many were bloody and barely able to stand.

  Women wearing dark dresses were giving out food and water to the men in line.

  “Where are we?” asked Annie.

  “I’ll find out,” said Jack.

  He pulled out their book and found a picture of the campsite. He read:

  During the Civil War, field hospitals were set up quickly near battlefields to treat wounded soldiers. Soldiers stayed in the field hospitals for a short time before going back to fight, or moving to a larger hospital, or being sent home. This field hospital in Virginia took care of over 400 patients.

  “That’s a lot,” said Annie.

  “It sure is,” said Jack.

  He pulled out his notebook and wrote:

  Jack read aloud again from the book:

  More than 3,000 women helped out as nurses during the Civil War. Nursing was a new job for women in America. Before the war, only men had been nurses.

  “Wow,” said Annie. “Maybe we can be nurses.”

  “Forget it,” said Jack. “Kids can’t be nurses.”

  Jack wanted to find the special writing for Morgan and go home. The sad scene at the field hospital was making him feel sick.

  “I’ll just ask,” said Annie.

  She headed over to a nurse cooking over a campfire.

  “Annie! We’ve got a mission!” Jack called.

  But Annie kept going.

  Jack heaved a sigh. He tucked his notebook and the Civil War book under his arm and followed her.

  Waves of heat rose from a small cooking fire. The young nurse was heating a pot of coffee.

  Flies buzzed everywhere.

  “Hello,” said Annie.

  The nurse barely sm
iled at them.

  Her face was red and beaded with sweat. Her eyes looked terribly tired.

  “Where are you from?” she asked.

  “Frog Creek,” said Annie. “We’d like to volunteer as nurses.”

  The young woman didn’t seem at all surprised.

  “We could certainly use some help,” she said, sighing. “Some of us have not slept for days.”

  “Why not?” asked Jack.

  “The wounded are coming here from a battle near Richmond,” said the nurse. “More and more keep coming. It never seems to end.”

  “Just tell us what to do,” said Annie.

  “While we feed the new patients, you can go to the first two tents,” the young nurse said, “and give the other soldiers their noon meal.”

  She pointed to a basket filled with bread and potatoes. Next to it was a ladle and a bucket filled with water.

  “Anything else?” Annie asked.

  “Just try to give them comfort,” the nurse said.

  “How do we do that?” said Annie.

  “I don’t have time to show you,” the nurse said. “But here’s a list of things that can help.”

  She pulled a piece of paper from her apron pocket and handed it to Annie.

  Annie read the list to Jack:

  Be Cheerful.

  Lessen sorrow and give hope.

  Be brave.

  Put aside your own feelings.

  Don’t give up.

  “Follow that list,” said the nurse, “and you can’t go wrong.”

  The nurse took the pot of coffee from the fire and carried it to the line of men.

  “Follow … ” said Jack. “Follow that list … ”

  “That’s what she said,” said Annie.

  Jack took the list from her.