Beau Vorndran

December 16, 2013

Civil War Generations Project

Brad McSniff is a simple man with a simple life, he has a semibeautiful wife named Elizabeth McSniff and together they had only one
child, Brad McSniff II. For Brad today was just another day in the
factory making wheels for horse drawn carriages. But that will all
change momentarily for today is December 2nd, 1860 and today is the
day Brad takes his family back home to Richmond, VA. Now you might
be asking yourself at this point why it is Brad just up and moved his
family back to his birthplace of Richmond, VA. Well the reason for that
is because in 8 days time South Carolina is going to succeed from the
Union and 10 more states are going to follow, including Virginia.

Brad has never been a man who has fancied war but when his
state needs him to fight he will pick up a gun and fight. Although Brad
signed up for the Southern Army in 1860 he didnt actually see and
fighting between the North and the south until April 12th, 1861. And
thats when Brad and his platoon opened fire on a fort that refused to
surrender. The Fort was Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina; this
battle turned out to be the first of the war. Although Brad wasnt nearly
as talented and or skilled when it came to fighting in battles as
compared to his co-soldiers so Brad mainly just did as he was told.

Beau Vorndran

December 16, 2013

Which wasnt a bad thing by any means cause it kept him alive and
made him a few friends in the Army on the side.

Brad would be in many small scrimmages all over the southern

states. But the next battle was going to be a doozy. Now the date is
September 17, 1862 and today is going to be known as the bloodiest
day of the war. Brad and his fellow soldiers march to Antietam in
Maryland. The South suffers a crippling loss as General Lee orders the
retreat of the southern Army. Brad McSniff lost more than a leg that
day; he also lost many of his friends to the massacre at Antietam.
Being no longer fit to be a soldier Brad returns home to discover that
his only son has died due to an infection he received will accidently
cutting down the crops for the harvest.

Soon his wife would follow for she has passed away during the
winter of 1863 due to consumption (cancer). Being unable to stand
without a crutch Brad is no longer able to tend to his crops and make
any money so he eventually loses the house and land. For the next
year Brad moves from place to place just trying to stay alive by not
starving nor freezing to death. The date is now April 9th, 1864 the treaty
has been signed and the war is over. The 13th amendment has been
signed and the South is in an uproar. The North ends up sending troops
in to make sure the used to be slaves where treated accordingly to the

Beau Vorndran

December 16, 2013

13th, 14th,and 15th amendments. Although Brad at this time is still

moving from place to place with long periods of living on the street
while in between homes or shelters, he is still kicking.

Brad McSniff passes away May 31st 1868 due to starvation and
hypothermia. I cant say Brad had a good life because he most
definitely did not. Brad McSniff probably will never be looked at as a
true hero to this country just because of where he was born and where
his loyalty belonged. But that was Brads life and Im sure he wouldnt
have done anything different because he was fighting for his home and
for what he believed in even though his ways might have been
somewhat clouded. The reason I made this story tragic and somewhat
depressing is because things like this actually happen and people will
throw there lives down for something the believe in and wind up dying
along with everyone they love and just end up being forgotten. Overall
I had a fun time typing this story (although I might have done a poor
job) and I enjoyed writing a story about a fictional character who has
the life of real people out there in the world. I hope you enjoyed it!