The Orphan's Home Mittens, and George's Account of the Battle of Roanoke Island: Being the Sixth and Last Book of the Series

A remarkable survival from the Civil War era, this 1863 children's book offers an intimate window into how young Americans were taught to understand and participate in wartime sacrifice. The narrative unfolds at the Orphan's Home, where children pass the time knitting warm mittens for soldiers serving far from home. Into this tender world comes George, the older brother whose letters and stories gradually reveal the brutal reality of the Battle of Roanoke Island. What distinguishes this slight volume is its dual perspective: the innocent patriotism of children making their small contribution to the war effort, juxtaposed against George's firsthand account of valor and loss. Written by 'Aunt Fanny' as the final installment in a six-book series, it embodies the mid-19th century conviction that even the youngest citizens had a role to play in the national struggle. For historians of children's literature and Civil War home front culture, these pages preserve something precious: the voice of an era speaking directly to its children about war, sacrifice, and belonging.