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Deborah Bryan wrote these seven letters to her sister between 1862 and 1863, from Great Neck, New York. She provided family news, observations on the impact of the Civil War on aspects of society such as farmers' wages, the New York City draft riots in July 1863, worries about the draft, and infant death.

Deborah Bryan wrote these seven letters to her sister between 1862 and 1863, from Great Neck, New York. She provided family news, observations on the impact of the Civil War on aspects of society such as farmers' wages, the New York City draft riots in July 1863, worries about the draft, and infant death. She wrote with phonetic spelling.

In a letter dated August 5, 1863, Deborah Bryan commented on the New York City draft riot and race riot, remarking on the police, burned houses, people "hunting" African Americans (using racial epithets) to the point where "they had to hide in the heeps of manure," an uncertain peace, and further comments about the draft.