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The Problem
Noah wants to go away to fight for the North in the Civil War. -
Period: to
RBU
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Event #1
Howard Leland Hutchings, his two brothers, and his father, William Hutchings Jr. are driving down to Grand Tower, Illinois to see their grandparents and great uncle and aunt. He has never seen them before, so he is anxious but excited to meet them. -
Lincoln's Inauguration
Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861. Many people did not want Lincoln to become President because they knew he would try to abolish slavery. In his inaugural address, he assured the South that their lifestyles were not going to be threatened because a Republican was taking office. -
Attack of Fort Sumter
The Attack of Fort Sumter happened in Charleston County, South Carolina. It was the starting point of the Civil War. The Confederate forces were demanding that the Union army stationed there surrender the fort to them. The Union refused and the Confederates opened fire on the fort until the Union surrendered two days later. -
Period: to
Civil War
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The Battle of Bull Run
The Battle of Bull Run was the first major battle of the Civil War in Virginia. The purpose of this battle was to wipe out the majority of the Confederate Army, go through to the Confederate capitol, Richmond, and end the war. This battle was unsuccessful for the Union and it was only the beginning of the war. -
Event #2
The story goes back in time to when their Grandma Tilly was a 16 year old girl living in Grand Tower during the Civil War. She is looking for her sister, and finds her at the devil's footstool. She is having a vision of boys in blue and gray uniforms being shot and blown up. -
Event #3
Tilly and her family go to a party in the room over Rodger's Store. Everybody is dancing to lively music, and Tilly is trying to get all the boys to notice her. She does this by biting her lips to give them color and being as light on her feet as she can. -
The Battle of Belmont
The Battle of Belmont was General Grant's first battle of the Civil War. Although there was nothing solved with this battle, it showed the Confederates that the Union now had a person with a brilliant military mind in charge of the army. -
Event #4
A mysterious woman comes off of the boat on the river, and everyone is intrigued to know who she is. She obviously comes from a family with money because she has very grand clothes, and what appears to be a slave carrying her belongings. -
Event #5
Tilly's mother lets the mysterious woman come back to their house to stay while she is in Grand Tower. Nobody in the house can sleep that night because they are so curious to know the mysterious woman's story. Tilly's mom tells her to watch what she says in front of them just in case because they don't know who she is. -
Event #6
The family learns that Delphine was on her way to St. Louis, Missouri to visit her aunt because it is too dangerous to be living in New Orleans, where she came from, during the Civil War. -
Event #7
Cass and Calinda become very close as they get to know each other because they both have visions. Cass has become more lively and has come out of her depressed state. -
Event #8
Tilly gets a letter from Curry Marshall saying that he has gone to join the Confederate Army because they don't belong in Grand Tower anymore. All the people of Grand Tower want the North to win the war, and Curry doesn't agree. -
Event #9
Some ladies come to the house to speak to Mrs. Pruitt about Delphine and her slave. They say that it is awful for her to be giving her shelter because she is a Southerner. They think she is a spy for the South, and tell Mrs. Pruitt that it seems as though she is also a part of the Union. -
Event #10
A showboat is coming into port, and a big party is going to be held on it. Delphine lets the girls borrow her pretty dresses, and does their hair and make-up. They accept her even more now because they know she truly cares. -
Event #11
The family learns that Calinda's real African name is CoinCoin, and is only called Calinda because she is famous in New Orleans for being able to dance the Calinda. The family is surprised that they were not told about this, but it makes them sad to talk about it for some reason. -
Event #12
At the party on the showboat, Tilly dances with Dr. Hutchings, who is about 10 years her senior. Noah is very happy because he gets to dance with Delphine. Mrs. Pruitt and Tilly didn't even know Noah could dance, but they thought he was trying to show off in front of Delphine. -
Climax
Noah leaves to go to war on the night of his birthday so he doesn't have to say goodbye to his family. Now, Mrs. Pruitt has lost her hope and doesn't do anything anymore. Mrs. Pruitt doesn't want to be touched by anyone anymore because all she wants is for Noah to come home. -
Falling Action #1
Mrs. Pruitt tells Tilly to go and find Noah, and not to come home if he isn't with her. She tells her that she can spare Tilly, but she can't spare Noah. Tilly goes with Delphine on the train down to Cairo, where they know Noah might be. -
Falling Action #2
Delphine and Tilly find Noah at a hospital in Cairo, where he is sick. Dr. Hutchings helps them take care of Noah, and Delphine and Tilly also help take care of all the other sick men in the hospital. -
Falling Action #3
The woman who owns the boarding house where Tilly and Delphine are staying comes to welcome them. She notices that Delphine is half black, half white, and is disgusted. Delphine has a white father, but a black mother, and Calinda is actually her sister. Calinda pretended to be her slave because it is easier to travel without questions that way. -
Resolution
Tilly comes back home with Delphine and Noah to find that bother her mother and father had died. They are saddened, but go on to live a very happy life. Dr. Hutchings and Tilly get married, and Delphine and Noah have a baby. Even though the baby is Delphine's, it grows up pretending it is Tilly's, so he doesn't have to tell people he's a quarter black. They all live together for the rest of their lives in the same house they grew up in.
