Whose Father Was He? (Part Four)
This is the fourth of five installments of “Whose Father Was He?” — an investigation into a photograph of three children found on the dead body of Amos Humiston, a fallen Union soldier, at Gettysburg in 1863. Part one can be read here; part two here; and part three here.
In 1870 Dr. Bourns hired Rosa J. Carmichael. The doctor wrote in his recommendation, “As a teacher and disciplinarian, Mrs. Carmichael has few equals, and she is a most assiduous and faithful worker, laboring often beyond her strength in school and out.” Indeed. She was the Cruella de Vil of the Homestead. Except she was no comic-book villain, she was the real thing. Rumors began that all was not well with the children. Locals noticed that they were no longer allowed to participate in Memorial Day activities like putting on a pageant and decorating graves.
The orphans were instead forced to watch while “happy children” brought flowers to the various cemeteries
clipped from: morris.blogs.nytimes.com 
