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Annie Higginson wrote to her sister Agnes and included news (or the lack thereof) of the campaign in Florida of the regiment of African Americans led by their uncle Thomas Wentworth Higginson and of the battle Kelly's Ford where two other relatives were fighting with the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry. This letter points up the sometimes sketchy information received by families and the public of campaigns during the Civil War. Initial news would come through to the newspaper, and then families and friends would wait eagerly to hear the rest of the story. The telegraph was used extensively for relaying news of battles and other engagements, both to civilian newspapers and to higher ups in government, including President Abraham Lincoln. Annie writes that because a telegram had not been received, the family felt better about fate of the two cavalrymen. They were sure that had either of the men been wounded or killed, a telegram would have been sent.

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