The Wakeman family was not destitute, but they were sufficiently indigent to break away from societal norms and have Sarah work an occupation almost entirely exclusive to men. The $125 signing bonus likely made Sarah, who was fatigued with her sleepy existence, even more convinced to escape into the life of a soldier. In nearly every one of her letters to her family, she emphasizes her wish that the funds she sent home be used for the betterment of the household. From the information available on the Wakeman tribe, they seemingly lacked much in the way of financial wisdom; a number of Sarah’s letters mention the extent to which the family was struggling with bills. Military life offered her both an escape and a resolution to her unease at home. The question remains, however, the extent to which the promising portrait of the life of a serviceman was entirely accurate. The 153rd Volunteer Infantry was deployed to the garrison of Washington D.C, acting as defenders of the political heart of the nation. To Sarah’s benefit, much of her time in the District of Columbia was spent either drilling with her company or standing guard