High-spirited, beautiful susan chilmark, fourteen, vows to do something meaningful to support the confederacy during the civil war. Despite the wishes of her mother, susan and her best friend, connie, collect silk dresse...High-spirited, beautiful susan chilmark, fourteen, vows to do something meaningful to support the confederacy during the civil war. Despite the wishes of her mother, susan and her best friend, connie, collect silk dresses from all the ladies of richmond to make a balloon that will be used to spy on the yankees.