Letter from Gooch , Charles W.

Soldier: Gooch , Charles W.
Allegiance: Union
Unit/Service Branch: 27th Infantry
Home State: Maine
Date Written: Wednesday, April 1st, 1863
Location: Camp at Chantilly (Virginia)
Correspondence Type: Letter
Subjects: Camp Life, Commanders, Comrades, Eastern Theater, Rumors, Suffering, Warfare, Wife/Girlfriend
 

My Dear Wife,

I have nothing new to communicate to you today never the less I thought I would pen a short epistle to let you know that I am well and hope you enjoy the same great blessings.

I received a beautiful letter from you yesterday for which I felt very good for the reception of in the wilderness and also to hear that you was well for as long as we are all well we can bear depriveations and hardships and seperation a great deal better than we can if either of us is sick.

My health is good at present. I do not know as it has been better since you know me. I have stayed in shelter tents two nights and have not got one particle of cold that I know off. We have put in pine bows so as to keep us off from the ground and I do not think as I have slept more comfortably for a good while than I did last night.

Night before last we had considerable of a snow storm here. There was as much as 4 or 4 inches fell and it never will go off in the world unless it is warmer than it is now unless we carry it off in our haversacks or knapsacks but as long as I am comfortable I am not going to worry about snow or anything else if I can help it and I do not want you to.

We have not seen any Rebs yet and I do not believe there is any about here to amount to anything. I think all there is or has been this winter is the citizens about here. They all keep horses and I do not think money or provisions is very plenty with them and they are too lazy to work and when it comes night they get together and make raids in over the line to procure provision and forage and if they could pick up a Union soldier or horse, I suppose they could get a premium on him but I do not believe there is two hundred within 20 miles of us. There has not been one seen since we have been we have been here by anyone that I know of and the sound that one Rebel was coming as prisoner or any other way would go though the camp as quick as thought. There is a good deal of talk here that we shall go back to Washington as I told you about in my last. The talk is that Gen. Casey has been ordered back from Centreville to the defences of Washington and if he is I should think it likely that we and the 25th would go back with him too as we are in his division but as I have said in my other letters, there can be no confidence placed in what we hear about camp. One man said that the Colonel told him that he expected orders to go back to Washington everyday but then I do think that the Col. knows much more about where we are going than I do.

Sometimes I have a good mind to sit down and write all the stories that I hear that is going about camp and I do not suppose I hear more than one tenth part of them but I would be labor time paper ink used in vain and you would not know well as you do now what is going on.

In my last I told you that it was 7 or 8 miles to Centreville and I thought it was bgut since they have cut a road out so it is only about 3 miles there. There is considerable Union force there fattening up. I do not think they have much to do . I was thinking today that when I first began to write to you it was September and through the mercies of a kind providence I have got along to April. Next will be May, then June and then I hope to come home and see you my dear. You said in your last what a happy day that would be for you and I think that it will be a happy day for me as it will be for you but I think it will be a happy day for both of us if there is nothing that we cannot see now to mar our enjoyment. I think we shall be as happy as ever and I think we have lived as happy as any two that ever lived together 8 or 9 years, do not you?

My paper is poor as you will know by the looks. It is some I had in my knapsack and I slung my knapsack on a team coming out hear (the baggage guard had all their knapsacks hauled) and fording a little stream it dragged in the water and wet my paper some. Paper and everything else is scarce here. The suttler sells tobacco for $15 per pound and asks 5 cts a piece for postage stamps but I will not buy anymore than I can help at such prices. He has not got muh of anything here. He is afraid he will loose his things and he will if he dose not use the boys pretty well. I do not think he has got any paper and now I have written more than I thought I should when I commenced but if I had not I expect it would have been full as agreeable for you for it is hardly worth reading but I have done the best I could and you must excuse my blunders. So hopeing soon to see you, I close. From your affectionate and loving husband, CWG

PS Please write as often as you can make it convenient.

(Charles W Gooch)