Letter from Gooch , Charles W.

Soldier: Gooch , Charles W.
Allegiance: Union
Unit/Service Branch: 27th Infantry
Home State: Maine
Date Written: Saturday, April 18th, 1863
Location: Camp at Chantilly, Virginia
Correspondence Type: Letter
Subjects: Commanders, Comrades, Daily Life, Eastern Theater, Family, Friends, Rumors, Suffering, Wife/Girlfriend, Commanders, Comrades, Daily Life, Eastern Theater, Family, Friends, Rumors, Suffering, Wife/Girlfriend
 
My Dear Wife,

With pleasure I take this opportunity to inform you through the sielnt language of the pen that I am well and hope you enjoy the same blessings.

I suppose you know as well as I do that just six months ago this morning I left home. The word sounds good to a weary traveler I have always been told and I have no disposition to contradict the assertion for I know by my short time that there is a feeling connected with the thought of going home that there is by no other thought but I do not think everybody else has got such a good home. Neither have they got such kind inmates to form the home circle as I have. If they had there would not be so much demoralization as there is by those that are not absent more than six, ten, twelve months or two years as the case may be. I do not wish for you to understand me that this regiment is getting demoralized for I do not think it is as a regiment but you know that there is always some everywhere of this class that never had much bringing up as the old saying is and never had much good influence spread on their presence hence they are easily led astray. I do not think I had better say anymore on that subject for I do not know as you can understand what I am trying to communicate.

I wrote one day earlier then usual because I was going on picket this afternoon and do not think I shall be in time enough tomorrow to write tomorrow and I think you had rather have a letter from me one day earlier than usual than to be one day late and I hope I am not mistaken in my opinion. You know whether I be or not but I shall not give myself any uneasiness as yet about it and I hope I never shall have occasion to.

The weather here appears some like spring down home. It is cloudy about all the time but has not rained any since day before yesterday but looks as though it would rain any time but it is not cold and I hope we have seen the most of the cold weather for this term. February, March and up to the 10th of April has been very rough months. The natives say it has been uncommonly so but we have lived though it without but a very few getting sick and I hope we shall not have anything but what we can live through and return to our homes in safety.

The talk is here among the boys and men that we have got transferred to the defence of Washington again under General Ambercombie. If this is true, we may stop abou here and Centreville some time yet but I do not know as it is true. There is so much transformation and so many changes and so many stories that one hardly knows what to believe and nothing appears certain. All a soldier can do is live for the present moment. It is no use for him to look one moment ahead when he lays down at night at the sound of the tattoo. Perhaps before one half hour he will be detailed for a scouting party or extra picket or new guard or some other thing before he gets asleep so the only way is to take things as they come and eat and sleep when you can and take no thought for the morrow but I feel glad that the time is so near when I can come home and be at liberty to think and act for myself and you .

I have just spoiled my envelope that you sent me by getting some ink on it. This letter is like a picked up dinner. It is a little of most everything but unlike it in some respects, not much of anything for I cannot seem to think of anything to write this morning and you must excuse this poor epistle.

I understand that Mrs W did not stop at Portsmouth when Mr C went to Boston as it was thought at the time but went to Boston with him to see a doctor there for an obsene purpose and had to stop over a week. Whether the object was accomplished satisfactorily or not I have not yet learned. When I do I will inform you. If I was Mr GW I do not know but what I should rather be dead than alive but if I did live to get home I should not want either of them to cross my path for I should think it was the worst thing that either of them could do. When I was out here witnessing all the deprivations that one has to in the ranks that my friends or the one that ought to be my best friend should do so it would be worse than a thousand deaths to me and if I think it is not my case and that I have no occasion to fear I do not think and I close this unworthy paragraph - Believe me your true and devoted husband, C. W. G.

Next time you write please write how Mother is and tell her I shall write as soon as I can make it convenient.

I received a letter from Juliett the 14th and shall answer as soon as I can. I have not got the box yet. (Charles W. Gooch)