GOODELL FAMILY LETTERS- #24
 

Anson to Parents & Brother Charlie

Dear Father, Mother, and Bro. Charlie:

             Your excellent letter of the 7th inst. came to hand yesterday and met with the usual glad welcome all your letters received.

We are sorry indeed to learn of Mother's declining health. I fear sometimes that we shall not see her again. We are rejoiced to hear of Uncle Waldo's triumph and victory as Death is apparently approaching.       

You speak of the War - that there is little doing in etc. Well, this cannot be said of Lee's army or any portion of the rebel legions. They have been very active in recruiting all branches of service and in my opinion if Meade[1] is not "on his pins" Lee will sweep into Md. Penn or perhaps get as far north as N.Y. and not take the trouble to go round him as he did Hooker[2] but will leisurely walk over his little army. And I don't care one snap how soon he does it. I think if he could lay half or the whole of Penn. waste it would be the greatest blessing the nation could experience. The North can close this war within two months but it is not for the interest of the great majority to do it. It creates such a tremendous demand for everything that I don't wonder the North has little desire or intention to close it. Tell me the war is popular! I know better. It is played out and we may as well own it as not. When it requires from three hundred to a thousand dollars to get a patriot to volunteer and conscripts who are not able to pay the commutation will pull out their teeth - drug themselves while under the hands of the examiners and vamose [sp] to Canada. My God, how long is this to be! Is the whole North to be ransacked by Rebel hordes ere we can awake to the real demands of the task on our hands.

I fear it seriously and pray earnestly that if to come it will come speedily. It is a very easy matter for men subject to military duties and well able to "come over and help us" to pay their 300 dols and fight their fireside battles gloriously but it don't gain us one single battle. I am waiting and hoping that Lee will howl on the door stones ere long of those mealy mouthed Pennsylvanians.

I have just finished drawing up the blanks for another set of furloughs excitement is rife among us "who is going home next!" is the questions The Capt. keeps his own secrets so that we shall know nothing till the papers are made out and signed.

Edwin has returned from the General Hospital but is not on duty yet – however he is gaining quite satisfactorily. I am on the sick list but as long though I can move it don’t diminish my duties at all. They have put the camp grounds in my charge to keep trim and sweet-neat. Have two more to assist me. I have helped them do the work though I could just stagger round and the slightest exertion takes nearly all my strength but yesterday the Capt. saw me doing something and call me to his tent at once giving me positive orders not to do a thing but just see that the men did it.

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 Edwin sends love especially to Bro. Charlie. I shall begin to criticise [sp] you on spelling Father if you don't watch your pen a little closer. Do you every see Waldo W. Goodell- if you do please tell him we like a letter from him if he has not disowned us. Love to Uncle Waldo.