GOODELL FAMILY LETTERS- #31A
 

Anson to Parents

Fort Gaston
New Berne, N.C.
Nov. 14^th

Dear Father & Mother

It is Saturday Evening the rain comes pattering against the tent making the long eve rather lonesome and turning ones thoughts homeward. My own have been rambling today and I ask Dear Father, Mother and also Charlie look as they used to or has the two years that have glided by since last we met, silvered the hairs that were black or lifted dear Charlie up to a larger stronger and kindly bearded youth? I love to think of home, to wander in imagination over the promises to step into the back kitchen and stand by the table where I have whiled away many a pleasant hour in social chat while mother was making the bread for our next morning repast. It is good to look through the rooms upstairs – the parlor and examine the books and take a seat in the big easy chair, hence to my little studio where reminiscences are very dear as the place where many a difficult problem in Arithmetic, Algebra, or Geometry has cost hours of painful toil _ knotty passages of Virgil and Henofarow have kept me long after the 9 o'clock bell hour has struck the hour for retiring or midnights dull hours dragged slowly by while I was hunting over thoughts searching for something to fill out an oration for the lycium or Examination day. I sit me down with one elbow on the desk and lost in the though,. Memory carries me back through the dreamy vista of army life and I find myself the same ardent ambitious student of other days. My soldier life seems naught but a footnoted dream till the rattling drum calls me back to Camp and a bitter sign escapes while thinking of the privileges and blessings left living in our dear N. England home. But a few short months and our time of service expires when we will gladly exchange our army blue for the civilian choice of what pleases him best not permanently perhaps for this is a gigantic struggle and must be settled honorably if at the cost of shouldering a musket for a second term of years after resting awhile from the fatigue of the first. To our generation is committed the important trust of stabilizing the Government on a broader stronger more enduring basis of universal liberty, unconditional freedom to all, black and white, and we ought to see well that we discharge out trust in a manner worthy of the all important task committed to our hands.

That box that Edwin packed has at last reached us and in far better condition than we dared hope for after being delayed so long on the rout. One bottle of the ketchup was broken by the carelessness of the "revenue officers" who used the box shamefully in hauling it over and then throwing the contents anyway into the box again. It was a sorry looking mess. However, we found everything almost alright [sp.] except the bottle of ketchup. The cookies were fresh and good _ the cheese excellent half of which we gave to Abiel_ also half the butter_ and the bag of dry apple_ dried currants and the little tin box, handkerchief, etc. Our stationary was not harmed at all and the dry apple looks well. The cranberries and popcorn were spilled about the box but we saved it all and this eve have had a fun time popping it. We are waiting orders to move to Va. they don't seem in a hurry to relieve us though the Adjunt. has arrived from Boston.

                                                                                    Good bye

                                                                                    Your dutiful sons Anson& Edwin

[Written sideways on top of first page]

The boys are all in good Spirits, Edwin is gaining quite fast and fleshing up so that he looks quite like himself again. My own health remains about the same and I sometimes despair a bit at being better. Having to keep good courage as possible and do duty in hopes a certain amount of exercise will make us well in turn.