GOODELL FAMILY LETTERS- #35
 

Anson to Parents

Foster General Hospital
January 6, 1864

Dear Father and Mother –

            Yours of the 21^st Dec. came to hand this morning and met with a cordial reception as usual. Letters are all the company I have (that is company of friends) and I appreciate them I tell you.

            That letter I wrote concerning my return to the Regt. was occasioned by a General Order from “Butler”[1] that all men on extra duty in the Hospital and patients able to be moved must return to their Regt. if serving outside of the District of N.C. The extra duty men were on the next boat but so much of the order as referred to the patients was countermanded and this is why I am here now.

            I am very glad you concluded not to send the box for to tell the truth I don’t want it while I remain in the Hospital and when I leave the Hospital shall probably go to the Regiment so you need not send it to New Berne but if you have it you can best accommodate me by sending it to Newport News, Va. The “goodies” will do Edwin far more good than me for they would be a positive injury to me besides it being against the rules of the Surgeon to having provisions brought into the Hosp. The less I eat the better and it would be good for my health if for a month I had no money or friends then I should be obliged to confine myself to dry bakers bread. I should like a box but having no place to keep it where it would escape the Surgeon’s eye of course I don’t want it. Those “guides” I have not received and probably shall not as few papers come to the H.

            I can remain in New Berne if I join the Co. Invalid Corps but to leave the Regt. permanently don’t suit me. I want to go home with it if it even goes as a Regt. But so many are reenlisting that it is probably they will not. After pay day I expect to go to them.

                                                            Your son,

                                                                   Anson

[Written on top of first page]

Direct as usual to Foster Gen. Hospital. My health remains about the same. Love to all especially Uncle Waldo. Where is Waldo W. G. now? I wrote a letter to him awhile since directed to Sou Brookfield but as he will not write me I don’t know whether any of my letters reach him or not.