GOODELL FAMILY LETTERS- #8
 

Anson to Edwin

                                                                                    Foster Hospital[1]

                                                                                    Friday Feb. 5^th 1862

Dear Brother Ned:

            Yours of the 31^st came to hand today and I will try to answer this P.M. I am very glad to hear from you but quite surprised that your lines should be dated Newport News Va. For I supposed that long since you were at home and I have been expecting in every mail a letter from you dated in Old Dudley. I am glad to hear that so many have enlisted but sorry that I can no longer claim to be a member of the “gallant” 25^th  but if sent to the Regt. for duty must join some lousy N.Y. I “don’t see it” and shall not, long as I can possibly avoid it. I have been thinking of asking for a furlough and if favorable be at home with you or before you return to duty in the field again but the recent attack of the rebels has cut off all such hopes. Perhaps you have learned that Newbern has been attacked again by one, two or three brigades – no one seems to know how many and I blush with shame to record the results. Monday – they opened on Bachelors Creek with artillery and three Regts. Of Infy. – the 1^st and 21^st N.C. with a Georgeia Regt. almost surrounded the 132^nd N.Y. and actually captured towards a hundred. A Co. of the 2^nd N.C. Union picketing at Buck Grove lost 40 men. 103 men of the 17^th went out scouting and lost Lieut. Col. Fellows[2] Surgeon Galloupe[3] and other officers and about 60 men beside the Adjutant who was killed. The Cavalry have lost some of the Artillery, two pieces with men and horses I hear.

            Tuesday. The rebs secured a few small boats and a party set out to surprise and capture the Gun boat “Underwriter” which lay up the river near fort Stevenson. With the “Countersign” they approached and were challenged and answered friends etc. then all jumped aboard finding the men all but one watch asleep – the fires nearly out – the steam down, plain evidence that in the great excitement outside, the commander had treacherously left the boat thus as an easy prey to the enemy. They easily made prisoners of the hands and went to work to get up steam and use their capture on the adjoining shipping and the town but discovered but discovered by both another boat and the fort, two well aimed shells drove them from it and set the boat on fire, some of them getting into boats with the sailors were brought to the Foster Wharf prisoners while the others escaped. The fire soon reached the magazine and a sheet of flame shot up that lighted the whole city followed by a deafening roar that shook the very ground leaving the boat a shattered wreck and she now lays up by the fort a too faithful evidence of the treachery of some one of U.S. officers. Later in the day they retired from before Fort Totten and Gaston and attacked Newport Barracks which they surprised and captured the garrison without losing a man. The 9^th Vt. And 2 Cos of the 2^nd Mass. were there and they didn’t even have time to spike the guns. They also sent a force down the other side of the river which captured two companies of the 99^th N.Y. and I might go on with the sickening details but they make me mad to think of how we are caught everywhere so nearly asleep and not fifty killed & wounded together have lost 1 Gun Boat the forts and ammunition and arms at Bachelor Creek, Newport Barracks, Buck Grove some 1500 men 3 or 6 Drs two or three Cols. And many line officers. I can’t believe there has been a like occurrence during the war before. If the Hickman Brigade had been there I reckon there would have been some tall fighting. Deeply chagrined I remain your

                                                                                    Bro. Anson

[Written sideways at the top of page 1]

            The enemy have retired and our cavalry has been out to Buck Creek and the Gully but the reports say they are coming back to try again, they succeeded so well the first time. However I don’t believe but feel as secure as ever – Good bye

            Partridge[4] was killed while carrying a message from the “Grove” to Col. Classen[5] of the 132^nd.