17th Vermont Infantry

Item LTR-6659

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages written in period ink.


Camp Near Petersburg, Virginia
March 28th 1865

Dear Father,

I embrace this opportunity to answer your kind letters and to let you know that I am well and enjoying good health. Hoping these lines will find you all the same. I received your letter of the 19th day before yesterday. I sent you a letter about half an hour before I got yours. I got yours of the 23rd last night after I had gone to bed. I got up and blowed up the fire a little and read the letter. I found by reading it that you are all well and that money I sent is all right. For which I am thankful to hear.

There ain’t much news to write this time. I wrote to you last Sunday about the fight we had. I suppose you have got that letter by this time.

We are having pretty lively times here now. We get hustled out every morning about three o’clock and fall in. In a line of battle at the breastworks so as to be ready for the enemy if they should attempt to make an attack. But they don’t dare to try it yet. Probably we shall have a hard battle here before long. The artillery was moving here all night last night. They made such a racket that a man could hardly sleep if he wasn’t used to it.

You wanted to know how large an army we have got here. I couldn’t tell you but I think it is large enough for the rebs. We have got very strong forces here. We whipped them handsomely this time and we can again if they want it. It is supposed by almost everyone that they can’t hold out much longer.

I can’t stop to write any more this time for I have got to go out and drill. We drill twice a day now. One and on-half hours in the forenoon and three hours in the afternoon. That keeps us pretty busy with the rest of our work. So I will close. Goodbye for this time.

Gustavus Gould

You wanted to know about Rich. I don’t know much about his business. He is steady as a clock. A man can’t very well be otherwise out here. I saw him this morning. He was to work doing his washing. I asked him if he had heard from home lately. He said he had not had a letter from home for two weeks. And he didn’t know what the devil the reason was.

I understand that Henry Wakefield is dead. Please write soon as you receive this.

Gustavus Gould