27th Maine Infantry

Item LTR-8636

Description

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


Camp Near Chantilly
April 9th 1863

My Dear Wife,

With pleasure I take this opportunity to inform you that I am well and hope you enjoy the same blessing. I received three letters from you Tuesday for which I felt very glad to receive. As they contained intelligence that you and yours was well and that is a great blessing to us all. Also I received two sheets of paper, two stamps, one envelope. I have six stamps on hand now so if you do not send anymore for a week or two I can get along.
I should have written yesterday as usual but I was on picket and could not. The pickets are arranged so now that we only stay out twenty-four hours at one time. But we have to go out more often. We have more guard duty to do here than we did at Camp Casey. It now takes about 80 for Regimental Guards and there it only took 30 and there is rather more pickets here too. So we have as much to do here as we did there. My post yesterday was about halfway to Centreville. Nothing worthy of note occurred and I was in a field that I could hardly see across. The Chantilly Plantation must have been a very extensive and magnificent place in the days of his prosperity. But alas for the savages of war. His mansion is torn down and the brick and stone that once formed its beautiful walls is taken to make chimneys for the soldiers tents. Fences, ornamental trees and everything is laid low by the axe of the white man. Part of the stable stands yet and now and then a tree that once formed part of the splendid park stands alone like some poor relation. No other vestige remains but a brush tent or booth that has been erected for the benefit of the pickets. Signal Corps was encamped near there last winter and they demolished everything. But these things I do not expect will interest you much. But I thought it would give you some idea of how things were near the seat of war. If it does not interest, you must excuse this for you know I am a poor compositor. Today is quite a pleasant day and I am very glad of it. The mud dries up fast and I feel perhaps our winter will not last all the year. I am going down to wash my clothes this afternoon but I thought I must write whether I washed or not. For I know you will expect your letters pretty regular. But if you do not get them as regular as you did when we were on Camp Casey you must not feel uneasy. For the mail does not fly regular between here and Alexandria. I have got so much to do this afternoon that I do not know as I can write anymore at present. I have got to clean my rifle for inspection and wash and go on dress parade. So you must excuse this short and unworthy epistle and ever believe me to be your true and loving husband,

C. W. Gooch

P.S. Keep up good courage and I will come home by and by. God bless you. C.

William Gooch sends his best respects to you and says he should like to see you and so should I.