Camp near Hazel River Va.

Decem 19 63

 

My dear Roly

                                    It struck me as I sat in my tent this evening that it had been some time since I wrote you a letter, and perhaps you might like to have one from your father. So here goes. I am very glad to hear from your mama that you are well and happy. I hope you will remain so all this winter and that you will be a good boy too. Mama tells me you love Amy very much, and you and she are great cronies. This is as it should be. I wish often & often that I could have you in my tent sometimes, so you could see how we live. You would find me in a nice little shanty, sitting by a nice wood fire, with my jacket on, and my scotch cap on my head toasting my feet, and you would think how comfortable I was. And in clear cold weather we are so, but when the rain and snow come, and the mud is nearly knee deep, and we have to turn out on duty, then we feel so badly about it, and suffer so much, you would not think it was so pleasant. But all things must have an end, and so it will be with this terrible war, and then we will all be happy together again. Do you remember Lieut. Wiedersheim? He often speaks of you. He comes to see me very frequently. 

 

Do you remember how you used to watch the horses as they passed along the street? I have a horse, and we call him "General John Sedgwick" after the General of our Corps. He is a very nice horse. The poor fellow stands out in all the cold as we have no nice warm stable to put him in, but he don't seem to mind it much and he has a long coat of hair just like a buffalo of which I think you have seen pictures. Crossett, that is my servant you know, takes good care of him, and thinks he is one of the greatest horses in the Army. Our men have all built themselves nice little log shanties. They fill up the cracks with mud, and have nice fires in them and are nice and warm. They burn lots of wood, for we don't have to pay for that, and we cut it just where we please. I would like to spend Christmas with you, but will not be able; but I shall be with you in about a month from now. And now my dear son Good bye. Kiss all around for me and love Amy and be a good boy to all, and when I come home we will have fine times together.

                                                                                   

Your Affectionate father

A. T. Goodman /

 

My dear Dot

                        Your last short but very welcome epistle has just reached me. What could have wrought such a change about my furlough in such a short time, I cannot imagine. I will be with about the middle of January. I entirely approve of your intention regarding Mrs Loudy, do even more on it to do the thing correctly. Spend something on the children and charge to me. Of other things I will speak when we are together, for I have so much to say that I will tire you out in a letter. I enclose a photograph of our brave General. It is an excellent likeness, though rather better looking than the original. We all admire him, and esteem him as one of the best of men. Be careful of the picture, for I fancy, if he is spared to us, he will be one of the brightest stars of the War. The weather is very cold, the roads in a terrible state, and no move probable for the present. Give my love to all the good folks and kindest regards to Mr & Mrs Glass and family and all good friends and hoping you will write soon and often believe me to remain as ever

                                                                                   

Yours devotedly

Andy

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