[two envelopes addressed to Miss Sarah A. Platt, Naugatuck, Conn., reverse of one lists Battle of fredrickburg & afterward/capture of troops & released as paroled/copperheads/ Jeff Davis Govt/Grant & Vicksburg/Gen Jackson & Gen Hooker]

 

                                                                                    Camp of the 27^th Reg C.V.

                                                                                    Near Falmouth Va. Feb. 14^th 1863

 

                        Sarah—

Your kind letter of the 4^th inst. reached me a day or two since and I avail myself of the opportunity to acknowledge and thank you heartily for the same I should have answered immediately had I not been so busily engaged in building an extension to our little cabin, which, connected with the daily routine of camp duties has occupied all my time. Nothing affords us so much pleasure, in our dreary hours as the kind assurances that our labors fraught with so many privations and dangers, are duly appreciated by our friends at home. Yes, the Soldier looks upon a letter from home as a perfect god-send—sent as it were, by some kind ministering-Angel-Spirit to cheer his dark and weary hours. In the present case, I am quite sure, none co’d have been more acceptable than the one from yourself. So, if I fail to do justice to it in/the reply, it must be attributed to the “nature of circumstances” rather than to a lack of disposition, for I write now in the position, as well as capacity of a Soldier and not as teacher of the “Model” Stamp. Hence all defects in Orthography, Etymology Syntax & Prosody will be entirely overlooked in the all absorbing tho’t—it is from a soldier. And so it should be—In the absence of tables, chairs—the quiet room &c—the soldier often times gets into the most convenient position which surrounding circumstances will permit. If he has a portfolio he will at once seat himself on the nearest bilet of wood or upon the ground, in genuine Ottoman Style, and commit his tho’ts to paper, amid all the noise and confusion incidental to the vast collections and concentration of horses, men and mules. If he has no portfolio he will often use the “Smooth side of a chip”, or make a substitute by folding his blanket, and spread himself upon the ground horizontally. And then, too, there is not an hour—not a moment/from morning untill night and from night till morn, that is not filled up with Military Orders, details &c, together with the unearthly braying of mules, and deep the constant racket of the huge Army wagons to which they are attached. To day I have been detailed with several others to guard an ammunition train, I bro’t along my Portfolio and have seated myself upon a bale of hay to write. Around me are a hundred or more Army wagons loaded with powder, shot & shell. To each wagon is attached Six mules, said to have been thro’ the Peninsular Campaign with Gen. M^cClellan. they are biting and kicking each other as tho’ the very “D__” had got among them—And here comes a dozen white men one of them having a huge black whip—They are debating who and how they shall flog a negro—I must stop for a moment.—Well it is all over. The negro was tied to a beam—six lashes applied to his bare back by a white man—Offense said to be insulting a white man. This is among the “slight interrup-/tions” with which the Soldiers letter writing meets so often. So you are in Naugatuck and Still persuing the profession of teaching—Among if not the most noble calling in which one can be engaged—All Success to you and those engaged with you. May your labors—ever arduous to the faithful teacher be crowned with complete success. Another calling engages my attention just now of a different nature—and to that calling I have devoted all my whole energies, all my efforts, (feeble as they are)—and if needs be my “hearts” blood upon the Altar of my country. It has cost our family great sacrifices already. it may—doubtless will cost us greater sacrifices before our task shall have been accomplished. But if the people are true and faithful the End will be glorious & the victory will be complete.

 

            The War presents to me, two Phases—Forced upon us by ambitious and designing men, we have, very reluctantly endurance engaged in a war—rendered more horrible and bloody by the determined obstinacy of our enemies—Simply that our great Government may be preserved from treason and anarchy and, fearful too that if not maintained to the letter and traitors be allowed to overthrow and break asunder this most sacred—costing our fore-fathers long years of blood and toil; all the hope and confidence of the world in the capacity of men for Self Government will be lost, and, that civilization, and EducationChristianity and Education—the three grand pillars in the great temple of Liberty which our fathers reared on this continent and consecreated by their Prayers and tears will go down and perhaps be followed by a long night of tyranny and barbarism. To save the nation/from such a fate is the only true motive which should govern us in this warfare—And there are a few persons in the army who are unflinchingly true to these principles, and who, faithfully strive, amid all discouragements to head our armies on to victory. They are pouring out their blood like water, on every battle-field wherever they host meet the enemy, and they bear the burdens of war uncomplainingly. They are fighting in a holy cause and they are firmly convinced that in the end all will be well—So they struggle on and will continue to do so untill the war is ended whether it results in the overthrow of rebellion or in our own disgrace and defeat. This is one phase of the war, and I believe our cause shall yet triumph. It may be a long time yet before we shall see any visible signs of victory but when the end begins to come it will be like the approach of a thunder-storm—dark and furious for the time, but followed by the/clear pure atmosphere giving health and vigor to those who inhale it. and

 

            The other phase is a dark one. We have in the army a host of unprincipled men who do not really care which way the wind blows. They would like the name of being victorious but they are not engaged heart and soul in putting down the rebellion. They talk “secession” and their sympathies are just about as strong for our side as the other. In reality they are our enemies. But what is the worst feature of all, is that the war is made a vast scheme for speculation and thousands upon thousands of these “army thieves” have found their way into power, and they are fleecing their pockets and reaping building a name and a fortune from the woes and misfortunes of those who fight and fall in the struggle.

 

            Looking at the war as it is conducted it is the most contemptable humbug that ever entered into the imaginations of men. The Rebellion is a gigantic one and/our enemies are united in their purpose. We are divided. we not only have to fight the Southern army but we must also fight against popular sentiment at the north. Our enemies know this & they take courage. They put their best men in power and they display much skill in the planning of their battles. In the recent battle of Fredericksburg, our Reg. was ordered to the front—they advanced without flinching under a tremendous fire from the rebel batteries, but their guns were of an inferior quality and half of them wo’d not go off at all. So our boys were slaughtered terribly. After the battle was all over our guns were “inspected” condemned and finally exchanged for better ones. You are familiar with the Bank’s Expedition. It is a miracle almost, that every vessel did not go to the bottom before they reached their destination. I must not enumerate the humbugs and impositions practised upon the army and from which we suffer repeated/disasters and defeats. The soldier of to day has a keen perception. He has been educated for a different calling and he is not slow to detect the real character of the war as it is conducted. Abused, humbugged, imposed upon, and frequently half starved and sick, he sees himself made a mere tool for political speculators to operate with; led on to slaughter and defeat by drunken and incompetent officers, he has become disheartened, discouraged, demoralized.—But notwithstanding all his trials and discouragements, and much as the rebels boast of repeated victories, they have not today, within the limits of their pretended Confederacy a Single State where our forces have not a firm and permanent foothold. They are entirely surrounded by land & sea and the circle of their operations is growing smaller and smaller.—Slowly—but surely the rebellion is drawing to an inglorious end. It remains with the people of the north to say whether our cause—so noble—so high and holy Shall triumph, or whether, after all our efforts it shall fail to bring us great and glorious results. It is my earnest and heart-felt prayer that our Patriotism will be sufficient to stand the test and that our beneficent Government may be purged from all that is dishonorable and unrighteous. Will you pardon me for writing so much? Have written much that I did not intend to when I began & left unwritten some things which I intended to write. Please accept my thanks for the Kind introduction as well as the letter and if agreeable, let me hear from you again. Wishing you much prosperity & happiness,

                                                                                    I am Yours,

                                                                                                R. B. Goodyear

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