Goold, James (b. 1842) to his brother
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03523.05.10 Author/Creator: Goold, James (b. 1842) Place Written: Falmouth, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 2 February 1863 Pagination: 4 p. ; 20 x 25 cm. Order a Copy
Writes to his brother (possibly Johnny, based on content) about his tent and the people he shares it with: "They are both good natured, and willing to do their share towards making the tent comfortable, but neither of them are such men as I should choose for companions any where else, they both swear, and they are both very vulgar, and in fact these are the two most common vices in the army, there is hardly a man, that I have any acquaintance with, at all, in the army, who is not wholly given up to them." Tells his brother that he prays for "strength to enable me to resist every temptation." Describes a situation where there was an 18 year old farm girl who wore a "little secesh flag" on her bosom and the general threatened her to put her under arrest or confine her to the guard house after she waved it in front of a soldier's face. Tells him that he does not wish to stay there for long and would like to go home and help him build the old brush fence. Written in graphite.
James Goold enlisted on 29 August 1862 at Macedon, New York as a Private. He was mustered into "F" Co. New York 25th Infantry. On 19 June 1863 he was transferred into "I" Co. New York 44th Vet Infantry.
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