MCWL_109: Camp Upton, Newport News VA, Dec. 31, 1863; George W.Gould to his brother William H. Gould

Camp Upton

Newport News V.A. Dec. 31^st, 1863

Dear Brother

Yours of the twenty-eighth is safely at hand and I hasten to answer it and by the way I thank you for your wish and would respond by wishing you a very happy new year may nothing happen to mar your happiness but may your life move smoothly on but in order to have that we have something to do.

In the first place have you given your heart to God and do you trust to Him for guidance and eternal life if so then you are prepared to enter upon [sic] the new year with joy and whatever happens it will be a happy new year to you but if on the other hand you care for none of these things then are you wretched indeed.

It is just six years ago tomorrow since I experienced religion and though I have not always lived as I ought to yet I can say that they have been the happiest years of my life and I can say my dear Brother that you will never regret it if you will only give your heart to God. then let sickness or death come you will be happy if it had not been for that I should have been the most miserable of all beings but that has sustained me to all my trials and afflictions and I can look forward with the eye of faith to the time when I shall be reunited with her that is gone before.

that you may be one of that happy number whose God is the Lord is my most earnest prayer.

A rainy day in camp is the loneliest thing I know of especially if you have a leaky tent and today we have both a rainy day and leaky tent it has rained all day like a shower and is raining still.

I am sorry to hear mother is so sick but I hope to hear soon that she is better I hope and trust she may yet be spared to you many years and to us all.

I hope you won’t think heart of me for writing you such a letter if I did not love you and want you to be a Christian I should not have written to you but I felt it my duty to warn you.

Please give my love to Father and Mother and the rest and receive a large share yourself write often and I will do the same        From your Brother

Geo. W. Gould

William H. Gould Esq