Clipping attached to the letter:
"DIED
GOODSPEED—Killed in battle in defence of his country, near
Spottsylvania C H, Va, on the 12th of May, 1864, Theron Goodspeed, of Niagara
Co., N.Y. aged 20 years, 9 months and 12 days, youngest son of Heman and Louisa
Goodspeed. Funeral
services will be held in the Universalist Church in Olcott, June 12th, 3
o’clock P.M. Friends are invited to attend."
Hess Road, June 13th 1864
Dear Children, Herschell & Jacob,
Having
finished washing, I thought I would devote a short time this afternoon in
writing to you.
Yesterday
we paid the last tribute of respect to the memory of your departed Brother (and
our dear Son). O that you could have been here, to have engaged with us, in the
solemn exercises. The Church was filled nearly to its utmost capacity. We had a
very able discourse delivered, from 1 Peter, 5 chap. 6 & 7 ver, By Rev R
Fiske, Lockport. It is a sad blow to your Father and I. As well as to the
brothers & Sisters. Yet, I feel that I was not wholely unprepared for the
event. I knew if he went into action he would be as likely to be kill’d as
anyone. And I had tried to school myself, in case such an event should take
place, that I might meet it with composure. Bowing in humble submission to my
Heavenly Father’s will, believing He will overrule every event of life, to His
honor and Glory, and Mans eternal good. It seems hard to part with one, whom we
had fondly hoped, might be spared to return to us, to be our staff, and our
support in our declining years. Yet God in his goodness has seen fit to order otherwise.
And I think I can say from a sincere heart, “Thy will oh Lord be done.” I feel
that which is our loss is his gain.
When I reflect, how uneasy I have felt at times about him, fearing he might be kill’d or die, in some lone spot, where I might never know, or hear, what became of him, Or he might be badly wounded and suffer every thing, with no kind hand to relieve him of his sufferings. Or if there was one thing more than another I did fear, it was the fear, he might fall a prey to a traitors vengeance. I have prayed time and again that none of these things might overtake him. But if it was necessary for him to lay down his life, on the altar of his country, that he might be taken instantly.
Now when it has turned out all I dare hope, (with the exception of his safe return,) I feel to praise the Lord more than ever, for His goodness. And be more determined to put my trust in Him.
What a mystery and a dreadful thing, this war appears to us. But I believe the nation had become so wicked and corrupt, that nothing short of the sanguinary and bloody war now raging throughout our land, would bring them to a just appreciation of the divine blessing bestow’d upon them, or cause them to repent of their most henious sins. It is a dreadful alternative. But if man will not listen to the pleadings of conscience, or the commandments of the Lord, they will meet a just recompence for their sins, for the Lord says “The reightous shall be recompenced in the earth, much more the wicked, and the sinner.” Then how important it is for every person to strive with all their might (asking Gods assistance) to do that which is right in the sight of God, and man, how much woe, misery, and tears would be saved thereby.
When I reflect, how uneasy I have felt at times about him, fearing he might be kill’d or die, in some lone spot, where I might never know, or hear, what became of him, Or he might be badly wounded and suffer every thing, with no kind hand to relieve him of his sufferings. Or if there was one thing more than another I did fear, it was the fear, he might fall a prey to a traitors vengeance. I have prayed time and again that none of these things might overtake him. But if it was necessary for him to lay down his life, on the altar of his country, that he might be taken instantly.
Now when it has turned out all I dare hope, (with the exception of his safe return,) I feel to praise the Lord more than ever, for His goodness. And be more determined to put my trust in Him.
What a mystery and a dreadful thing, this war appears to us. But I believe the nation had become so wicked and corrupt, that nothing short of the sanguinary and bloody war now raging throughout our land, would bring them to a just appreciation of the divine blessing bestow’d upon them, or cause them to repent of their most henious sins. It is a dreadful alternative. But if man will not listen to the pleadings of conscience, or the commandments of the Lord, they will meet a just recompence for their sins, for the Lord says “The reightous shall be recompenced in the earth, much more the wicked, and the sinner.” Then how important it is for every person to strive with all their might (asking Gods assistance) to do that which is right in the sight of God, and man, how much woe, misery, and tears would be saved thereby.
O how
thankful I am that Theron was permitted to come home and make us a visit, if it
was only for a short time. It appeared to be a great satisfaction to him. he
staid to home nearly all the time he was here. Poor boy had little reallized he
should never see any of us again. He was anxious to get away from Washington,
they had staid there so long. I had always written to him that he ought to try
and be contented if he was well, for he might be placed in a worse place. So
when the orders came for them to march I suppose they left with light hearts,
not dreaming perhaps, that some of them would so soon lay in the cold embrace
of death.
O how
much I miss his letters. It seems as though I must have one about so often I
can hardly bring myself to feel I shall never hear from him again. I hope you
will write as often as convenient, and fill up the void, which the loss of his
letters has created. We wrote to Marshall & Ansel when we wrote to you, but
have had no answer from either. We had a letter from Hersalora in April
(perhaps Loretta told you) that Marshall had been quite sick for six or seven
weeks with chronic diarrhea, that he had got to be very thin and poor and not
able to work any. I fear Marshall has a pretty hard time. Wish I could go and
see them.
I meant to have mentioned in the proper place that the last letter I received from Theron was written the morning they left Washington, Apr 26th. It was an envelope torn open and written with a pencil. They were all packed ready for a start at a moments notice, when at Bristol Station he wrote to Loretta. That was his last letter. O can it be? Yes, it is so. I will not murmur, for I feel he could not have died in a more glorious cause, if it has helped in the least one jot or one tittle in saving our country from tyrany and oppression, I freely give him up, an offering to my country. Oh how bad Willis must have felt, when Theron was killed. They have always been such good friends. I pity the poor boy from the bottom of my heart. I dare say he would have felt no worse to have lost a brother. He said he never reallized what war was before. He wrote he had all of Theron’s things and would send them soon as possible. It is three weeks today since we received his letter, and nothing has come yet. Willis has not written since. They had annother great battle week ago last Friday. Jacob you will remember Col Porters reg’t which left Lockport, just before, or just after, the boys did. They were turned into heavy artillery, and stationed at Baltimore. Soon after the army of the Potomac moved this spring they were changed into infantry, and ordered to the front. They were in the battle referred to above. They suffered severely, between five and six hundred were kill’d, wounded, and missing. They are known as the 8th N.Y. Heavy Artillery.
I meant to have mentioned in the proper place that the last letter I received from Theron was written the morning they left Washington, Apr 26th. It was an envelope torn open and written with a pencil. They were all packed ready for a start at a moments notice, when at Bristol Station he wrote to Loretta. That was his last letter. O can it be? Yes, it is so. I will not murmur, for I feel he could not have died in a more glorious cause, if it has helped in the least one jot or one tittle in saving our country from tyrany and oppression, I freely give him up, an offering to my country. Oh how bad Willis must have felt, when Theron was killed. They have always been such good friends. I pity the poor boy from the bottom of my heart. I dare say he would have felt no worse to have lost a brother. He said he never reallized what war was before. He wrote he had all of Theron’s things and would send them soon as possible. It is three weeks today since we received his letter, and nothing has come yet. Willis has not written since. They had annother great battle week ago last Friday. Jacob you will remember Col Porters reg’t which left Lockport, just before, or just after, the boys did. They were turned into heavy artillery, and stationed at Baltimore. Soon after the army of the Potomac moved this spring they were changed into infantry, and ordered to the front. They were in the battle referred to above. They suffered severely, between five and six hundred were kill’d, wounded, and missing. They are known as the 8th N.Y. Heavy Artillery.
Col.
Porter himself was kill’d, Dolphus Wismer was wounded in the hand, John Howel
in the hip, severe, Joe Marshall in the arm. I am not acquainted with any
others, but in one of the dailys last week, there came a list of names wounded
and kill’d in that reg’t, somewhere in the neighborhood of 170. And tonights
paper brings the names of about 75 more, killed, wounded, and missing. I guess
I will send you some of the papers, and I wish you to preserve them.
I
have no special news to write you, except what I have already written. The
season is quite backward here owing to the great amount of rain this spring.
Winter wheat is a perfect failure here. Seymour has plow’d his up and is
planting it to corn, and beans. He planted corn last Thursday & Friday. he
has put in about thirteen acres to corn and is calculating to plant six acres
of beans. He has a boy 17 years old, to work for him this summer, the same one
that boarded with us and went to school last winter.
I
think we have a fair prospect of an abundant apple crop. The severe cold
weather of last winter has destroyed the peach crop.
Herschell
I want to hear whether you have got over the rheumatism entirely or not, should
like to hear how little Abram Lincoln is getting along, and all the rest of the
folks.
Jacob
I think you are pretty good at guessing who sent you that Book I intended for a birthday present. Hope you may be
profited by its perusal. I sent and got one for myself before I sent for yours,
I thought it would be a good book for you, to get an insight into Universalism.
I
will now close by informing you that we are all well.
Praying
for God’s guidance, and protection over you & yours, I remain your
affectionate mother.
Louisa Goodspeed
Here is a photocopy of the first page of Louisa's letter, so that you can see her handwriting. There were three pages, written on both sides, measuring 5" by 7-7/8":
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