Barracks by Corinth
25 March 1862
Dear Brother Paul:
Your last letter received yesterday, and in the one of the 11th of this month, I note the money arrived safely. I'm very happy. Ten dollars are from Fidel, which belongs to you. We're paid up until March 1. I figure I have a little over $29.00 applied to clothing and $21.00 are allotted by the Government on a half year basis. From November and December we have deducted clothing monies. I have kept some in reserve amounting to about $8.50, and still have a half dollar left over now. You need not concern yourself, for I do not know about Army regulations and the due process, but I did want to give you a small picture of how things shaped up.
We may only have crackers and bacon to eat with beans, but will be content. In this North Missouri winters are difficult, even the railroad had difficulty coming through with supplies. We stirred cornbread with water, after grinding the corn the best we could during the severe winter.
Since we left St. Louis the last time, our Regiment's outlook is in question because of health problems. We were 300 able men, strong, and often were 450 to 500. Sickness strikes and disables many. We were out ten days on the last expedition and often too ill to brew even coffee, and if we did, it was so stinky and horrible, we had to hold our nose shut to drink it.
The U.S. Army has far too many "Dish-Rags", hunger-sufferers and reneging men as officers who fill the appointment in name only, who sneak the easy way out, spongers who expect the men to carry on the war, hoping to remain in these soft spots, and are for prolonging the war another ten years. Even if an outpost soldier has not had food for two days, it matters not to them, just so the subordinates carry out the chores, carry the heavy pack, pay for the clothing doubled in price and not worth half as much, and allows himself to be bossed around like a yoke of oxen to the whim of the officer. An if the Regiment makes a good showing, then with the hope of war's end, never a thought of a change in Regimental order.
We are in Corinth over one month now and have moved forward only two and a half miles, seeing dead and wounded on both sides, also prisoners taken, but no decisive stand made. We wait daily for a turn and hope for a near end of this war. Since we are at Corinth, we heard of new weapons being sent to reach us between Lincoln and Jefferson, but we dare not believe any talk we hear, such lies are the call of the day.
As to my health, I have dysentary three months now, sometimes more, sometimes less, but oh, so weakening and ennervating, and I fell as though my bones will not carry me.
Your brother,
Johan Goser
Source: Pioneer Times,
Jefferson City, October 1977, Vol. 1, Iss. 3-4
Copied from the original letter which is in the possession of Mrs. Evelyn GOSER,
MMGS member. The letter was written in German and has been translated.
Submitter's note: Johan was a private in the 26th Missouri Infantry along with his brother Fidel. Paul and their eldest brother were in the 10th Missouri Cavalry. Unfortunately, Johan died from the dysentary he mentions only six months after writing this letter.
Submitted by: Judy Milan
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