I created a website to honor George W. Gould, a Union private from Leicester, MA who was killed in the fierce fighting at Cold Harbor in 1864. I borrowed his letters from a private collector, then digitized and transcribed them. I created the site both to share his letters and honor his service. I have also conducted research on the life of George W. Gould, I place flags and wreaths at his grave, and most recently have taken it upon myself to clean his gravestone, using conservation-approved materials. The website can be accessed by clicking on the thumbnail below to visit the site:

Below is featured content from one of the pages from the site … 

The George W. Gould Letters Collection

Each one of the letters is published here in its original handwriting and as transcribed.  If you click on the thumbnail of the original letter, the full size PDF will open.  The handwriting is remarkably readable, although those not accustomed to cursive such as millennials may struggle nonetheless. The transcription is an easier read! All letters were transcribed by myself, and I am responsible for all errors and omissions. I generally followed the original spelling; if it is incorrect I put [sic] in brackets next to the word; I always used brackets [for words left out] and for [??] if I was uncertain, as well as to note if something was [unreadable].  Fortunately, there was little of this.  George spelled New Bern as “Newbern” and I simply left that alone.  If anyone finds an error or notes a correction from the original PDF, please do not hesitate to contact me & I will update the transcription.

To read the transcription of the letter above, click here: MCWL_102