What Impression do you get from these?

The impression I get from these is that of an older brother burdened by the atrocities of war, who misses his family and home and tries in vain to protect his younger, all too eager, brother from the very thing which he currently suffers from. I'm guessing by the time that letter reached the father, either the "gout" completely won or the younger brother had run off to "glorious" battle. Sorry if I'm way off.