KP2025.001.071

Aug. 27th 63 Va
In camp near Sulphur Springs
Dear friends
If I may have the impudence of calling you so I will try and write a few lines to you to let you know that I am in the land of the living. I am well at present and hoping I may stay so for a while I am most ashamed of myself to write because I have not written before to you but never mind I will write now and try and do better for times to come. You sent me some stamps in Kim’s letter and that was all right because he and I air [are] both one. Kim has been to water the horses this morning. Well Hariet you may tell Wm. that I have got as good a horse as any one in our co. He is a large bay horse and smooth and fat but Kim has got a nice grey but I don’t think I could trade with him. I have written to our folks for some things and want them to be put in Kim’s box. I want to know whether I have any socks or not to your house. I would like to have you look and let our folk know if there ain’t any. I can’t think of any thing now to write this time so I will have to stop and here it is.
From a friend
Joseph F. Matthews
            To H.A.P. Press
I want a few necessary articles from home sent by express. Some of our company get boxes now & I think I can get one. I want a pair of boots, a pair of woolen gloves, or if it’s not convenient to knit me a pair then buy me a good warm pair at Gowanda. I would like a good pair of buckskin gloves but I don’t think you could get any at this time of year at the village. If you can you may send two pair of buckskin gloves, good firm ones but not the heaviest kind & long wrists. If you send buckskin not send any woolen ones. Some ground mustard ½ teacupfull, a couple 1 quart oyster cans of honey & Joe says he has sent for a hat, some Socks & 2 lbs tobacco; it won’t take a very large box for them things. I don’t want any cakes or cheese or anything perishable sent now. When we get to winter quarters then you will have a chance to send us some eatables. I guess you had better get Humphrey Davis to make the boots. I want a pair like Joe’s only a little different & I don’t like the square toes & the legs I want a little larger than his were. I don’t want any heel or toe plates on as he had but good solid soles. I want them large a pair that would fit you would fit me. I don’t want any pieces as Joe had that will turn down at the top of the leg and in front, but I want them to come up front 3 or 4 inches high than they do on the back side & the straps don’t want to come above the boot leg only as it passes over there & that’s a devil of a description of a pair of boots, to be of good firm calf skin & Wm. would it not be best to line them if you think so have it done. The fact of it is I want a bang up pair you can tell him how to do it. I will send 10 dollars to pay for those things soon. I don’t like to send more than twenty at a time.
From Kimball
To Wm. & Family
P.S. Direct the box the same as you do my letters & twill come all right is there is any come to it.
K.P.
[sideways middle pages] In the room of dried apples you can use newspapers for chinking in the box. We draw dried apples now & occasionally get green ones so we don’t want any sent.

KP2025.001.072

No. 50
In the land of Dixie near Sulphur Springs Va
Aug Sept 2nd 1863
Dear Brother & Sister
Your letter No. 45 was received day before yesterday while I was out on picket near Oak Glade Church. It found me well & getting enough to eat. Our extras there were green corn, potatoes, tomatoes & fresh pork. I had not heard before that Lucius Walden was wounded. I am sorry to hear that George Torrence is crazy. I hope tis as you suspect Wm. that he is playing sharp & not crazy. Wm. you say you have been offered $110 for my horse. I don’t know as tis necessary for me to say any more about it than I have heretofore which is for you to do as you think best. If you think that is all he will bring let him go. If not keep him a spell longer, but I would rather he would go for $110.00 than to miss selling him by the time Harriet’s Bond & Mortgage is due. The account that you sent me was just what I wanted so I could know how much was paid & how much there was unpaid. You write that there is $48.70 there now, & unpaid to Spencer, Ross Sellew $26.83 leaving $21.87 for Harriet, but you say you have lost an account a copy of which you sent me last winter & which I have taken it seems better care of here in this land of fighting than you did at your quiet home but I have heard that accidents would happen in the best of families as well as ours! Enclosed you will find the account & the one you sent now which I wish to have compared & a revised account returned. In the first there is a credit given me of $10.00 sent home that is not mentioned in the last & in the last there is a different threshing acct from the first & I think there is the $10.00 that I lent Joseph that you counted in your last acct. Now look them over & send another in the first letter you send after getting this & let me know if you can if your brother in law is going to keep the wagon. I have written before about the dam for you to do as you thought best about building a new or repairing. I send $30.00 in this letter. Take what it needs to pay for my boots & the express charges & let me know what tis & send me the express receipt. Joseph is well now & tough. He wrote to you that I had a large grey horse but said that he had a bay that he could not trade for mine. He spoke very safe, for he could not trade with me unless he paid heat, but without quarrelling with him about it I will let it go that we both have good horses. I hope you & the children will take all the comfort imaginable eating pears & apples this fall & when you have new cider drink a glass for me occasionally. A boy in our Company from Buffalo had a pair of boots sent by mail the postage was $3.28 I don’t know what the boots cost at home but they would cost 15 or 18 dollars here of a Sutler. I wish Davis knew how to make boot legs at the ankles they are like all boots, but at the calf of the leg they are larger & [illegible] at the top; they are shaped like a mans leg & come up to the top of the knee in front & are cut out on the underside of a fellers leg at the back of the boot leg & not cut square but cut out like this [sketch of curve open to the top like a U] (rounding)
[sideways front page] And if Davis has not made mine have them made of leather that will not wrinkle down & have the soles tapped. Kimball
In No. 49 I sent $20 dollars
Morn of the 2nd. All well
[sideways page 2] We got back from picket last night been 2 days out on Hazel river.
[envelope]
Mr. Wm. H. Press
Gowanda Catt. Co.
N.Y.
[envelope reverse]
Sulphur Springs
Sept 2 1863

Sulphur Springs, Va.
Sept. 7, 1863

KP2025.001.073

Sulphur Springs Va Sept 7th 1863
My Dear Nieces May & Ida Press
I received your letters day before yesterday and was much pleased to get them and to know that you think of me sometimes and I was really surprised to find that Ida had got so she could write for when I left home she hardly knew her letters. Your letters found me well and all right and in camp. Most of our regiment have gone to Washington after new horses. May you forgot to send a piece of your new clothing. If you had sent it in that letter it would have been just right for I had cut two fingers and wanted a rag, but never mind they are most well now.
Tuesday the 8th.
I am well this morning and would like to step into my old home & see what you have for breakfast. Joseph is one that’s gone to Washington after horses. we expect them back in a day or two. I am going to send two papers one Washington & one Baltimore paper. I want to send home something & that’s all I can send now.
In my last letter No. 50 I sent $30 home and Samuel D. Morrell says that he sent word to his father to leave $20. with Wm. Samuel has returned to the company his hand is healed up but not well yet. May I am very glad you saw so nice a Panorama. I would like to have seen it myself. Some things that you see in pictures and at the Panorama I see in reality. I don’t know but I shall have to cut this letter short for I hear cannon but I will write till I hear our bugle blow boots in saddles. Only two nights ago we were ordered to pack up everything & saddle up at midnight. The rebs had driven in our pickets to within 3 miles of our camp but in the morning all was quiet again. Your red ink May was first rate. You ask how I spell your first name. I don’t know as I can spell it right but I thought twas Elnora. I am getting in a hurry to see your Photographs. I hope I shall get them soon. I have just got some new clothes pants & jacket & underclothes. Some call them Shirt & drawers. Yesterday I gathered some nice large grapes that grew wild they were as large as my grapes at home but not so sweet. We are where we get good Spring water to use and we water our horse in the Rappahannock which is nearly 1 ½ miles from our camp. Its getting pretty dry & dusty but its cooler than it was last month. Ida you did very well in writing your first letter to me. I hope you will write again, and let me know all about what’s a going on at home. Can’t you write me something about Bruin I have not heard anything from him in a long time & tell me what are the names of those nice little colts & everything you can think of.
Please give my respects to your father & Mother, Jack & Lottie and accept my love yourselves.
From your Soldier Uncle
Kimball Pearsons
To Ida & May Press
[envelope]
Mr. Wm H. Press
Gowanda
Catt Co.
N.Y.
[envelope reverse has several pen marks]

KP2025.001.074

No. 51
From the Army of the Potomac
Sulphur Springs Va Sept 11th 1863
Dear Brother & Sister
Your letters No. 46 were received last night & found me well. Wm I will reply to yours first & the first in order is the dam. I think putting in a flume as you are doing & a spout without an elbow will be better than the old one. Is there as many apples as last year. Samuel D. Morrell has returned to the regt with his hand healed up but not well yet. Joseph is not here now he went with others (2/3 of our regt) to Washington after horses, and about his losing $10. I know that he has been wondering why he did not hear from it. I suppose it is risky business sending money by Mail but we had both of us had good luck before. I shall be afraid to send more than $20 at a time after this, but perhaps had better send it by Express. We have a chance to every pay day. Would it not be a good way to send it by Express directed to you at Dayton Station, NY & E R.R. in care of Monroe Whitcomb. At our next pay day I will try and make up with what I have sent since our last pay day $100.00 besides enough to pay for boots, gloves &c and when I do you may send me, or Harriett may a receipt of it. I would like to hear Horace speak at Springville but as I cannot I want you to send me his Address. I heard about your coming over in Joshuas words and Bill Burk’s getting scared at a man on a log and calling for you to come. Just tell Bill that I think that’s a big thing for him to get scared at so small a man as Joshua & that I think he had better stay with the Home Guards, for a Grey Back would be likely to scare him to death. I would like to be there and have a coon hunt with you but cannot this fall. Harriett you have written to me a long & interesting letter this time. I do not think as Parker Pillsbury and other do if this rebellion should end to day with the old slave laws as they were Slavery would not exist but a few years at the longest. No! our blood and treasure have not been spent in vain. We have proved to other Nations of the earth that ours is the Mightiest nation & that ours is the strongest Government notwithstanding the attempted overthrow of it. There is no nation that can compete with our navy and our Army. But Slavery is well nigh used up already. There has been thousands and thousands of slaves availed themselves of the President’s Proclamation & will hereafter be free people. I will confirm what you Soldier Speaker said in regard to the needs of the Soldiers. We do have tracts distributed among us occasionally but there is not 5 men in 100 that care a fig for them, only to use them for what they would not use their pocket handkerchiefs for. One Banner at a time is enough. Give my respects to cousin Mary Bartlett & Phila when you see them. Then you got a Corporal’s Commission did you. That’s something I never sent but I did send a notice of my appointment as Corporal home. Our Capt directed it for me. He said he wanted to throw himself but his pen failed him once or twice and commenced making him use big words. I don’t remember Father’s story about a Corporal. I get one dollar per month more pay than before. I am acting Commissary Sergeant for the present. I am acquainted with the Mr. Holcomb you speak of. I think we have been lucky not to lose more letters than we have. (one with a little pepper in it).
Kimball
[sideways first page] Nothing new going on here, on the right of the Army, having comfortable weather.
[envelope]
Miss E. M. Press
Gowanda, Catt. Co.
N.Y.
In care of William H. Press
[NOTE: This envelope almost certainly belongs with the letter written to May and Ida Press on September 7, 1863 rather than this letter]