Camp Bayard, Feb. 28-March 1, 1863

Kimball Pearsons, Camp Bayard, Feb. 28-March 6, 1863

Location	Original Letter	Transcription
Camp Bayard, VA 28 Feb 1863	KP2025.001.035	Camp Bayard Feb 28th 1863 Dear Brother & Sister Our Regt. returned to camp to day. I found here 4 letters for me one from Cousin Abigail one from Lucinda & Alice and 2 from you. One was numbered 17 & written the 1st of Feb & the other was numbered 19 & mailed the 20th of Feb. Each of them had 3 stamps in and were very interesting letters to me. I also found the package of nightcap wristlets & pepper but the paper has not come yet but I can’t see why it can’t come yet, as well as one of the letters I got today which had been some time coming & I found a Patriot & Journal also that you sent Feb. 11th all of which I am very thankful for. I gave Joseph one pair of wristlets, they are first rate & the night cap is a good one. The pepper came all right. It seems there is a new letter writer there. I suppose it must be May. Tell her I can read every word of it and she must write more to me. I have got the letter to day that tells of selling your horse & all about the Donation at G. Kings &c. &c. I have just ran this over and don’t see but it is all right. I’ll look over the letters tomorrow and if I have not replied to all I’ll do it soon but can’t this evening for its my luck to be on horse guard to night and I must try and sleep a little or I would write more than this small piece of paper over. I hear since I have got back to camp that we have had 150 pack mules ordered and sent for our Regt so I think we will go a kiting as soon as the roads get dry. We hear that old Stonewall Jackson is new Stafford Court House and that some of our Cav. have gone to meet them. Clark Dexter has gone to Washington to a Hospital. I don’t think of any more news this time and I guess I’ll halt. Those twin calves I wish I could see but you must do as you think best about raising them. Maybe you have vieled them before this. And tell Ida to take good care of the Lambs. It beats the news. What a winter you have had and how you have kept making cider all winter. I would as lives have a cut from the Gowanda [newspaper] occasionally as a whole one, but if you get an interesting one send it. Our Box has not come yet but I guess its at the landing. I’ll know soon. I am well to night and so are the rest who you are acquainted with. Good night for this time. K. Pearsons To Wm & Harriet May & Ida
Camp Bayard, VA 1 March 1863	KP2025.001.036	Camp Bayard Va March 1st 1863 Dear Sister Yours of date Feb 28 I got today twas not numbered it should have been No. 20 I shall call it so. I am sorry to hear that Lis is so sick with that awful disease. I hope she may not be any worse than when you wrote, Joseph would come home if he could but he cannot. There is only 2 out of 109 soldiers that can get furloughs at a time and no more can go till those 2 return. Joseph tried to get a furlough today but could not come any where near one I have not applied for one yet nor do I intend to till Uncle Sam is through with me or till peace again smiles on our noble country. I only asked you if I should come to see what you would say. My package of paper & envelopes came all right to day. The wrapping paper was worn out on one end but the paper was not injured any, but if you ever send any thing more twould be better to use tougher wrapping paper. Our Quartermaster has not sent for his stuff at Aquia Creek Landing Va, (as it should have been) lately but will soon order what he has there to Bell Plain Landing [Belle Plains Landing] then if ours is there we will get it. Then Shelden and Sarah are married are they tell them I wish them much joy & a happy and prosperous life. I hope that sore finger won’t turn out to be a fel—(how do you spell fellom [felon]?) We heard of Jane Matthews marriage over or about 2 weeks ago. Please tell her I wish her much joy and a lovely future. I like the way of sending a newspaper in a letter. Tis cheaper and less trouble and more sure to come. I had not heard anything about any papers being kept from the Soldiers. I have seen 4 news boys to night selling papers, one the Philadelphia Enquirer and 2 different Washington papers. I did not buy any for I had not time to read. The frogs have been peeping to day quite lively. I’ve looked over that act again and I don’t see but what it is all right. What are cows worth or going to be worth this spring? Had I better sell any? Does your brain know anything or not. What is Indiania a doing a fixing to secede with the South? I hear so. I am glad there is to be Negro Regts raised I hope the Government will raise 200 thousand and put them right on to active service if this could be so then more of the noble freemen of the north that have periled their lives for their country could return to their homes to enjoy the society of loved ones who anxiously await their coming, than could if they have to fight all of the battles alone. We have soldiers here that have a great deal to say about this being a negro war and that we are fighting to free the niggers and they never would have come if they knew how the thing was a going or that the negroes would be free. Now these are poor ignorant fellows to not know what they are here for. I cam to put down a rebellion against the best Gov’t the world ever saw and if it becomes necessary to free the slaves, which is to take a great element of strength from the enemy, I say do it, do anything that will weaken them and when that is done I’ll be suited and will cheerfully do what I can to help crush the rebellion. We are all well this evening and I hope this may find you well too. Good night. Kimball Pearsons Harriet. [envelope] Mr Wm H. Press Gowanda, Catt. Co. N.Y. [scribbles likely by May Press] [envelope reverse] I had rather write [more scribbles]
Union Church, VA 6 March 1863	Original letter missing KP2025.001.037	Union Church, March 6, 1863 Summary published in Tough & Hearty: I don’t want any socks, don’t say that I said so. Our Regt and 8th Pa., are four miles east of Harrisonville doing picket duty and scouting to kill guerillas at bay and guard against a flank movement at our left. The main part of our army is south of the Rappahannock. There is a tree we called persimmon, that has fruit on it. [He writes of the coming election.] All is quiet and still. K. Pearsons Transcription: ORIGINAL LETTER IS MISSING

Location

Original Letter

Transcription

Camp Bayard, VA
28 Feb 1863

KP2025.001.035

Camp Bayard Feb 28th 1863
Dear Brother & Sister
Our Regt. returned to camp to day. I found here 4 letters for me one from Cousin Abigail one from Lucinda & Alice and 2 from you. One was numbered 17 & written the 1st of Feb & the other was numbered 19 & mailed the 20th of Feb. Each of them had 3 stamps in and were very interesting letters to me. I also found the package of nightcap wristlets & pepper but the paper has not come yet but I can’t see why it can’t come yet, as well as one of the letters I got today which had been some time coming & I found a Patriot & Journal also that you sent Feb. 11th all of which I am very thankful for. I gave Joseph one pair of wristlets, they are first rate & the night cap is a good one. The pepper came all right. It seems there is a new letter writer there. I suppose it must be May. Tell her I can read every word of it and she must write more to me. I have got the letter to day that tells of selling your horse & all about the Donation at G. Kings &c. &c. I have just ran this over and don’t see but it is all right. I’ll look over the letters tomorrow and if I have not replied to all I’ll do it soon but can’t this evening for its my luck to be on horse guard to night and I must try and sleep a little or I would write more than this small piece of paper over. I hear since I have got back to camp that we have had 150 pack mules ordered and sent for our Regt so I think we will go a kiting as soon as the roads get dry. We hear that old Stonewall Jackson is new Stafford Court House and that some of our Cav. have gone to meet them. Clark Dexter has gone to Washington to a Hospital. I don’t think of any more news this time and I guess I’ll halt. Those twin calves I wish I could see but you must do as you think best about raising them. Maybe you have vieled them before this. And tell Ida to take good care of the Lambs. It beats the news. What a winter you have had and how you have kept making cider all winter. I would as lives have a cut from the Gowanda [newspaper] occasionally as a whole one, but if you get an interesting one send it. Our Box has not come yet but I guess its at the landing. I’ll know soon. I am well to night and so are the rest who you are acquainted with. Good night for this time.
K. Pearsons
To Wm & Harriet May & Ida

Camp Bayard, VA
1 March 1863

KP2025.001.036

Camp Bayard Va March 1st 1863
Dear Sister
Yours of date Feb 28 I got today twas not numbered it should have been No. 20 I shall call it so. I am sorry to hear that Lis is so sick with that awful disease. I hope she may not be any worse than when you wrote, Joseph would come home if he could but he cannot. There is only 2 out of 109 soldiers that can get furloughs at a time and no more can go till those 2 return. Joseph tried to get a furlough today but could not come any where near one I have not applied for one yet nor do I intend to till Uncle Sam is through with me or till peace again smiles on our noble country. I only asked you if I should come to see what you would say. My package of paper & envelopes came all right to day. The wrapping paper was worn out on one end but the paper was not injured any, but if you ever send any thing more twould be better to use tougher wrapping paper. Our Quartermaster has not sent for his stuff at Aquia Creek Landing Va, (as it should have been) lately but will soon order what he has there to Bell Plain Landing [Belle Plains Landing] then if ours is there we will get it. Then Shelden and Sarah are married are they tell them I wish them much joy & a happy and prosperous life. I hope that sore finger won’t turn out to be a fel—(how do you spell fellom [felon]?) We heard of Jane Matthews marriage over or about 2 weeks ago. Please tell her I wish her much joy and a lovely future. I like the way of sending a newspaper in a letter. Tis cheaper and less trouble and more sure to come. I had not heard anything about any papers being kept from the Soldiers. I have seen 4 news boys to night selling papers, one the Philadelphia Enquirer and 2 different Washington papers. I did not buy any for I had not time to read. The frogs have been peeping to day quite lively. I’ve looked over that act again and I don’t see but what it is all right. What are cows worth or going to be worth this spring? Had I better sell any? Does your brain know anything or not. What is Indiania a doing a fixing to secede with the South? I hear so. I am glad there is to be Negro Regts raised I hope the Government will raise 200 thousand and put them right on to active service if this could be so then more of the noble freemen of the north that have periled their lives for their country could return to their homes to enjoy the society of loved ones who anxiously await their coming, than could if they have to fight all of the battles alone. We have soldiers here that have a great deal to say about this being a negro war and that we are fighting to free the niggers and they never would have come if they knew how the thing was a going or that the negroes would be free. Now these are poor ignorant fellows to not know what they are here for. I cam to put down a rebellion against the best Gov’t the world ever saw and if it becomes necessary to free the slaves, which is to take a great element of strength from the enemy, I say do it, do anything that will weaken them and when that is done I’ll be suited and will cheerfully do what I can to help crush the rebellion.
We are all well this evening and I hope this may find you well too.
Good night.
Kimball Pearsons
Harriet.
[envelope]
Mr Wm H. Press
Gowanda, Catt. Co.
N.Y.
[scribbles likely by May Press]

[envelope reverse]
I had rather write
[more scribbles]

Union Church, VA
6 March 1863

Original letter missing

KP2025.001.037

Union Church, March 6, 1863
Summary published in Tough & Hearty:
I don’t want any socks, don’t say that I said so. Our Regt and 8th Pa., are four miles east of Harrisonville doing picket duty and scouting to kill guerillas at bay and guard against a flank movement at our left. The main part of our army is south of the Rappahannock. There is a tree we called persimmon, that has fruit on it.
[He writes of the coming election.]
All is quiet and still.
K. Pearsons
Transcription:
ORIGINAL LETTER IS MISSING

King Georges Court House, Feb. 16, 1863 Pearsons' home page Camp Bayard, March 8-27, 1863