Camp Bayard, VA
April 12, 1863

KP2025.001.045

Camp Bayard Va. Sunday April 12, 1863
Dear Brother & Sister
I have no letter to reply to from you. I write for I don’t know when I shall have another chance for we are to leave in the morning unless the order is countermanded. We have got our Rations for now at least all we can carry. We have got 3 10 qt pails full of grain (oats & corn) to carry & which is 3 days rations & we have 3 days rations for ourselves & the mules are to carry 5 days rations more for the men. I don’t know where we are going certain, but hear that all the cavalry of the Army & 2 divisions Infantry together with some Artillery are going up the river & cross to Culpeper on to Gordonsville. This may be so & it may not, as far as I am concerned I shan’t worry where we are going. I am sorry Joseph cannot go with me. He has got the Janders [jaundice] is yellow as saffron but he is about all the time, I think he will be all right in a few days. We had to give up our tents to day that we have had all winter put up our Ponchoes to night over our beds. (Lucius Walden came to see me to day. He is well. He stays at Gen. Hookers Head Quarters, detailed to work as Carpenter. Joseph brought a cake of sugar for him & one for Enos Hibbard. They both got them. Enos is tough. Please tell Philemon this). I got a letter to night from Wm. R. Piersons. He wants my grey colt for a 2 year old colt he has got & 40 dollars & its my wish that he should continue to want. I don’t want you to let them go till you have got your springs work done & then if you can get what they are worth on time, or cash, let them go. Piersons writes that his colt is worth 40 or 45 dollars so twould make 80 or 85 for my horse. Can’t see it. Those horses I want to go towards paying Harriett & if she wants the colt of the Deacon then trade if you can after you get your work done, but I don’t think she will want it. I will enclose the Deacons letter and my reply to him will be on it & I want you to carry it over to him as you receive it, or send it. I am Well. We all expect to have a brush with the rebs in a couple of days. We have got 40 rounds of those large kind of pills that Joe carried home & 24 of the small ones. By looking over his letter again I see he values his colt at $50 or $55. So at the best twould bring the gray at $90.00 now if you can’t get as good as a hundred dollars cash for him keep him till the Government smashes. I shall leave it all to you to trade but I don’t want the colt & as I said before if Harriett wants it trade. Now Wm. if you lay on the Deacon in a trade go in for I have not forgot the old mare that had the Heaves, so like H—l. I hereby authorize you to act as my agent in selling or trading my horses or other stock & just let it be known so that I shan’t get any more letter from Deacon &c.
Yours Truly
K. Pearsons
[envelope] Mr Wm. H. Press
Gowanda
Gowanda Catt. Co.
N.Y.
Mr Wm H. Press
Gowanda, Catt. Co
NY
[envelope reverse]
Mr Kimbal Per [torn paper]
Co L 10th Regt
Cav Greggs
Division

[upside down]
Amey B. Cook
Collins
Erie County
N.Y.