KP2025.001.011

Camp of Recruits near Alexandria VA Nov 11th 1862
Dear Brother and Sister
Your letters dated the 7th and mailed the 8th was received to day. I shall write a very disconnected letter and you must put up with it. I cannot but sympathize with you all there on account of John’s sickness; you all know why. Tell him he is a thousand times better off than many a poor sick soldier who has not Mother to watch over him and care for him. He must make up his mind to get well and do it! I am sorry the orchard is broke down so but I shall not mourn about it. All I’ll say is cut the limbs off that are split down and hang before they spoil the rest of the tree. You have not said whether you have sold those jumping sheep that you had in the barn or not. You say that Jack & Lottie have taken Paul Crandall’s farm but I don’t know where Paul lives. Where is it? It seems you have not yet sold my wheat. All right. Sell it when you think best. I would like to hear L.C. Howe when he speaks next at the Centre, but I do not expect to see Collins again until this Rebellion is closed and peace again takes the place of war. I am very glad that there will be no draft in Collins for it would make so much suffering, and I hope there may be no more drafting anywhere. I think you worked some Wm. when you made 300 galls cider in one day, and May is doing first rate to shovel apples down the spout fast enough to grind. I think you ought to get up a neighborhood Prayer meeting to pray for rain that you may have water enough to grind with. The streams here are very low and the roads are dry, and nice. I will say in this that I mailed a letter to you this morning so you will get two about together. Yes, I am living a Soldiers life now. I’ll tell you what I’ve done to day. After I got up I went about 30 rods to a brook nearby as large as the Gulf Brook and washed my hands, face and head and wiped me and went to comb my hair and combed out ice but the sun was rising and it grew warm so fast that I kept on combing and it thawed and (got to close for the night.)
Wednesday morn. the 12th. All well this morn. It is warm and looks like rain. Well after I had washed me I wrote a little then ate breakfast. Then I took 2 shirts one pr drawers one towel and one pr socks and a handkerchief, went to the brook and washed them clean in cold water then I looked around and scoured my Sabre [saber] till noon, ate my bread and coffee and I got your letter. Went out at 2 o’clock and drilled till 4 part of the time wheeling & facings and part with the Sabre. Our Sabres are saucy looking tools. Then I ate my coffee and bread and in the evening I wrote part of this letter by the same candle that 3 were playing cards by and a half dozen more were looking on. Well that’s all for one day. To day I with 3 others are detailed to bring water to cook with and are excused from drill to day. It seems a great deal better to get a letter when we are a good ways off than when we are close by. Joe & John got letters yesterday and are answering them. Joe says if his father wants to hear from him he can inquire of Melissa. There is great excitement among all the solders on account of Gen McClellans removal. They all think he is best General that ever was but still they like Burnside very well. For my part I like the change. Try and keep me posted about neighborhood and Town news. I like to get it first rate. Tell May she must write me a letter as soon as she can learn to write; did she and Ida get the books I sent them. Did you Harriet, get the collar & did you get the Walnuts. Please give my respects to all enquiring friends and give them an invitation to write to me.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons

Camp of Recruits Nov. 11th 1862
I have time to write a little more this morning before the mail leaves and so I’ll tell you that we had a hard frost last night but it’s a nice morning and will be warm to day. Newspapers come in Camp every day but they cost 5 cts each for dailies. The Herald comes every morning but I have not see a Tribune here. Since we got here we have each had a tin plate, a pint tin cup a spoon and kinfe and fork, and last night we had warm bread and twas as good bread as I ever ate; Our bread is baked in Alexandria and comes fresh each day. Our meat is mostly Bacon. We have some fresh Beef (I must now go to Breakfast.) Bread and coffee was my breakfast. We had fried Bacon but I did not eat any. Three men out of our company do the cooking for the Company and are excused from all other duty. They have built a brick arch 10 ft long and 10 inches wide and a little over a foot high with a chimney. Camp kettles are three sizes the largest about the size of our tin bucket which hangs in the well and the others fit that. They are heavy sheet iron. 4 frying dishes hold 5 or 6 qts of the same material.
I must close, the mail goes.
Yours truly
K. Pearsons
Wm., Harriette
Lis, May & Ida

Alexandria, VA
12 Nov 1862

KP2025.001.012

KP2025.001.014

Camp of Recruits near Alexandria, Va
Friday Nov 21st 186[2]
Dear Brother & Sister
    I received a letter [from] you Wednesday that was mailed the 17th and one from you and Cousin Joshua to day mailed the 18th. I am glad to hear you are comfortable. I did not reply to your letter that I received Wednesday for the reason that I was two letters ahead of you and now I’ll reply to both. I am one letter ahead of you yet. When you write an answer give the date of the letter you are answering; you did that in the last but not in the one before. Wednesday there was a young solder from the Convalescent Camp (which is a few rods on the hill above us) came into our tent to see Clark L. Dexter and George Rudd. He said he belonged to the 64th N.Y.; was from Otto and that his name was Henry More, and [to]ld him he was my Cousin or [secon]d cousin but he could not tell which one. He has been sick but is getting [torn paper]. He looks rather thin but I should [thin]k he felt pretty well. He says he has been sick and in Hospitals most of the time since he had been down here. He says his cousin Nelson’s Son is in Baltimore, cook in a Hospital. Harriett you did not understand me about Soldiers that had been sick in Hospitals. It was such ones as Henry More who are in the Convalescent Camp that I wanted you to write about if you knew of any such ones, not those who are at home. This Convalescent Camp represents nearly every Regt in the field as does this Camp of Recruits and there is doubtless more there yet that I have not seen. Please read that letter again and see if it does not say that this Convalescent Camp is mostly composed of soldiers who have been in Hospitals and recovered and are sent here to [be] forwarded to their Respective Regiments.
I am sorry you can’t have more [torn page] when there is so many apples to work. What is Cider worth now pr bbl? I guess I [torn page] a drink pretty well. Wm. wanted to know if there any nigger  Galls here, [torn page] is a good many in Alexandria. I have [torn page] there but once. We drill twice a day now when the weather is good and so don’t get time to run around but I think I’ll take the time soon. You want to know Harriet if I want any Papers sent. I don’t know but a Buffalo or Gowanda paper would be acceptable; but New York papers I can get here every day and also the Baltimore Clipper (a Union Paper) and a Philadelphia Paper. We had a hard rain storm here yesterday afternoon and last night and it rains some to day and our corn stubble camp ground is muddy enough but I suppose Old Virginia is a muddy state in the winter months in times of peace as well as war. We did not drill yesterday afternoon nor we won’t to day because it is so wet. The tent leaked some & right in my face but I came out all right in the mornings. I never saw such a clawing as there is here when the [torn page] are distributed the boys are so [torn page] to hear from home. I am glad wheat [torn page] going up, sell mine when you think best unless Jacob Becker gets uneasy about his pay. You did not have as much wheat as I expected but recallest that down here they have raised no crops this year and I would not care if they could not for years to come. They are the ones that should suffer for they brought on this troublesome war. Wm. If you should have the luck to get 2 such sheep from Sheldon as I had I should be sorry for you. But maybe you can’t get any worse than Maria’s are; if you get them back when there is a foot or so of snow they would be very likely to stay at home. My old Satshel [satchel] I brought with me, so did all of the boys. Tell Ida that was a very nice thing she sent me and asker her if she can’t send me something else sometime in a letter. I do not want my mittens sent. I shall write to Drucilla or some of them soon. I have not seen an answer from a letter I sent to Philemon & Pamelia yet when I was at Elmira, want you to put them in mind of it. I’ll send a sprig of Cedar boughs such as we have to sleep on with dark leaves, then you’ll have something from old Va.
K. Pearsons
To Wm & Harriett
[envelope]
Wm. H. Press
Gowanda Catt. Co.
N.Y.
[envelope reverse]
Elmira

KP2025.001.015

Camp of Recruits near Alexandria Va.
Nov 27th 1862 before daylight
Dear Brother and Sister
I have not received any letter since I wrote before but I must write for Tuesday night came an order to repair to Washington the next day and get our horses and back here at night and the next day to start for Aquia Creek which is about 40 miles south and close to active operations. According to orders we marched to Washington across the long bridge, and got our horses and got back here before dark. We had to take them bare back and with nothing but rope halters for our saddles had been sent to Alexandria before. And I tell you we are a lot of sore assed cavalry this morn. We have not had our horses dealt out to us yet so I don’t know which one will be mine. I don’t think we can possibly get ready to leave here to day. I have not been very well for a few days but have not been so but what I could travel 8 or 10 miles a day. I am feeling pretty well this morning. Joseph, John, Nelson, Bill Lamb, Henry More and myself took a tramp last Monday. We went to the house where Mason was raised and I send you some flowers in this letter that I picked in the garden. We visited Fort Scott and passed the Fairfax Seminary used now as a Hospital a very large nice building. Direct your letters as before till further orders. Joe got 2 letters yesterday mailed the 24th and why did I not get one; but if I get one or two to day I shall feel better. I have written this by the light of the stove and maybe I have not followed the lines very well but who cares. Now Wm. for the Rebel horse and his rider too. Its roll call and I must stop maybe I will not have a chance to write any more in this but If can I will. Well I’ve got to close up for the mail goes soon; we expect to leave tomorrow.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons
P.S. Some of the flowers were taken from the garden where Senator Mason was raised, and some from a garden close by owned by a Widow Scott.
K.P.

KP2025.001.016

No. 7 from Va. (you have sent 5 instead of 4)
Camp of Recruits near Alexandria Va.
Nov 27th 1862
Dear Brother & Sister
Yours written the 23rd & 24th & mailed the 26th was received at noon to day. Glad to hear you are well and hope Melissa will not be sick. I wrote this morning and I hardly know what to write now. Harriet, I think I wrote in one letter what timber there was here. It all seems to be second growth, mostly white Oak some cedar. Wm. I will not have a chance now to get blankets or coat for you for we expect to start tomorrow & moreover I want a little time so as to get them cheap. I’ll try yet for you and maybe do up a Rebel horse in them; I am going out a little ways now to get a little Pennyroyal to make tea of it if I should want some.
Friday morn Nov. 28th. Well after I had got my yarbs I helped about the horses so I got no more time yesterday to write. I am well this morning and all the other boys in my tent. Joseph is as tough as I ever saw him. I don’t think we will start for Aquia Creek to day, for we have not got our saddles, Pistols or Carbines but we are told we will get them before we leave here.
But we will not have our horses dived [divvied] to us till we get to the Regt… Almost as often as every other day we hear canonading [cannonading] in the Direction of Fairfax Courthouse and Centreville; but we don’t hear the results. I am on street duty to day, sweeping the street. I ate a good oyster stew yesterday for 15 cts, in a tent used for a dining saloon just across the line of our camp where we can get lots of luxuries that Uncle don’t give us. The weather holds mild but cold nights it froze a little last night; Wm I should think you could make some cider now with two men to help you. I am pretty cider dry but I get a glass of what they call cider once in a while but it don’t taste like Collins cider. I can’t write any more now for the mail goes soon.
K. Pearsons
Wm. & Harriett

KP2025.001.017

No. 8 Camp of Recruits near Alexandria Va.
Nov. 30th 1862
    Dear Brother and Sister
Yours numbered 5 just received. I am glad to hear that your health continues good, and I wish I felt better than I do at present. I have got some cold, some inward fever and cold extremities and not much appetite but I am about camp but have done no duty for a couple of days. Our Carbines, Saddles, Tents, Pistols and cartridges are here, and the officers have commenced distributing the Saddles, Carbines & Tents. We get what are called Dog tents. They are black Oil cloth about 5 ft by 6 with eyelet holes in them to fasten them down with; Joe and I shall put ours together and sleep together. It looks some now as though we would start tomorrow, may be we shall participate in the great battle at Fredericksburgh [Fredericksburg] at any rate I think we will be in hearing of it for I guess Aquia Creek is only 10 miles from Fredericksburg. Wm. I agree with you in everything about my water power. I intend to fix it as you mentioned when I put in another spout and have two gates, one at the dam to keep out sticks and chunks and the other in the mill most down to the wheel. If you put cider in those vats you must put a better foundation under them so they will not spring with the heaft there will be in them. Not sell my buck at any price.  Wm Wimple is here now and says tell you Wm. that he has been sick but is about well now and is going to his Regt soon. I have no chance to look at Wms letter to Joe concerning Pork and my horses, for all is excitement and bustle here now. Our company are getting their saddles and they come in some less than 4 pieces and the boys have to put them together; and never mind the horses at home just take good care of them and all will be all right. Harriet I would like some boiled cider Applesauce pretty well, and if you send me any I think twould be best to send it to Washington and be sure in directing have the Company the Battalion and the Regt and in care of Lieut. George Vanderbilt and I think twill come all right. I recollect last winter Erastus wrote to Edwins folks to send something to him and he said not have over 45 lbs and twould cost but 50 cts and he was quartered but a few miles from here. I don’t know how you’ll put them up but I guess you’ll have to get a tin can made. I don’t think you had better send over ten lbs at time of Sauce. If you do so much and see it comes all right; won’t it taste good though! Send it on I’ll risk it. As for being homesick I am not. I like soldering as well as I expected to. I don’t think there is a Soldier in the Army but what would like to return home, but those that know what they are fighting for don’t want to return till the thing is permanently settled so they can stay at home and enjoy its blessings and I tell you Soldiers will know how to appreciate the comforts of home. Tell Ida I got her kiss and thanks she sent me all right. Ida and May, be good girls and I’ll try and come home sometime. Tell May to let me know how Porter gets along. If you have a chance tell Edwin’s fols I had a letter from Erastus yesterday. He was well and close to Falmoth [Falmouth] which is opposite Fredericksburgh [Fredericksburg]. If you can I want you to pay the express bill there for I have more property at that end of the line than this, but if it can’t be paid there I’ll pay it when it comes. You say Sis you have sold those sheep. Can you buy some more in their place. This is a rough letter but I guess you can read it.
From your brother,
Kimball Pearsons
To Wm. & Harriet
Monday morn Dec. 1st 1862
I am feeling a good deal better this morning; it is warm and rains a little. I don’t think now that we will leave to day but I can’t tell and the rest of the boys from there are well or at least able to go with the Company. I have packed all my things this morn in my saddle bags.
Yours
K. Pearsons
[envelope]
Mr. Wm. H. Press
Gowanda
Catt.
N.Y.