“He called us his Garrard Tigers, and we feel proud of the name”

Camp at Warrenton Junction VA

Friday, March 11, 1864

Dear Clara,

I received your letter last evening and was glad to hear that you was all well except Ida, and I hope by this time she is well. My health at present is good.

You asked me some time ago in one of your letters if I and Fletch was mad at each other. I hope not, although you may think it strange because we don’t tent together. The reason is this, I suppose. He is yet very young and likes livelier company than what I care about, so we separated before we hardly knew it ourselves, and there has never to my knowledge any hard feelings existed between us.

My arms you make fun of is a little larger than what they was when I left home, and my sober looks, you can imagine what causes that. Poor little Willie. He don’t know any better, but if he lives and his father is permitted to return home after this Rebellion is crushed, I hope he may have reason to call me something besides a loafer.

Why don’t Lotty write to me if she wants a letter and I will answer it. Poor Ida, has she got so she likes candy? Pa will send her two dollars in this letter. So Charles Duel has enlisted. I pity him for he leaves a handsome woman behind him, and to speak the truth I always thought that woman would do most anything. Maybe I judge her wrong, but I can’t help my thoughts sometimes.

Well, Clara, I did color that picture, but how does Mally know it? The fellow spoilt it by putting on varnish.

I don’t care what Bill Jones says about our Regt. Although we go by the name of tigers, I believe Gen. Garrard give us that name and I was proud of it. But he did not give it to us because he thought we were persons appropriate of it. After we drawed the uniform we wanted a name befitting us, so he called us his Garrard Tigers, and we feel proud of the name. There is more real men in this Regt. than any other that ever left Oneida County and, to tell the truth, I think it would be a poor comparison to call such men as Bill Jones their equal. Every time he comes near you with such talk I would thank you to kick him out of doors, because when he makes fun of my Regt. or Company he also makes fun of me.

When we was paid off, some of the men owed the government for clothing twice as much as was coming to them. So do not attach any blame to them for not sending any money home, and George Blakeman may be one of them. The biggest part of the Regt. was in debt. The reason why I sent mine home was because I was not so much in debt. I think I owed the government about 5 dollars, while some of the men owed 60 or 70 dollars. I think there has been big mistakes somewheres.

As it is most mail time I will close. Take care of yourself and little ones. Take good care of Sarah, or your beau, or perhaps you may lose her one of these days. Give my love to all enquiring friends. Write soon.

From your affectionate husband until death, with love,

Sergt. P. Lewis. Dumont

Co. A 146 N.Y.S.V.

Garrard Tigers