“They say that Hooker was relieved of his Command for refusing to cross the Rappahannock”

Camp near Potomac Creek VA

Friday, April 24, 1863

Dear Clarinda,

I am well at present and hope these few lines will find you all at home enjoying the same good health. Yesterday I just returned from off of Picket Duty again. I was detailed after the rest of them and had to go out some time after the Regiment started. We had an awful time of it, I tell you. It rained when we went out and rained when we came in, all 4 days. We have just heard that Joe Hooker has been relieved of his Command and if true I suppose we will have to stay her some time yet. The talk is that [crossed out “Burns”] Fremont has got the Command of the Army of the Potomac.

Dear Clara, last night I received a letter from you stating that you had got to move from father’s. Oh, I hope it is not so. I think they are only trying to plague you or something else of that kind because it is only 3 or 4 weeks ago that they wrote to me that they wouldn’t think of your going away. I hope all may yet be well. Oh, if I was only at home again how glad I should feel. I would dance for joy if they only would say that peace was declared.

They say that Hooker was relieved of his Command for refusing to cross the Rappahannock at Fredericksburg and also refusing to move the two years men in the army. They are having great times here at present concerning the two years men. The Zouaves and the 14 refuse to move and all the nine months men.

It is raining quite hard here today and the roads are getting quite muddy again. Dear Clara, I hope you won’t be frightened by looking at that picture I had taken. It don’t look exactly like me. Perhaps I can send you a better one one of these days. I am in hopes of hearing from you again in a few days again because I am anxious to hear whether you got that 40 dollars or not. I will send you two in this letter and I think that is all I can spare for this time for I have only got five dollars left after getting my picture taken. I hope [if] it don’t cost too much you will send me yours and the children’s. I would like to see if they have altered any since I have been gone.

I hope my folks will think better of letting you go away from home. I felt so bad I could hardly keep from crying, for I can’t bear the thoughts of your leaving there because if you go away from there and be taken sick, with the children I don’t know of any one who I think will be so good as mother to help you. Tom got a letter from Julia last night, the first for a month, and he was awful mad because his mother rented them rooms of Julia’s. He said after we was gone our folks will misuse our wifes and turn them out of doors.

As it is getting late and I am tired, I will close, hoping the next time I hear from you that it may be different. God bless you, my Dearest and only loved one, and may he in his wise judgment protect my little ones and may your days of trials and sorrow be turned into days of gladness and rejoicing.

From your loving husband,

Sergeant. Peter. L. Dumont.