“It seems as if it would kill me to go back to the Regt. without seeing you and my little ones”

Convalescent Camp Alexandria Va

Sunday, May 31, 1863

Dear Clarinda,

I received your welcome letter this morning with the money all right. I am well with the exception of a bad cold but that will soon wear off in this hot weather. I hope this may find you better than you was with the children when you last wrote. Oh, how I do pity you to think you are all alone now and in that old shanty. I know it is not fit for human people to live in. May God comfort you in your loneliness. I shall try hard to come home, for it seems as if it would kill me to go back to the Regt. without seeing you and my little ones.

Yesterday I got a pass to go over to Fort Corcoran with Fletch. We visited old Camp Seward but it don’t look nothing like it used to. We saw Bill Kirkland, Charley Kirkland’s brother, and Givens and lots of Utica boys. They are having a nice time of it. They are living as comfortable as they would at home almost. They have their good beds to lay on, chairs to sit on, and tables to eat off of and they have been here now almost two years. Some of the soldiers are having very easy times in this war, but our Regt. has had it hard enough since they have been out. They can’t say the 146 is 4^th of July soldiers, for they have played their share of the play since they have been here.

Dear Clara, keep up courage and all may yet be well. I hope to see you soon. I did not get them papers but I think they will come yet, and now hoping this may find you all well at home I will close, for I want to go to church this afternoon. Take good care of your health and the little ones for my sake for I want to see you all well and alive again. Give my love to all my folks and remember me to my friends.

I remain your loving husband,

Sergt. Peter. L. Dumont

P.S. I have been in the service today nine months and nine days and I have 52 dollars coming to me now, 3 months of Sergeant’s pay, 17 dollars a month since the last of February. We are a going to get paid here, they say next week. The paymasters have been ordered here to pay us off.

I’ll write more the next time. Goodbye my love till you hear from me again.

P.L.D.