ÒWhen I was taken I was surrounded by about 200 of Rebels, me and the Captain aloneÓ

 

Camp Convalescent  VA

Sunday, July 12, 1863

 

Dear Clarinda,

 

I received your welcome letter yesterday afternoon and was glad to hear that you was all so well.  I sat right down and made my little Ida a ring.  I hope it will fit her.  I made one before and broke it.  I thought I would not try another one, but I see by your letter that she expected one so I went to work and made one and will send it in this letter.  Poor little one, I am sorry she was so sick.  I had to work hard to get it done yesterday.  It was 2 oÕclock when I got your letter and I went to work and before dark last night I had it done.  I wanted to send it in this letter.

 

Dear Clara, I have given up coming home.   For all that I have tried, I still am here.  They say we will be exchanged now pretty soon and then there will be no hopes of my getting home.  I hope you will not be more disappointed than what I am.  It seems as if I canÕt go back to my Regt. without seeing you. 

 

I shall send my money to you now.  I donÕt know whether I shall send it in this letter or by express.  If it donÕt come in this, you may look for it by express.  I will find out how much they charge by express.  If they donÕt charge too much I will send it that way for I think it is safer.  I will send you 20 dollars and then I will have 12 dollars left and I shall send ten of that afterwards if I donÕt get a furlough.

 

Dear Clara, I suppose the letters I write to my folks they donÕt get, for I saw a Utica Herald here with a letter advertised for George and I suppose it is one that I sent him about 2 weeks ago.  I suppose by the time you get this you will have been to the picnic.  I hope you enjoyed yourself first rate.  When you answer this tell me how it came off.  I wish I had of been there to go with you, but then I do see picnics enough here every day.  I am getting sick of them.  You know what I mean, drums, fifes and bugles and soldiers, I almost hate the sight and hearing of them.

 

Dear Clara, them stockings you spoke about, I will try and answer your question.  At 37 cents a dozen, 4 dozen will come to 1 dollar and 48 cents or eleven shillings and ten cents, 12 shillings lacking 2 cents.  But I suppose by 37 cents they call 3 shillings a dozen and that would make 12 shillings for 4 dozen.  If they only paid you 11 shillings, they cheated you out of one.

 

Them pictures we had taken, you see Fletch stood in the best light.  If I had of stood where he did we would look different.  But then you know he is the best looking and maybe you look at that a great deal.  His folks has one just the same.  There is no difference between the two.  Dear Clara, I canÕt think of anything else to write so I will come to a close.  Take good care of your health and little Ida.

 

Bill Jones is nobody to tell you such stuff.   Even if it was so, he did not act like a gentleman by telling you of it because I happened to belong to that Regt.  There is some talk about Co. A, some of them surrendering themselves without a struggle.  How true it is I canÕt tell, but thank God I was not one of them.  As near as I can find out, there was about 18 of them that run in a house and then give themselves up, but I was not with them.  When I was taken I was surrounded by about 200 of Rebels,  me and the Captain alone.

 

And now hoping this may find you all as well as it leaves me, I will close.  Hoping to hear from you soon.  Give my love to all.  God bless you my dearest wife.

 

I remain yours in love and truth,

Your husband,

P.L. Dumont

Sergt. Co. A 146th Regt N.Y.Vols