“The yellow fever is raging pretty bad and this morning they commenced giving us whiskey and quinine to keep it off”

Camp Parole Near Alexandria VA

Sunday, August 16, 1863

Dear Clara,

I received a letter yesterday from you and I thought I must answer it today, although I wrote one yesterday. I got a likeness of mother and you can’t tell how much I thought of it. I think she has grown old some since I last saw her, but I can see her features in it quite plain. I would rather see the original ten times over if it was permitted. You can tell her I think a great deal of it and it shall never leave me while I have strength to carry it. I have a pretty good lot of pictures now to carry about, but I don’t mind the heft of them. I’m sorry I did not get a better one of Ida. It has most disappeared and looks quite dim.

It is reported here in Camp that the yellow fever is raging pretty bad and this morning they commenced giving us whiskey and quinine to keep it off. I for my part have not seen a case of it yet.

Dear Clara, I have sent you 25 dollars by Express and yesterday I sent the receipt by your letter and I hope you will get it before you get this letter, because I am always anxious until I hear about the safe arrival of such things. Oh, how I do wish I could see you today. I feel so lonesome. I hope you feel better over our separation than what I do. I you don’t, you must feel miserable indeed. I am sweating like a butcher while I am writing this for, oh my, you can’t begin to tell how hot it is down here. But the nights are getting somewhat cooler so we manage to sleep a little better than we did 2 weeks ago.

I have no news to write but I suppose I must try and fill up this side of the sheet. Seeing Joey feels so bad, I will try and write her a few lines today. I hope you will tell me in your next letter what young Top has to say about me and if she has lied to you or said anything bad, I refer you to Sarah Graff, for I was not out of her sight all the whole day. Maybe she has not said anything out of the way, but I supposed by your letter that she might try to hurt your feelings while there was no one to deny her statements. I never thought she was much anyway. Oh, dear Clara, I have never done anything wrong, no more than what you have seen with your own eyes, and God helping I don’t mean to do it. Believe me, I have always been true as steel to you through life and so I wish to remain.

I hope this may find you all in good health. Give my love to mother and tell her how much I like her picture. From yours until death, with much love,

A kiss to all,

Peter. L. Dumont.