Peter
L. Dumont's Civil War Site Themes
Newspapers
Newspapers were important sources of information to Peter, as well as providing a connection to home and civilian life. He talked about articles he read in both the national and Utica newspapers. He mentioned the NY Herald, Utica Herald, and Daily Chronicle by name. He noted that Utica papers were passed around the camp, and described reading about specific individuals who had been drafted, and that his brother had not been drafted. Clarinda kept clippings he sent of a soldier's poem and of plays at Washington theaters, including The Merry Wives of Windsor at Ford's New Theate prior to Lincoln's assassination. Peter mentioned sending her 'a couple of papers such as they distribute amongst us here every Sunday', which may have been religious texts rather than newspapers.
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1863-08-20 : 
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upset stomach, whiskey and quinine, soldiers beastly drunk, yellow fever, NY Herald, Rebels refuse exchange, riots and draft resistance, disheartens soldiers
1864-02-08 : 
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forwards letter for father to drop at Herald Office, do not tell many who wrote it if it is printed, fight on Rapidan, prisoners on train 
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