Camp Knox, Washington D C.
Dec 1, 1861.
Dear Mother, your letter
was received by me to night.
Was glad to hear that you were
all well. This is the first day
of winter but it is not so
cool as it generally is the
first day of winter at home
although there is considerable
growling about the cold wether
among our boys. There are
a great many more sick ones
in the Reget than there were
at Augusta. [1] One of our Co
died last week at the Hospital
down town. He was a boy
about 19 years old and was
taken sick on board the cars
when we were coming on.
He had not been on to the grounds at all
[page 2]
His name was H W. Whitaker. [2]
It has been rather wet nasty
wether for a few days past.
There was some boys over here
from the Maine 6th to day
that know George Peaks [3] and
Augustus Trueworthy [4] well.
Augustus is not very well I
believe. I supose that we shall
go into barracks here for a
part of this winter and perhaps
until Spring. I received a letter
from uncle John [5] and Cousins Charles
and Emma yesterday morning.
was very Glad to receive them.
I should like to hear something from
John [6] before long. hope he will
learn well this winter. I supose
that you have heard all about the
capture of Beaufort SC. [7] and
the bombardment of Pensacola. [8]
navy yard. such news cheers our
boys a great deal you spoke
[page 3]
about sending some papers
I have not received them yet
but hope to soon. Papers from
home are a great deal more
acceptable than Washington
papers. I have washed my under
shirts once a fortnight and washed
one pair of stocking I need
another flannel Shirt as
I have but one. I shall probably get
one here soon You spoke about
what I wanted you to send me
if you could I do not exactly
know now but can tell better
before long One thing I think of
now that is a cap to put on
to cold with for a sort of a night-
cap because I am apt to get cold
by the wind coming through the
tent I will not write any more
now so good night for the
first day of winter. N
[page 4]
Monday morn, Dec 2. 1861.
Dear Brother, [9]
Your letter which
came last night was very
Gladly received. It is quite
cool and windy this morning.
I see by what you write that your
school has begun I shall like to
hear all about how you get
along with your studies & etc.
Tell Calvin that I should like to
hear from him Tell Will Bill-
ington [10] that I shall like to
hear from him about his
hunting and traping. You and
Will can both send me a letter
in one envelope. Tell Simeon
that Charles Henry was over
here last Monday and staid all
night. Does anybody study algebra
at school How does the new
waggon and horse get along keep
good care of the critters All
winter I will write to Father and
John next time write soon P P. Gilmore.
[page 5]
Camp Knox Washington D C
Dec 4th 1861
Dear Brother John,
I promised in my last
letter that I would write you
next time and as this is your
Birthday I thought that this
would be a good time to write
to you. It is colder weather
here than I expected to find it
although it is not much
colder than it was when I left
home. I should like to hear
about your Minkskin and catskin
whether you have sold them or
not. My Powder horn and that
old sap trough [11] I will give
you the charge of and I hope that
you will see that they are not
broken up and lost. I hope that
[page 6]
you will try and make good
headway in your different studies
this winter espechialy in Arithmetic.
I want you to write me a letter
and tell me all about things at home
I have been in to the Capitol
once since we came to
Washington and I mean to
go again if I can while
Congress is in session.
I will not write any more
now as it is late in the afternoon.
from your
Brother, Pascal P Gilmore.
Washington D C. Dec 6, 1861.
My Dear Father
I will now answer
the letter which I received from
you the other day It is quite warm
here to day much warmer than
it was yesterday and the day
before I received the papers
from home night before last
[page 7]
I was very glad indeed to get
them. I sent a letter home
the day before yesterday should
like to hear if you receive it.
I suspect that it is getting
to be quite cold down east
by this time. We have the
National Republican [12] here every
morning and a plenty of other
papers, but there are no papers
which I like to read as well
as those from home.
We live very well here although we
were [but?] rather short when we
first came here.
Saturday night Dec 7
Yesterday and today have
been two very pleasant days
more like September than
December. Our 2nd Lieut is
not very well to night and
we do not know but he
will have the Measles as
[page 8]
there are four in the Company
have got them now
I do not think that I
shall be troubled with them
as Mother says that I have
had them once. Reuben Gross [13]
went over to the sixth Reget
yesterday and came back
this afternoon. Dec 9 [14] I received a
letter from home last night
was glad to hear that you
were all well Lieut Dodge [15]
is now quite sick. We have
as pleasant weather here as
I ever saw. I supose that
we shall [get?]into barracks
next week. I should like
to receive a letter from you
although I supose that
you are very busy most of
the time. I never felt any
better in my life than I do
now. from your Son
P P. Gilmore