Discontent was a constant topic of Peter's letters, despite conflicting emotions of patriotism and pride. He reflected on fellow soldiers' discontent, describing disease, death, and harsh conditions and treatment.
Deserters were also discussed frequently, some by name, and their punishments noted. Peter wrote that he was tempted to desert but would be caught.
Examples of his statements on soldier discontent and desertions include:
-'I wish I was safely back home again... I don't see the fun in a soldier's life...Tell the folks we are most starved and froze to death....It has been so cold we could not write for shivering...'
-'There has been some desertions...They are going to brand deserters...Them that goes is most sure to get catched and brought back...I should be hunted as a deserter in a few days...'
- Tomorrow is going to be a sad day, there is going to be a couple of deserters shot....We had another execution in our Division about Christmas, it was a deserter....'
-'The most sickening sight I ever saw...Awful to see those shells and cannon to work at the destruction of human life...'
-'Oh, the dead and the cries of the wounded made me feel sick enough of war to never see any more of it.'
-'The men are all sick and tired out and see no use of fighting anymore...I and Fletch stood ready to go anywhere but either one of us would of rather been somewhere else...'
-'Our men are dwindling away day by day very fast. It seems hard to see them die so here when they might be sent home...I made a coffin for one of my tentmates...'
-'If I had only known that they want a going to draft, I should have been home this day and with my loved ones...'
-'The prisoners have turned out 2 or 3 times in large bodies to claim their rights as soldiers...They are deprived of all liberties and their rations have been reduced by one half.'
| B a t t l e s | T h e m e s | ||
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| 1862-10-18......."THE GIRL I LEFT BEHIND ME", Camp Seward, sick, Gen Casey, Col unfeeling, Wes Dimbley 10-18-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-10-20.......Camp Seward, names sick, has itch, Col Corcorans McMickeys, sends flowers from Lee house, paired with Undated 5, need to add text from undated5i.htm 10-20-1862s.htm |     | d: |
| 1862-10-27.......Camp Seward, color letterhead of woman helping Zouave, wet tent, Fletch, Fordis Phelps, deserters 10-27-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-10-29.......Camp Seward, review at Potomac, letter opened, Col and papers, deserters branded, molato 10-29-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-11-07.......Camp Seward, embossed shield on letterhead,cold, snow, wet, bread, beans, and water,smoky tents 11-07-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-11-27.......Thanksgiving day, crackers and salt pork, near Washington, sick, marched 100 mi, Gen Lee 11-27-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-11-30.......Camp at Fredericksburgh, her military clothes, his dream, Ida, Peace rumors, hopes to settle it 11-30-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-08.......Camp near Fredericksburgh, freezing, tent like pocket handkerchief, all sick, rumors go home if no pay, old castle & cabbage 12-08-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-12.......Camp at Falmouth, witnessing shelling and burning of Fredericksburgh, got shelled shopping in Falmouth 12-12-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-16.......Camp near Fredericksburgh, describes 6 days of Battle of Fredericksburgh in detail 12-16-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-18.......Battle of Fredericksburgh, horrors, retreat, rear guard, lost, bridge destroyed as left 12-18-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-19.......Camp on Potomac Creek, sketch of Fredericksburgh made during bombardment, Tom to General Hospital 12-19-1862s.htm |    | d: |
| 1862-12-20.......Camp on Potomac Creek, Tom sick dysentary, court martial, no more Fredericksburgh 12-20-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-23.......Camp on Potomac Creek, reflects on peaceful life, buried 2 more, court martial 30 pound log, peace talk 12-23-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-25.......Christmas, hard to see die when might as well be sent home, disease doctors do not understand, deserters 12-25-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1862-12-28.......many sick and dying, 9 officers reassigned, blames Capt Cone, guard duty, center position, unfit for duty, Fletch no letters in Utica from Regt since Fredericksburg 12-28-1862s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-01-04.......Tom very sick, Jacob Breish coffin, Joseph Corrigan tent mate, Fletch separated 01-04-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-01-11.......guard Gen Warrens hq, daughter of the Regt 17th regulars chased by drunk soldiers, Burnside, Breish trinkets, resignations, all wish war over 01-11-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-01-17.......Camp on Potomac Creek, VA. Black tongue, Zouaves,hard tack box coffins. Dated Jan. 17 1862 (wrong year) 01-17-1863s.html |    | d: |
| 1863-01-25.......building roads in mud, men would not cross, Lee said would help, men deserting, political war 01-25-1863s.htm |     | d: |
| 1863-01-27.......Camp near Potomac Creek,VA.,Clothes.lice,corporal,no coffins,Gen. Warren drunk! Says January 27 1862 (wrong year) 01-27-1863s.html |   | d: |
| 1863-01-30.......got box she and Julia sent, can not get it to Tom, remitant and typhoid fevers, pay, Fredericksburgh relics 01-30-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-01-31.......taking box 30 mi rt to Tom at Acquia Creek hospital, made Fourth Sergeant, Fletch no barber business, says January 31 1863 (wrong year) 01-31-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-02-07.......Warren, picket, Mr. Steele, Malvina, commissioned, Tom, Hank 02-07-1863s.html |   | d: |
| 1863-02-22.......sketch winter scene on home page Armyofthepatomic.gif, snow, tents, wood, sickness and death, froze finger, government shoes, Deming, shoemaker Dennison, Washington Birthday 02-22-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-03-01.......Camp near Potomac Creek,diarrhea, Demming, Dave Reese, rebel prisoners grit to backbone,well dressed, Julia, ward money, says March 1 1862 (wrong year) 03-01-1863s.html |   | d: |
| 1863-03-04.......sending pipe, could sell for $10, they call him whittling yankee, earned 75 cents whittling, got gloves, Ed [Burbiege] Tom 03-04-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-03-13.......armed all night, extra cartridges, Rebels, 4th Oneida, Fordis Phelps, would desert if she needs money, conscription law, March 3 1862 (wrong year) 03-13-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-03-21.......firing around, smallpox vaccine,wants her to live with his parents, not her sister Julia, Tom may be discharged,George avoided draft? 03-21-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-03-23.......ordered to march with only food and blanket, Bright on crutches and other cripples ordered to march, if killed on field bring up children as Christians 03-23-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-03-25.......predicts Rebs are drawing them back through Fredericksburg to Richmond, Joe Hooker, Generals, Demming reports dirtiest demoralized Regt, booed 03-25-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-03-28.......Joey, Josey, Sarah Graff, George Reiser, Hooker, bad drill, 146 best in marching, going for wood, will Ida recognize him, if knew no draft would be home now 03-28-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-04-04.......Col mad and sent them without rations, command Duryea Zouaves, see home page Zouavesonpicket.gif of them with young contrabands,Sesesh house, pontoons,Tom,George Wheeler 04-04-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-04-06.......sore eye Co A and Co H snowball fight, Lincoln review, copied funny Fredericksburg wedding night letter 04-06-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-04-09.......Grand Review by Lincoln 80 thousand troops, Rebels opposite, Fredericksburg ruins, children begging, no pay, sketching for money, whittling 04-09-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-04-17.......did not move, heavy rainstorm, sending $40 allotment pay, balloons over Fredericksburg looking for strike 04-17-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-04-26.......tramp to Falmouth and Fredericksburg ruins, Rebel soldiers fishing in Union uniforms, graybacks and yellow bellies, pack 8 days rations, her living with strangers 04-26-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-05-24.......Convalescent Camp, marched by Rebel Cavalry, horrible Libby Prison conditions and rations, sentry to fire if approach window, delightful camp now 05-24-1863s.html |   | d: |
| 1863-05-31.......she is alone in shanty, Ft. Corcoran, Fletch, Givens, Billy and Charley Kirkland, Camp Seward easy, 146 not 4th of July soldiers, papers not come 05-31-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-06-03.......over cold, her letter with money, her lifting heavy things, who wanted the money, Fletch digearious fever, has not heard from Col, strawberries 06-03-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-06-07.......no letter from Col which was his hope of getting home, no one allowed to leave, how much are provisions and rent for paddy hole, where is George 06-07-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-06-18.......rumors of another Bull Run, description Menzo Gibbs death on battlefield, sick soldiers, her idea to telegraph, beef bone ring, paired with Fragment 3 06-18-1863s.htm |     | d: |
| 1863-06-20.......put up tents, 7000 convalescents arrived, sick to barracks, rumor furlough if sickness or death, new uniform curious, pities army hot 06-20-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-06-24.......waiting for her telegram, would give all to come home, girl in Camp age of Ida, soldiers waiting for letters, Fletch, artillery in camp, pin in mouth 06-24-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-06-28.......has not gotten telegraph she said sending, Fletch, hard march, wants furlough badly, 4 pictures in case Ida and Willie, afraid folks offended 06-28-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-06-28DB.......Dear Brother, would have written if knew in Utica, does not write all hardships, discourages from enlisting, love to father and mother 06-28-1863DBs.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-04.......no 4th of July, took telegram to Col who sent to War Dept, dream home so reverse- will not, picture with Fletch new uniform, rumor Lee captured 07-04-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-08.......Ida sick, Papa girl, Willie, George to picnic, since telegram presentiment Lord will punish, rebels destroyed, tired, Malvina, Harwoods, Justis Place 07-08-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-12.......ring for Ida, rumor exchange soon, George, Utica Herald, picnic, she was cheated on stockings pay, Fletch photo, Bill Jones, Co A surrender, surrounded 07-12-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-16.......Ida sick again, sorry he told Fletch why she called for him and he told parents, Otto Gulick, Capson factory, money, Mary Myers 07-16-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-19.......hopes she got money, Ida sick, George & Mally do not write, will be exchanged, driving Rebels hard, hopes wicked rebellion ends, tired of lying around 07-19-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-24.......feels bad his folks treated her with disrespect, one room upstairs, her living so poorly, Joey steps and night society, Ida ring, no houses, George drafted? 07-24-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-26.......Mally letter with picture, boys going crazy good looks, sending Harpers Weekly, sad she cries when writes, lengthy sentiment, soon in service 1 year 07-26-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-07-31.......Joey letter picture, Mr. Hart, Bill Dagwell, Kate baby, prisoners revolted, new camp, guard, cut rations, CO stoned, furlough too late June 8, Dimbleby 07-31-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-08-02.......hot sun, Mr. Hart, prisoners guarded, half rations, revolted, desperate men may claim rights by force, could have been home, says Aug 2 1863 (wrong year) 08-02-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-08-07.......got her picture, soldiers will fall in love, she cannot come or might be blackguarded, Jim Harper, new Camp Parole better, cannot get stamps 08-07-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-08-10.......Potomac clams, huckleberries, Mr Place wants Mally to write, Tom and Julia letter, Regt 190 men, 4 regts consolidated, poem in different handwriting 08-10-1863s.htm |     | d: |
| 1863-08-15.......upset letter from Bill Dagwell says she went twice to Hart and Dagwell for money, what Old [Top?] said at Carters, cannot do his country justice 08-15-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-08-20.......upset stomach, whiskey and quinine, soldiers beastly drunk, yellow fever, NY Herald, Rebels refuse exchange, riots and draft resistance, disheartens soldiers 08-20-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-08-23.......has been a year, may never come home, remembers their parting, Regt reduced from 900 to 170, 4th Oneida had it easy, sending papers 08-23-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-08-29.......sends picture, discourages hop picking, Utica draft, George, lay awake remembers Chancellorsville, human butchery, in charge Squad No 11 08-29-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-09-03.......papers George not drafted, Sarah Graff, Mr. Place, mean women Washington, Philip Smith, Bill Sweatfager, Bill Dagwell, Charles Milburey, Brother Henry 09-03-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-09-08.......Lieut furlough, deserters to be shot, detached corps, Ben Chapman, Michael Keating, Phil Smith and Andy, Washington women, caught something, Tom, Sarah 09-08-1863s.htm |     | d: |
| 1863-09-27.......11th and 12th Corp left, Fletch must go with 5th not stay hospital with docs, tell Ida Pa will come home, will not desert, promotion, Admiral picture 09-27-1863s.htm |    | d: |
| 1863-10-02.......in Camp, rumor to Tenessee Gen Rosecrans,men confined refusing arms, no exchange,Fletch, Sarah Graff, Jakes brother Fred, Gods followers, wicked men 10-02-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-10-31.......moving 4 weeks, shoes no soles wet feet, Dagwell, sold picture 50 cents, 250 conscripts, 146th great name no praise at home, Gen Garrard loved, Battle Bristow Station 10-31-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-11-13.......suffered a great deal but well, made 2 pictures and got dollar, send him watercolor paints, Kate and Hank, Ida and Willie Sunday School, beau (probably Sarah), Jake 11-13-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-12-20.......no locations, Bealton Station? cold, exposure, hungry, buying bread, tent with fireplace,sent 2 letters since crossed Rapidan, afraid she is cold in old house, Tom letter 12-20-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-12-25.......got paid, sending $50 for Christmas, all buying at sutlers, bed of boughs, got paints, James Handwright, Steve Lent, hopes peace in New Year 12-25-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-12-30.......Sergt Guard House, Edic late furlough, candy Ida, moved, reenlistments, guerrillas slit throats, 146 three years, determined to win, different than last winter 12-30-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1863-12-xx.......undated, Bealton, probably mid-Dec 1863, her Dec 7 letter, Meade rumor, half rations, winter shanty, soldiers will not get paid, Tom invalid corps, paired with Undated 2 12-xx-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-01-03.......date looked like 5, she should not have sent money, James Handwright furlough, Edic guard house brought things, deserter executed, uniform picture, exposure deaths 01-03-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-01-11.......says Dec 11 but probably Jan 11, scans are Dec 11 1863, guard duty railroad no sleep 48 hour shifts, will not reenlist, Bill [Morey?], James Handwright, Edic 12-11-1863s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-01-15.......Smith, Handwright, tries to be good to soldiers, speak well of him,whiskey New Years eve, Capt Clasgens and Lieut Dutton recruit Utica, Mosbys guerrillas 01-15-1864s.htm |     | d: |
| 1864-01-22.......got pictures, wishes Card de Visites, Melora Teed letter, shimmer, rats, been sick, Sweet Oil and Laudanum, Fletch home to recruit?, furloughs, George sleigh ride 01-22-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-02-11.......Julia mad at Tom, all owed money but prepare they may never get it, bounties exhaust Treasury, take $2 a week from Baker and City subsidy, lengthy cruel war statement 02-11-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-02-20.......cold spell, daily routine described, breakfast, Charlie, Sarah, George Keiser, $1100 and 30 day furlough if 146 reenlist, sacrifice all life time for few days home 02-20-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-02-25.......got her letter and fathers, sending picture of himself in uniform,what did she think of newspaper piece, should he write another Julia, sending likenesses of Generals 02-25-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-03-08.......talks of deserting because his family is treating her like a slave, Kate, Hank, children, wedding, gaieties, cries, mad, wants to protect her 03-08-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-03-16.......Congress transferring army to navy, asks her consent, Jackson picture, Handwright, Fletch orderly, Curran, Armstrong, sketch Capt Durkee one arm 03-16-1864s.htm |   | d: |
| 1864-03-21.......Stewarts Cavalry anticipated raid, Navy application, Mr. Hart, Lotty, father, heavy cannon, referenced enclosed Daily Chronicle clipping poem Soldiers Letters, Ford theater 03-21-1864s.htm |     | d: |
| 1864-04-23.......afraid did not pass Navy exam, preparations, officers on soldiers rations, bread and molasses, no communications after 26th, her dream is wrong, he is well 04-23-1864s.htm |     | d: |
| 1864-04-29.......mail stopped, Burnside 40 thousand men looked worn out, 10 thousand negro troops, fear hard battle, hope Lord spare us to meet again on earth, heaven protect us all 04-29-1864s.htm |   | d: |