Medical concerns dominated Peter's letters. While he assured Clarinda that he had a strong constitution and could recover from the many illnesses and injuries he incurred, he also reported on deaths and injuries of other soldiers resulting from disease and battles.
Clarinda's older sister's husband Tom suffered greatly from a lingering illness. Peter ended up traveling to visit Tom in a Washington hospital. Peter also chronicled the death of a young tentmate from disease and of another soldier from a head wound at Chancellorsville. Peter wrote to one family, sending home personal items, and asked Clarinda to communicate with another family. He even noted certain soldiers by name who had frequented prostitutes in Washington and Alexandria and ended up with venereal disease.
He reported on receiving a vaccination to prevent small pox and whiskey and quinine to prevent yellow fever.
| B a t t l e s | T h e m e s | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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| 1862-12-20.......Camp on Potomac Creek, Tom sick dysentary, court martial, no more Fredericksburgh 12-20-1862s.htm |   | m: u: |
| 1863-01-06.......from John W. Breish thanks for kindness to brother, can not get body, saw his folks and they are well 01-06-1863s.htm |   | m: u: |
| 1863-02-xx.......probably between visit to Tom Feb 2 and March 1 letter that mentions Julia and turkey box, ward money, sergeant 02-xx-1863s.htm |   | m: u: |
| 1863-03-10.......Camp sketch archway, Zouave uniform, Tom, Julia, turkey, money, Bates, Tyler, Sarah 03-10-1863s.html |    | m: u: |
| 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 |   | m: u: |
| 1863-08-16.......got letter and picture of Mother, carries a lot of pictures, yellow fever, whiskey and quinine, Joey, young [top?], Sarah Graff, true as steel 08-16-1863s.htm |   | m: u: |
| 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 |    | m: u: |
| 1863-10-22.......13 days driving Rebels and retreating, captured more than them, Fletch march stocking feet, Fairfax, 96 conscripts, Bill Dagwood, paired with Fragment 1 10-22-1863s.htm |    | m: u: |
| 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 |   | m: u: |
| MusterRoll2.......Muster Rolls for Tom Lumbard, Fletch and Wes Dimbleby MusterRoll2i.htm |    | m: u: |