Peter commented in his letters on the status of the Union's recruitment and draft efforts, even in letters before he enlisted. He described the treatment and struggles of conscripts and hoped that his brother George would not be drafted. However, he wrote to George discouraging him from enlisting.
In an early letter to Clarinda, he said that if he had known there was not going to be a draft, he would not have enlisted.
| B a t t l e s | T h e m e s | ||
|---|---|---|---|
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| 1862-10-29.......Camp Seward, review at Potomac, letter opened, Col and papers, deserters branded, molato 10-29-1862s.htm |   | r: |
| 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 |   | r: |
| 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 |   | r: |
| 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 |   | r: |
| 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 |   | r: |
| 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 |   | r: |