Kimball Pearsons

Intern Andrea Certo wrote this autobiography from Pearsons' point of view:

My name is Kimball Pearsons and I served my Union in this War of Rebellion. I went on campaign from my home in Upstate New York to the battlefields of Virgnia.

Biography:

I was born in the town of Collins, New York in 1831 as the son of Mary Bartlett and and Amos Pearsons. I had an older sister born named Harriett born in 1829 and received my education at a school not far from my home. After my father's death in 1850, I assumed ownership of my family farm; grew some crops and raised some animals. In 1861, I married my Betsy Harris and we enjoyed only a year together. She died in June 1862 from consumption [tuberculosis] which left me devastated. It was while grieving this personal loss that I made the decision to enlist. In August 1862, I made my way to Elmira and enlisted in Co. L of the New York 10th Cavalry. My story serves as a testament of what life on campaign entails. This will make for an entertaining narrative I suppose, but I hope that anyone reading this never has the obligation to march on campaign to face the horrors of war like myself and my fellow comrades.

In December 1862, myself along with the rest of Company L served as guards for General Smith and his staff at the battle of Fredericksburg. We came under fire from heavy rebel artillery but fortunately, none of us were wounded. While we weren't fighting the enemy, we'd often live our lives on campaign. This entailed us battling ilness, the certainty that any day that the enemy could attack us at any moment.We also lived off the land by gathering bundles of cedar wood brush or pine and lining the ground of our tents with it to sleep on. Next, a couple of rubber blankets went on top of the wood to form the base of the bed. We'd then line the rubber blankets with 4 woolens before we removed our boots and our overcoats as pillows.

Elmira, NY: 12 Sept- 29 Oct 1862 letters & transcriptions	Camp of Recruits, November 11-30, 1862
Camp: Location Unknown 6 Dec 1862

General Franklin's Headquarters: 1 Jan 1863	Bell Plains Landing 11 -16Jan 1863
Camp Bayard, VA; 19 Jan- 4 Feb 1863	King Georges Courthouse, VA: 16 Feb 1863
Camp Bayard, VA: 28 Feb- 6 March 1863 (Union Church)	Camp Bayard, VA: 8 March- 27 March 1863
On picket between the Rappahannock & King Georges Courthouse: 6-8 April 1863	Camp Bayard, VA: 12 April- 14 1863
Warrenton Junction, VA: 19-28 April 1863	Bealton Station, VA: 9-12 May 1863
On picket at Rappahannock Station & Alexandria R.R.: 20-28 May 1863	Warrenton Junction, VA : 1-11 June 1863
Aldie & Edwards Ferry, VA: 19-27 June 1863	Gettysburg & Quincy, PA, 5-8 July 1863
Bristoe & Bealton Stations, VA: 22-29 July 1863
Amisville, VA: 3 Aug 1863	Suplhur Springs, VA: 9-11 Aug 1863
Bristo Station, VA: 19 Aug 1863	Catlett's Station, VA: 23 Aug 1863
Suplhur Springs, VA & the land of Dixie: 27 Aug- 11 Sept 1863	Rapidan, VA: 22 -24 Sept 1863
Beverly Ford, VA: 30 Sept 1863	Freeman's Ford, VA: 7 Oct 1863
Fairax Station, VA: 17 Oct 1863	Between Fairfax Station & Bullrun Creek, VA: 18 Oct 1863
Fayetville, VA: 31 Oct 1863	Union Grove Church, VA: 12 Nov 1863
Union Grove Church between Morrisville& Hartwood Church, VA: 16 Nov 1863	Union Grove Church, VA: 21 Nov 1863

Sheperds Grove, VA: 8 Dec 1863	Diary Entry 14 Dec 1863
Bealton, VA: 14 Dec 1863	Warrenton, VA: 22 Dec 1863- 1 Feb 1864
Mount Pleasant Hospital , Washington D.C.: 10-14 Feb 1864	Warrenton, VA: 21 Feb- 26 April 1864
Kellies Ford, VA: 30 April 1864	Harrison's Laning, James River: 15 May 1864
Hanover Junction, VA: 26 May 1864	Bottoms Ridge, Chickahomminy River: 3-4 June 1864
Chester Ferry, VA: 7 June 1864	Final Letter written by me before my death at Trevilian Station

Collins, NY 4-9 June 1864	10 June, 1864
Mount Pleasant Hospital, Washington D.C., 12 June 1864	Wilsons Landing, VA: 26 June 1864
Envelope postmarked: 14 Jul 1864	Cortland Village, NY: 5 Sept 1864
Headquarters of the New York 10th: 9 Mar 1865

In June 1863, General Lee defeated Major General Joseph Hooker at Chancelorsville. He took his Army of Northern Virginia northward and invaded the northern states in aiming to achieve an another victory and force an end to the war. They ended up in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The New York 10th Cavalry was part of the Union response to this development. We marchd out of Virginia and into Pennsylvania in late June and soon made it to Gettysburg.We fought on the second day of the battle; my company and company H were ordered to relieve a line of Union skirmishers on Brinkerhoff Ridge. On the battle's third day, we were kept in reserve but came under artilery fire.

In June 1864, General Grant sought to cut supply lines around the Condeferate capital of Richmond. However, moving the Army of the Potomac would leave him vulnerable to a Confederate counter attack if they crossed the Chickahominy and James Rivers. To prevent his, Grant sent General Sheridan to distract the Confederates. This led to my regiment and myself fighting at the battle of Trevilian Station, the largest full-scale cavalry battle in all of the War of Seccession. I fought bravely for the Union in trying to subdue the rebel southern states. However, just as this fate befell many other of my comrades, I was mortally wounded.

Before I took my final breath, I reflected on my time in the service, I am glad I enlisted, hope our cause may succeed and firmly believe it will and that slavery will be done away and that the old flag shall fly once more. Were it not for this terrible pain, it would be pleasant to die. Ultimately, my time in the service exposed me to what life was like on military campaign. From my home in western New York to Trevilian Station in Virginia, what I did was the job of trying to put down the rebellion of southern states.

This site was created by History 495 intern Andrea Certo during Spring 2026 semester.