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Elmira Sept 20th 1862
Dear Brother and Sister
I arrived here safe last night at 4 o’clock and found everything all right. Joseph Matthews, Nelson Washburn and Myself have sent our over coats [overcoats] to Cattaraugus by a Mr. Babcock of West Otto who came to Elmira with us yesterday and went back on a furlough this morning. He will leave the coats at Joseph’s Uncle’s and they will send them to Francis Matthews so when they come get mine and that cloth I had around the honey I tied around the coats. We have all got our new Over coats and will soon have some of our other clothes. The Lt. just told me if the time was not extended we would leave here some time next week.
We go by the name of Buffalo Boys here and after breakfast this morning when we had marched into our camp the rest of the cavalry boys here about 30 gave us three rousing cheers for the Honey we had for breakfast and I send those cheers on to you to be distributed to the donors together with the thanks of the Buffalo Boys. All of the Buffalo Boys 15 in number got passes to go out in the City to day from 7 A.M. till 7 P.M.
You can direct to Elmira Chemung Co. NY 10th New York Cavalry Care of Lieut. Barney, and if a letter comes after I am gone it will be forwarded to me.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons

s

Elmira Sept 20th 1862
Harriette
I have got my State bounty and send it to you by Nelson Washburn. Let Aunt Lydia have it and take a receipt of her. I put a letter in the office this morning for you but I did not expect to get this money so soon then.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearson

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Elmira Sept 29th 1862
Dear Brother and Sister
Your letter of the 24th was received today. I am well and glad to hear that you are; and am in a condition to realize your feelings on the departure of a brother. I know what it is to part with loved ones, for I have had to part with one I loved and one that loved me as well as Mortals ever loved, and I would as soon be with her today as to be any where else, and if it should be my luck to fall in battle you may know that twill suit me as well as to return to dear friends at home, but still I may come home again and enjoy life in Collins with the rest of you. You said the thrashers were to be there today; I want the wheat sold right off but I know there are times when the buyers wont [won’t] pay what it is worth and when it is best to hold on a short time. You must do as you think best if you have not already done so. I am glad that you have but one dog to feed. I am going to propose to you William that you send me an account of what you have done for me and your charge for it on the first of every month. The President’s Emancipation Proclamation among the soldiers here is considered a very good thing with the Democrats as well as the Republicans; none can complain now that we have no policy, and in regards to D M Brown and all others of his stamp I hope they may be drafted and have to fight for freedom. I think they had ought to wait and see what it will amount to in six months. For my part I am well suited with the way things are shaping. Joe says he is all right. Bela, Joe, John Matthews and I went a Huckleberrying on the hills about 3 miles. We found a few berries and confiscated our pockets full of apples and squeezed an orchard full of hard frost peaches and then home. Yesterday we bathed in the Chemung River. There never was a lot of boys enjoyed themselves better than we do but after all we are all wanting to go to Dixie immediately.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons

• P.S. September 30/62
• In the morning after breakfast, I am all right this morn. Some of the boys are getting furloughs until next Saturday. Our Officers know nothing when we will start. They say their time has run out and they are here without orders.
• K. Pearsons

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Elmira N.Y. Oct 6th 1862
Dear Brother & Sister
Yours of the 2nd and 3rd is received at noon and finds me well and all the rest also. I am sorry those sheep are jumpers and hope you will get a good chance to sell them. In selling bobrunners I have always had five shillings per runner. But if you can sell the lot for four shillings per runner let them go, but you will have to have a pattern to sell them by. There is several plank in that pile that will make 4 good runners each. I let my pattern to Jacob Becker, to make bobs for Joshua. It may be at Joshua’s and it may be at Jacob’s. I don’t think the runners ought to be sold for less than 4/s per runner but if you can get a good chance to sell them for cash or a good note and cannot get quite that then throw in a few of the poorest for nothing. I do not owe Porter Welch & Son one single cent. I bough one pair of pants of them at $4.75 I think one year ago last June and last fall I sold Wm. Padgett a lot of sweet apple cider and he paid Welch $5.00 for me and I took two tin basins to make us even. Then some time last winter Wm. Welch asked me to call in and settle. I told him we had settled. He said the books did not show it, so I looked to see what he had against me and it was $4.75 for pants & 25 cts for two tin basins that Wm. Padgett had paid for and I knew he paid it for I went myself with Padgett to Welch’s and Porter was there and agreed to take or turn $5.00 from me to Padgett but I don’t know as I took a receipt. Then last winter when Wm. W. asked me about settling I went to Padgett and he remembered it and said he would see Welch about it and in a few days I saw Wm. Welch again and he said it was all right. I then asked him for a receipt. I have forget just what he said, but he said it was all right and I should never be called on again for it. I think it must be this act for all accounts before this were settled and I guess I have receipts. Now I want you some Friday or other night when you and 3 or 4 of my neighbors are together at the Post Officer to take them into Welches and get Wm. Padgett and make Welch show his account and have Padgett tell that he paid it for me. I am sure he will tell as it is. If you can get a receipt for me do so. But don’t you pay Welch or any other man for me except what accounts I left Harriette for I don’t owe them. Ask for the news of the day but write the neighborhood & Town news for I get New York daily papers and Rochester & Elmira Dailies and have all the Public news there is, and try the next time you got to a Fair and write about it to write something besides mud if there is anything else to it. Lieut. Barney is gone but I got this letter all right and you may direct the same as you did this.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons

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Elmira Friday eve Oct 10th/62
Dear Sister
Yours dated 8th Oct. was received this morning and although you say William will write in a day or two I think I can fill a sheet tonight. I should think it best to let the wheat go if you can get $1.00 per bushel for it. I want Dimmis all paid up as soon as you can with Butter money as you say and the $10.00 for hogs. I would like very much to help eat those grapes but I don’t think I can get another furlow [furlough], for we are under marching orders and have been all of this week, but I don’t believe we will go in ten days, though we may in three days. So you may send my part to Lucinda, Alice, Maria and Jane and my best wishes for their welfare with each bunch of grapes.
We had a hard frost here the same time you did and twas the first there had been here of any account and since Monday it has been very warm and to night it has begun to rain. Our company (or the company we are with) is not yet organized but there is two other companies here for the 10th Cav. that are organized. Joseph is rather dumpish today but has been around all day and I guess will be all right in a day or two.
I am feeling better than when I left home. Joe has just come up to our room and says he is feeling much better. He has been taking some medicine of Clay Gardner who is here on the grain. Maybe you would like to know how I have passed the day. Well In the first place I got up and washed me in a few minutes, formed in line with the rest for roll call. Then came breakfast then a few 12 or 16 played a game of ball. Then an hour or so of drill then Bela Dexter cut my hair, and I cut his, and Daniel Brown’s, then sat around and lazed around till dinner time. Then we played two games of ball after  dinner, drilled an hour and lazed around until supper time. We had Potatoes, beef coffee bread and butter for breakfast, Pork & Beans beef & bread and water for dinner, Pudding and Rice and Milk and Butter for Supper, and this evening I am writing for you. We have dancing in our shanty about every other night. One of our company has a fiddle. Some play Chess some Checkers, some cards some read and some do  what they are a mind to every day. It is getting late and this must do till morning.
Saturday Morn by candlelight.
It rained all night and rains yet. Joe is feeling better. Harriett I don’t know certain as you know all I paid when I was home, so I will write who is not paid. It won’t do any harm any way. W. H. Spencer $23.29 Sellew & Popple was $7.54 and I paid $4.00 in vinegar which leaves $3.54 Jacob Becker, Dimmis Allen…
C. Robbins .63 S.F. Perrin .50
C. Becker $2.00 S.S. Southwick $10.00 Isaac Allen $5.00 and Harman Kelly 18.98 All the rest that I have on my book are crossed. We have been getting some clothing this week. All that had none have drawed Over coats [overcoats] & Blankets and have drawed socks drawers shirts & caps. All I have drawed is one cap and two flannel shirts (called) but they are part cotton but they are hard twisted even and fine cloth but were white so some of us got an old Negro to color them. All I lack in clothing is my coat or what is called jacket and Pants.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons
[envelope]
Mr. William H. Press
Gowanda Catt[araugus County]
N.Y.
[envelope reverse]
Elmira
Oct 8

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Elmira Oct 21st 1862
Dear Brother & Sister
I have a chance to send a line to Gowanda by James Matthews who expects to start tomorrow at 4 A.M. I send about a peck of Walnuts that Joe and I gathered to be left at H. H. Hookers store. I am enjoying good health but there is 7 men from this company sick who have a very comfortable house to stay in and can have who of their friends they wish to take care of them. Melissa talks of taking the Mail train tomorrow and stopping at Salamanca over night and get home Thursday night. John Matthews wife is here but will stay a little longer yet. I don’t believe we will go from here till after Election. Our Company is not yet organized and we have only 3 companies here for our Battalion. They (or the Major) of the new Battalion has tired to get several different companies but has failed. yet last week he offered a captain of an independent company $1,000 to join our Battalion but they were ordered somewhere else. I don’t know but I may come home and vote yet but there is nothing sure about it. Yesterday I saw 3 stout Farmers form Penn. a trying to hire Substitute. They told me they would pay $300.00 for Substitutes for nine months. They said they were notified that there were drafted last Saturday and they had got to appear personally or by Substitute today the 21st. They said 38 were taken from their town which was about one in three. The Official Order for the draft in our state has been issued and doubtless you have seen it, which is to take place the 10th of November. now don’t longer flatter yourselves that there will be no draft but prepare yourself to see 46 men taken from Collins. I think its 46 if not please inform me, the quota was 64 and 20 have volunteered which leaves 44 and with the final order for the draft there were five percent more added which will make 46 and a fraction. I received a letter you forwarded from Warren Fisk but did not reply for Melissa said you would write in a few days after she left but I have seen none yet. Melissa paid $9.00 for her furs and $3.50 for her Skirt. She will bring my 3 shirts that are clean, and two white handkerchiefs in that basket and some of Joe’s too. Horseheads is only five miles from here and if you want me to go and see any of your Spiritual friends there let me know it. If you or Philemon’s folks have any notice in any Spiritual papers of lectures at Horseheads or Elmira, Please let me know it. It is most nine P.M. I have sent to the P.O. hoping to get news from home. I’ll wait a little till I hear from P.O. Well must go to bed. If I get a letter tonight I can’t answer it now in this. I and some others are going tomorrow to see if we can get a job husking corn. There is lots of it within a mile yet to husk. I went Sunday alone about 3 miles and got all the Apples and Peaches I wanted. I wrote this with a pencil for I could write faster than with a pen. I see that I make some of Oses just like my Ases. If you get used to them you can read them, but if there is any you can’t read write it off and send it to me and I’ll write it over.
Kimball Pearsons

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Elmira Oct 22nd 1862
Dear Brother & Sister
Your letter came last night after I had been asleep and one from Sheldon. I sent one this morn by Jim and this goes home tomorrow by Melissa. Bela Dexter and two others & Myself have been husking corn for 2 cts per bushel a day and our dinner which was a regular formal dinner. Sheldon writes that Spring wheat is $1.00 bushel there. I guess I’ll come home again. It looks a little more favorable for getting furlough now than it has for some time past; and 8 of our boys have had furloughs to day to come back next Saturday morn at 8 A.M. If there is a chance for me I will come. I hope you may not be drafted, but you see I am afraid you would have to go in the infantry. I am close by Pennsylvania line here and I hear every day something about the draft there. I heard a farmer here say to day that 10 miles from here where he had relatives that 3 out 4 brothers were drafted in one family and so it may come there. My socks wear out some but I darn them as soon as I find a hole. I have as many as I want and I don’t know as there is anything from home I want that I can carry. I have Apples Peaches Grapes Honey and Chicks in abundance to eat, that comes in on the night express. I intend to have as good as the country affords while I am a soldiering and William if you are drafted you must look out for No. 1 and for your special information I will say that it is easier to skin than pick a chicken where you have no conveniences for scalding. To day I picked up two pods of Thorn Locust Pods and cut from the body of the tree two clusters of thorns which I send home in the Basket. I never saw any such Locust trees before; the body and branches are covered with such thorns there. Otherways they look like our kind of Locust. I don’t like the Locust trees much but these are so curious I want one or more a growing; try them. Some of the thorns are 6 times as large as the one I put in the basket. My candle is about out and I’ll adjourn till morning. Good Night.
Thursday morn. All well this morn. There I’ve got to fall in to line for roll before breakfast. All right after breakfast. I wrote a few lines in the dark but I’ve got where I can see better. Joe says tell Bill he would like to see that new horse and drive him. Harriet there is a Water Cure establishment within ½ mile of the Barracks. I have not been up to it, but I heard it was Gleasons. Will you look up this advertisement in some Journal and send to me so I can know who he is than [then] I’ll go and visit them. There is also a very large nice female Seminary in town which I intend to visit when I get my Unicorn. I think we have got a very good company of course there is a few rough ones but there has been no quarrelling in the company yet. I will send that letter I got from W.N. Fisk by Lis and I want you to send it to Edwin Harrises that they may see how near he comes to being a Millerite. Please accept this disconnected letter for what it is worth and make Lis tell all she knows.
K. Pearsons
Wm. & Harriet.
[Sideways on first page] Tell May and Ida I think they have done well picking up chestnuts and to look out and not pound their fingers cracking those Hickory nuts.

Elmira Oct 25th 1862
Dear Brother & Sister
I expect we are to leave here soon if not to day as soon as Monday or Tuesday. Some are sure we will go to day but I am not for we have been disappointed so many times. The Officers told us we would get our clothes yesterday and leave to day but we have not got them at this writing 8 o’clock A.M. but they are at the Depot. We hear that the Old Regiment is back to Gettysburg to winter where they stayed last winter and if tis so we will winter there too. If we get our clothes to day I will send my old ones to Gowanda with Joe and John to John Matthews. I have nothing to send but my coat, and pants. I shall wear my vest and carry my hat to wear when it storms or any other time. Tell my friends that are about to write me (if you know who they are) to wait till they hear from me again before they write. I have a small cold but I think I can manage it.
Yours Truly
Wm. & Harriet
Hold on Lis this aint for you. K.P.
[upside down] Thirty days from [?]
Lis just hand this over to Wm. or Hariett.
K.P.

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Elmira Wednesday Oct 29th 1862
Dear Sister
Enclosed please find ten dollars which you can use to pay my tax if tis not needed for something much more before then. We have this day been mustered in as a company and received our thirteen dollars in advance. Yesterday we got our Canteens and Haversacks; we have got all we expect here. When I get my shoulder guards or brass scales and Sabre [saber] will get some Photographs. Bela E. Dexter is at the Hospital threatened with a fever. All the rest are well or gaining.
We expect to start tomorrow for Dixie. If you have got anything especial to write you can direct to me at Elmira in care of Lieut. George Vanderbilt 10th N.Y. Cavalry and twill be forwarded to me. Yes write when you get this and not wait for another letter. I would like some Cider about as well as anything. I think I am considerable ahead on letters now and you and Wm. must write me a long one.
Yours Truly
Kimball Pearsons
Wm. & Harriett
P.S. One minute later. I sent my clothes to John Matthews you will have to pay one sixth of the expense.
K. Pearsons.
[envelope]
Mrs. Harriett A. Press
Gowanda
Catt. Co.
N.Y.