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have felt the cold more than for the last three winters—But I reckon I have said enough on this point—Pete

the highest old weather exhibition I ever witnessed—snow fell two inches thick in 15 minutes Dear Pete

Dear Pete, I don't think I shall stay here as long as I originally intended—I shall be back by or before

Sun Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 4[–5] March [1872]

Whitman pasted this newspaper clipping onto the third page of his letter to Doyle.

Pete, a bad month past, with me, but might have been worse—Bad spells frequent—strength, however, pretty

Price Elizabeth Lorang Kathryn Kruger Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 26 February

This postcard bears the address, "Pete Doyle, | M st. South—bet 4½ & 6th | Washington, D.C."

The four brief postcards to Doyle in February 1875 were written on Fridays, and the discussion of his

Dear Pete, Here I am yet, in my big chair in the parlor—I am up & around, but not very well—I am having

Pete there is nothing new—I got your last letter—have rec'd letters from Mrs.

puts me in better spirits—good bye for present, my dear loving son— Your Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

Camden N J Dec 13 —(1876) Dearest Pete, I ought to have written to you before—but I believe lazy & listless

ones know well is more chance & accident (I mean the victory in battles) than it is generalship— —Pete

how many of my books are sent for from Ireland — Love to you dearest son— Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

Dear Pete, Your letters of 10th and 12th have come safe, & are welcome—dear son, I see you are hard at

first (I don't know but the very first) of the railroad men there I got acquainted with, & rode with—Pete

Well, Pete, dear loving boy, I must now close for to-day. Walt. late Friday afternoon Sept. 16.

for changes to this file, as noted: Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

This piece of correspondence is addressed, "Peter Doyle | Conductor, | Office | Wash. & Georgetown City

In his September 6, 1870 letter to Doyle, Whitman expressed support for the Prussian cause, labeling

1865 71 Brooklyn, Friday, July 14. 1867 or '8 Dear Pete, It is pretty much the same with me, as when

them—something new, to me, it quite set me up to see such chaps, all dusty & worn, looked like veterans— Pete

alone, none of my sisters being home at present—she is much better this morning, under my doctoring— —Pete

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 14 July 1871

This letter is addressed: Peter Doyle | Conductor, | Office Wash. & Geo. City RR.

and returned to Washington on July 31; see Whitman's July 16–21, 1871 and July 28, 1871, letters to Doyle

Dear boy Pete, I felt bad enough to hear of the death of Bill Barnes —& in such a sudden, cruel way—poor

which, (if so,) he has left—but was parted from quite a while ago— —Pete, so your shirts came all safe

off the cars, here & in Philadelphia—they are nearly all young fellows—it all help helps along—Well Pete

Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 12 December [1873]

Dear boy Pete, Your letter, with cheering wishes & prophecies came last Tuesday—God bless you, boy—for

paralysis—in the paper this morning I see a piece about his body being resurrected from potter's field— —Pete

Pete the papers you sent came last Monday all right—I have rec'd a letter from Chas Eldridge—& another

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 5 September [1873]

For Whitman's opinion of Hickman, see the letter from Whitman to Doyle of September 12, 1873.

Aug 28 1873 Camden Thursday evening Pete, dear son, I am not sinking nor getting worse—I have had some

September number of Scribner's Magazine, just out, in which I am extracted from—Pete, it is now towards

there—I want to get a couple of unfurnished rooms, or top floor, somewhere on or near the car route—Pete

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, [14–15 August 1873]

Towner (as Whitman meant to write) was a clerk in the Treasury Department; see Whitman's letter to Doyle

September Dear son Pete, Your letter of yesterday came this forenoon—that was a rather serious runaway

of cars in the tunnel a week ago—& mighty lucky to get off as you all did—Pete I got a few lines from

brass, a lot of fat young Dutchmen, blowing as if they would burst, & making a hell of a hullabaloo— Pete

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 26 September [1873]

Dear son Pete, I am still doing as well as when I last wrote—I have many alternations, but upon the whole

was near here—poor fellow, he used always to stop a minute at the window, & talk off hand & cheerful—Pete

day—(My appetite is pretty fair, but I must have just the things I want, cant can't eat any others)—Pete

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 24 October [1873]

Dear boy Pete, Your letter came all right last Tuesday.

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 19 September [1873]

October 31 . 1873 1874 or 5 Dear boy Pete, My condition remains about the same—I don't get ahead any

little islands in the middle, which sometimes we steer between, & sometimes go round—Then these nights Pete—last

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 31 October [1873]

This letter is addressed: Peter Doyle, | M street South | bet 4½ & 6th | Washington | D. C.

Oct 9 Dear Pete, It is splendid here this forenoon—bright and cool.

rode the trip I describe with a friend, on a 5th Avenue stage, No. 26—a sort [of] namesake of yours, Pete

Yours for life, dear Pete, (& death the same).

Price Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 9 October [1868]

Doyle's letter of October 5, 1868 contained gossip about Washington.

Calhoun was involved in a street car altercation reported in Whitman's June 21–23, 1871 letter to Doyle

In his October 2, 1868 letter to Doyle, Whitman responded to Henry Hurt's request for information about

Dear boy, I am about the same—consider myself improving, if any thing, though slowly enough—Pete I will

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 2 January [1874]

Miller's example in adopting the dates assigned by Whitman's executors to the correspondence addressed to Doyle

Miller notes that all except one of the letters were written on Fridays, and most of them referred to Doyle's

Dear Son Pete, Here I sit again by the heater in the parlor, writing my weekly letter—I have just had

Walt Pete I will probably send the shirts early next week by express Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 28

1929 north 22d street Philadelphia Wednesday June 20 —1877 Dear, dear boy Pete I am stopping here now

wood & creek & springs, where I pass my time alone, & yet not lonesome at all (often think of you Pete

visit this fall—& now good bye for this time, my own loving boy— Your Old Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

See the letter from Whitman to Peter Doyle of October 9, 1868.

Pete I thought I would send you a little change enclosed—all I have by me to-day—(but I have plenty at

Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 19 January [1874]

Aug. 29–1874 Dear Pete, I still remain about the same, & with nothing to write about in the way of my

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, [1874?]

Jersey Friday afternoon Jan January 30, 2 o'clock Dear Pete, I am having another of my bad spells to-day—but

say it is quite a success, & they are introducing them in other cities—but it will get played out— —Pete

be together, & have good times just being with each other, no matter how poor Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

This letter is addressed: Pete Doyle, | M street south | bet 4½ & 6th | Washington, | D. C.

8th letter Oct. 14 Dear boy Pete, There is great excitement here over the returns of yesterdays elections

Dear Pete I hope this will find you well & in good spirits. Dear boy, I send you my love.

So long, Pete.

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 14 October [1868]

Doyle's October 9, 1868 letter contained gossip about Washington friends.

Whitman's October 17, 1868 letter to Peter Doyle detailed this visit.

dearest comrade, & with more calmness than when I was there—I find it first rate to think of you, Pete

Pete, I hope this will find you entirely well of your cold.

Price Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 25 September 1868

Since Walt Whitman's first two letters to Peter Doyle are not extant, this is the beginning of an extensive

Doyle, however, had written on the day Walt Whitman had sent his first letter.

Doyle's letter of September 18, 1868 is characteristic.

The name is spelled Hassett in Whitman's October 9, 1868 letter to Doyle.

assasinate the President but i dont think there is any truth in the report all the boys send their love Pete

Price Elizabeth Lorang Janel Cayer Peter Doyle to Walt Whitman, 14 October [1868]

friend I am having quite a good spell to-day, (if it only lasts)—I wish you, in conjunction with Peter Doyle

West, here—put duplicate directions on—& send by Adams express—I write to-day to Peter Doyle, same request

Pete put the things in the trunk for me, & will know about them.

This letter and his October 13, 1873 letter to Peter Doyle indicate that Whitman had abandoned his plans

cheerful a heart as possible—& as for the way things finally turn out, leave that to the Almighty— —Pete

Pete didn't you get my last Saturday's postal card? I wrote you one.

Nash, Wash Milburn, & the RR boys— Your old Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 10 July [1874]

Oct 6 Dear Pete, There is nothing special with me to write to you about.

So long, dear Pete. From your loving comrade.

Price Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 6 October [1868]

Doyle concurred in Walt Whitman's opinion in his letter of October 9, 1868: "i think your description

See Doyle's letter of October 1, 1868.

Dear Pete, It has been a good move of me coming here, as I am pleasantly situated, have two rooms on

morning—but it will pass over, no doubt—It is warm weather here, days, but pleasant nights so far—Pete

letter if he wishes—Write how you are getting along— good bye, dear son, Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

This letter is addressed: Peter Doyle | M street south, | bet 4½ & 6th | Washington, D. C.

Dear Pete, Dear son, I rec'd your letter the first of the week, & was interested in your acc't account

feeling pretty bad, my head unsettled and dizzy—I don't go out any more—but am up & dressed— —Still Pete

re-written my will —What little I have to leave I have left mainly to my lame brother Ed, poor man—Pete

But I have been up all day, & eat quite a breakfast, and quite a bite for dinner— Pete I have written

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 3[–4] October [1873]

According to Clara Barrus, Whitman also made a will on May 16, in which he bequeathed a silver watch to Doyle

Dear Pete, Dear son, I received your second letter to–day, also the Star.

I believe that is all for to–night, as it is getting late—Good night, Pete—Good night, my darling son—here

tomorrow, I will imagine you with your arm around my neck saying Good night, Walt—& me—Good night, Pete

for changes to this file, as noted: Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

The envelope is addressed "Peter Doyle, | conductor, | Office | Wash. & Georgetown City RR.

Henry Shedd, the driver of the streetcar (#14) on which Doyle was the conductor.

, I shall return on Monday next, in the 12:30 train from Jersey city—(the train I usually come in) Pete

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 28 July [1871]

Pete, how are you getting along—I suppose on 14 the same as when I was there—I see by the papers that

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 14 June [1872]

Dear boy Pete, It is a very fine September day here—it must be delightful down in Virginia—the sun shines

My appetite still holds out—& my sister cooks very nice, gets me what I want— Pete your letter of 8.

Dubarry & you, & what he said about the schedule &c—I see you are a little nervous , Pete—& I dont don't

hear from my substitute —He writes me now & then—does my work very well, & more work besides,—Dear Pete

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 12 September [1873]

Whitman had trouble with the spelling of Hawkinson's name; see the letter from Whitman to Doyle of May

For Whitman's opinion of Hickman, see the letter from Whitman to Doyle of September 12, 1873.

So long, Pete, dear boy, Walt 1875? Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 29 August [1873?]

executors' assignment of this letter to 1875 seems questionable for the following reasons: in a letter to Doyle

it—though I think it is bad for me, & I hope much more from the cool season, if I get through this— Pete

steamboat— —If you was only here to convoy me—but I suppose no one is to have every thing wanting—(Pete

found him good company, & was glad to see him—he has been twice—so you see there are good souls left— —Pete

Pete you must read this over Sunday, as a ten minutes' talk like, about all sorts of odds & ends Walt

Whitman to Peter Doyle, 1 August [1873]

We had a good time here last night when Wallace read to us extracts from your letters to Pete Doyle which

Despite his status as a veteran of the Confederate Army, Doyle's uneducated, youthful nature appealed

limited the time the two could spend together, their relationship rekindled in the mid-1880s after Doyle

After Whitman's death, Doyle permitted Richard Maurice Bucke to publish the letters Whitman had sent

For more on Doyle and his relationship with Whitman, see Martin G.

Murray, "Doyle, Peter," Walt Whitman: An Encyclopedia, ed. J.R. LeMaster and Donald D.

: a rather remarkable composition: Doyle with a sickly smile on his face: W. lovingly serene: the two

C. 1865—Walt Whitman & his rebel soldier friend Peter Doyle."

Then again: "Tom, you would like Pete—love him: and you too, Horace: you especially, Horace—you and Pete

, has very good cause for being: Pete is a master character."

He asked after From a Photograph WALT WHITMAN AND HIS REBEL SOLDIER FRIEND, PETE DOYLE (1889)Reproduction

Dear Pete, I have not heard from you now for nine days.

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 22 August 1870

Jersey, May 1–2 p.m. 1874 Dear Pete, I have been out halting around for a walk, as it is quite pleasant

Your old Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 1 May [1874]

The allusion to the Ashtons, who had recently lost a child (see the letter from Whitman to Doyle of April

Dear Pete, dear son, I am sitting here in my room again writing to you—there is no particular change

Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 14 November [1873]

and me poor poor matt good bie dear keep up your spirits and hope for the best what a good fellow pete

Pete is i have had quite a lot of correspondence from new york New York concerning your condition our

Walt befriended Peter Doyle (1843–1907), a horsecar conductor in Washington, around 1865.

Though Whitman informed Doyle of his flirtations with women in their correspondence, Martin G.

Murray affirms that "Whitman and Doyle were 'lovers' in the contemporary sense of the word."

Doyle assisted in caring for Whitman after his stroke in January 1873.

See Murray, "Pete the Great: A Biography of Peter Doyle."

Dear Pete, whatever happens, in such ups & downs, you must try to meet it with a stout heart.

for changes to this file, as noted: Elizabeth Lorang Zachary King Eric Conrad Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

Riker, president of the Washington & Georgetown Railroad, for which Doyle worked.

Dear son Pete, By accident your usual letter was not sent to P.O. so that you could get it Saturday—which

hour or two does me real good—he has a wife, daughter & son, all good—I go Sunday evenings to tea—Pete

around Washington so much—Well, good bye for this time, dear loving boy— Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

Doyle came from Virginia.

Dear Son Pete, Nothing very new with me—I continue about the same—my general strength the best it has

presents of good wine—& I drink it occasionally, half water—but this time I have taken a little extra)— —Pete

fire, & you with me as often as possible, I should be comparatively happy Walt— Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

The nature of the barroom brawl (see the letter from Whitman to Doyle of November 28, 1873) is not ascertainable

Pete I told you about a young railroad man, Tom Osler, 26 years old, that I met occasionally & talked

Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 16[–17] October [1873]

This letter is addressed: Peter Doyle | M street south | bet 4½ & 6th | Washington | D. C.

Rob Evans; see the letter from Whitman to Doyle of October 9–10, 1873.

Dear boy Pete, I have been looking for you the last two days & nights—but I have about given you up now

Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle, 26 December [1873]

Friday—2 p.m. 1875 or '6 Dear Pete, Nothing special to write you, about myself, or any thing else, this

that little dictionary I promised you— So long, my loving son, Your old Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

only clue to the date is the reference to the dictionary, which Whitman mentioned in his letter to Doyle

Louis Missouri Nov 5 Dear Pete You will be surprised to get a letter from me away off here—I have been

for me before long)—Shall stay here probably two or three weeks longer, & then back east to Camden— Pete

this city don't agree with me—I have not had a well day, (even for me,) since I have been here— —Well Pete

goes, you must try to keep up a good heart—for I do— So long—from your old Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

Picture of W. and Peter Doyle: the two sitting gazing into each other's eyes, a picture which O'Connor

And when I said it was he went on, "I know it is good of Pete—it is first-rate: the best I have," etc

., and he exclaimed, "Dear Pete!

short letter as my car is going [to] start & i want [to] put this in the mail good bye My Dear friend Pete

i will write a long one next Sunday as i am off Peter Doyle to Walt Whitman, [9 October 1868]

Doyle may be referring to Whitman's letter of October 9, 1868, in which the poet chronicles his observation

Whitman sent Hart publicity puffs for insertion in the Washington Daily Morning Chronicle; see Doyle's

chicken & nice roast potatoes—& now (2½) up stairs in my room writing this, & feeling very fair— O Pete

mothers is interesting to me— —Give my love to Mr & Mrs Nash— Your loving old Walt Walt Whitman to Peter Doyle

Nash were old Washington friends of Whitman and Doyle.