Letter from "Camp Banks, Georgetown Heights, 7/8/1861, Dear Friend-"  Describes camp "on the banks of the Potomac, about four miles from Washington.  Dress parade and presentation of a stand of colors. Signed "D. W. Osborne"
- from South Danvers Wizard, 7/17/1861, p. 2/6

Letter from "Lower Marlborough, 9/28/1861, Dear Friends: - While at our camp in Bladensburg, there was a current report that the towns bordering on the Pawtuxet River and Chesapeake bay were all secesh, and that they had  a number of companies ready to make an attack in the rear of Washington any time when circumstances might occur.  We also saw in the columns of a paper published in these towns, a statement that the Massachusetts First was coming down there on a reconnoitering expedition...In this town we get a great deal of information from the darkies.  We found but two Union men in the place..." Signed "D. W. Osborne"
-from South Danvers Wizard, 10/16/1861, p. 2/1

Letter from "Budd's Ferry, Md. 11/26/1861, Dear Friend -"  Describes encampment on the banks of the Potomac within a few miles of Aquia Creek.  "The rebels occupy the other side."  Describes shelling on both sides of creek..."We are very busy now in building log houses and making preparations for our winter quarters.  The weather is very cold; it makes us blow our fingers when we take hold of our muskets to go out to drill mornings.  I shall be glad when peace is declared...." Signed "D. W. Osborne"
-from South Danvers Wizard, 12/11/1861, p. 2/1

Returned - "The glorious old Massachusetts First has returned - or a remnant of it.  They went out with a little rising a thousand, have had 1200 recruits, and now return with about half of these, six hundred.  South Danvers furnished five men for this regiment, and of these two. Harrison Whittemore and George B. Midler returned with them; David W. Osborne was discharged; George W. Gray was wounded and discharged and Robert Andrews is missing."
from South Danvers Wizard, 6/1/1864, p. 2/1