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Tuesday, February 14, 2023

Pete and Walt


Peter Doyle was born in Ireland in 1843, emigrating to America at age 10.  After deserting from 
the Confederate Army in 1863, he got a job as a streetcar driver on a Washington route frequently 
used by Walt Whitman who was a volunteer nurse at an Army hospital.  The two became very 
close, and are considered by most historians to have been lovers, but they eventually parted, 
probably because of Walt's conflicted feelings about his sexuality.  Pete's niece and grandniece 
both described him as a homosexual and Whitman's lover.  The photo above is a lesser known one 
from 1865, and below is a bit of text from an interview quoting Pete on his memories of Walt:


A raglan is a type of shirt with reversed seams.  Oh, how I know that feeling.  It's been over three years, and I still get out my beloved Bear's favorite shirt and hold it.  True love never dies.

The photo below is better known and shows how they felt about each other.




 

4 comments:

  1. There is a similar scene in both the book and film of Brokeback Mountain.

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    Replies
    1. Yes, there is. I didn't know about Pete's quote until I put this series together, and it left me wondering if it inspired the movie scene.

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  2. Voitre histoire est touchante a propos de Monsieur Bear.
    J'ai un peignoir qui appartenu a Guenhael et ca me la ramene.
    Je pense que beaucoup de gens font cela.
    Si je pouvais vous ramener Monsieur Bear, je le ferais.


    Gentilhomme a Paris

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    Replies
    1. Thank you, Mr. GP. You are not only a gentleman, but a kind and sweet person.

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