Letter No. 3Long Island Boston HarborSept. 9th/63Parents & Brothers

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Yours of the 5th was rec’d with pleasure Monday eve. It brought some news that I was very much surprised to hear. I mean the way the election turned, no wonder you had a warm time but I should suppose any man would disgrace himself enough to fight for either candidate I should be ashamed to own that I supported either [] I think that white [] will make splendiferans show in the representatives hall. You may be sure that the interests of the town will be well looked after & all questions of importance decided the way

the hero of Elmore, that great asator throws his weight & convincing arguments into the balance.

I tell you Uncle Washington services will not be needed. I was glad to hear that Charley was better. You wished to know if I got some good shirts. I did get some that will wear well I guess they are rather coarse & picked like [] for a few days but now they are as comfortable as cotton shirts, they are knit shirts; I have some drawers just like them. I have not got my coat yet, [] a blouse so I shall not have [] for the present, but I have clothes enough to make me comfortable. We fare the hardest here of any place I have been in. We have good bakers bread & that is all that is good but we get only one loaf a day, which is

enough for only 2 meals this I seasch & it is better yet, we have 2 cups of coffee a day & meat & soup [] as it happens that I don’t eat much of. The old soldiers say it is not half as good as army rations & not half as much of it, but I have gained in flesh 3 [] all are longing to get away, then there is no knowing where we shall go there are rumors that we shall go to Alexandria, Charleston, Texas, New York so we cannot tell but one thing certain we shall go into the 4th Vt reg’t. I think it has some [] good officers the [] quite a number less [] drills we shall probably leave here some time next week you might answer this for it will follow me. I wrote to Uncle Addison when I first came here & rec’d an answer when I did yours he said

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they were all tolerable smart he said that Philip was accepted as an able bodied man and he felt real bad, he said he thought he was on the Island here but I could not find him. He said that if I staid here 2 or 3 weeks he would try & come & see me I wrote back to him yesterday. He says crops look promising & fruit is plenty. Ira has been quite unwell but has got smart again now. Wm Swift is hearty as a buck & tough as a knot he says he is going to write home to day. Mr. Wakefield wrote us [] letter I do not think of any thing more to write so good bye for this time

Yours TrulyB.P. Sparrow