Bradford Sparrow to Alner D. Sparrow
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I rec'ed you letter No. 12. 4 days after it was mailed & the mittens at the
same time, they fitted exactly. I have wore them onceout on a []sion
drill. I dont believe my hands will freeze now. I wrote to you the same day, I
recd your letter but my letter sent out in the after noon & yours came in in
the evening that is the way the mail you, you said Mr. Bishop would start in
& weeks & you was, going to send my thing by him. I wrote in my last
what to send but if you get this before he starts you may send all the clothing
but nothing else for we have got to have another campaign I guess or finish the
last, & that will be load enough to carry (unless you are an mind to part in
ache-e-se same as Lewis says). all the boxes that had been sent by to Washington
for the boys
this fall came to the regiment yesterday, some of them
had lots of good things but we expected to move this morning & they
had to sell most all of it, it was a day of feasting here, I got
half a pound of Vt cheese & it tasted altogether different from any I ever
bought of the [] there was a good many boots sent, about everyone that
had a box had a pair boots, one fellow had a box of 9 pairs he sold them all for
$8.00 a pair, they were kipt boots, double soled & taped, &
bottoms mailed in different ways heals so had a [], not of sugar in cakes & a box of honey put up in round tin cans
he sold all be for night at a high price before night, the more I think about
having some such stuff sent the more I think I shall, the sutter come
last night with a load he sold it all the vetables except a few cookies
before morning, I got 6 or 8 apples that took my fancy as well as
anything. I got some pickles that went well with my bread this morning.
you was worrying or seemed to be because I had a diarhea, that I
think I have sent the worst of as soon we got fairly settled down here and they
got the railroad fixed we had soft bread, beans
& potatoes to eat fact of the time then, I where I have
whole some food I am all right but since I was sick my stomach has been to weak
to eat hard crackers & pork much, it is growing stronger now, it will bear
it better now when I have the diarhea I get a piece of cheese if I can that
binds me up. I am better to day than I was yesterday, I have had no []
since I recd my bounty money, but it is past pay day now & we are expecting
it every day, if it runs a long until the next pay day which is I am 1st I shall
be destitute of money, if I get paid before long I am all right, the
postage on my mittens was 10 cts others, have had htem sent & it cost $30,
it was less
than I expected. Ira says he did not write you any
letters, I told you he had but it was a mistake I misunderstood him,
after he see me he did not write because I was able & had one partly
written, Ira is quite unwell yet I dont know what to think of him. I wish you
would look out, for that provision & if I get paid off this hitch I
can send the money to buy it with, but if I dont & you are short for money I
will let go until next pay day. I shant have it sent until cold weather any way.
Ira has had a letter from Nathan lately he said his Father was going send him a
pair boots by Mr. Bishop Is there any disturbance in Vt about the draft.
I heard to night there was but did not believe it, where is Mr. Wakefield, when
he wrote me on Leony I he thought he should come out here when it was could
weather, show does Jimmy of get along with his draft, have you got the pine all
cut & is it worth as much as Frank Cellery was to
give you,
Yours TrulyB. P. Sparrow