Bradford Sparrow to Parents and Brothers
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I have felt so much surer of seeing home again since I got to Jacksonville that it seems but two or three days since I wrote to you, but it has actually been a whole week yesterday.
You see that I am a little farther north this time. I am coming sure but slow
just as I can stand the journey. I am in a healthy place right on the beach
taking the sea breeze & having first rate care, & gaining strength very
fast. I have had the diarea quite bad but have got most well of it, & my
cough is lessening We get good[vituals] good enough fear any body. This moring we had cold
meat and bread & stewed tomatoes, soft cracker
& milk
or varena that is corn starch cood in milk & very thin,
this for the sickest. these things with a cup of tea, sugar & milk in it
& a boiled egg comprises our breakfast. Dinner,
Potatoes, baked beef, wheat bread, turnip sauce, boiled rice & sugar &
tea without sugar, but I like my tea the best so I put the sugar in that
& left the rice for I got enough of that in the S. Confederance I would soon
get fat on this living. Supper is always bread & butter & tea with sugar
& milk. Our ward master is a nice man does all he can for us, he is a
veteran soldier & has had much experience as ward master, he is a German,
& has been in this hospital 19 months & in the regular service 17 years.
He furnished the turnip for dinner in his ward, which
has 30 men he has paid of his own money over $2,00 for blackberries for us
because they are good for diarea. I came here on
the 9th, & expect to leave in a
day or two for Annappolis, Md, where I shall probably date my next letters. I
just heard important news, if true, War with Mexico. Jeff. Davis surrounded. I
have sumed them up & added them together & cant
tell whether it is good as bad, taken together, but then I hope you wont let
these rumors of a new war, scare you on my account for another rumor says
that Gen. Grant is going to discharge all these hospital boys but of course you have heard of it, if it is true, true or not I am
comeing home right away any how for I cant do them any good this summar,
my health wont admit of it, or my disposition either & I will risk
their asking anything of me. I cant help but think to myself whether I shall
find you all as When I last heard from you, & the same about all
friends & relatives your last letter that I received told me of the death
of little Della, H-m & Dora, W-m but am going to take Uncle Barna's motto, not borrow trouble for it will come fast
enough, one of those fine days in the last of this mouth or the first of next I
expect to as surprise myself as much as I shall you, or the boys will by
letting me see how high they have put their heads in my
absence, a nurse who has been a prisoner too just now told me his name was
James, Hutchinson, he lives Delaware, think he has an Uncle in Vt. by the name
of Isaac, H-m says he is a jolly old chap & rich, this letter you need not
answer, give my respects to all that imagined for me. Supper is ready. I must
close, much love to you all,
Yours Truly,B.P. Sparrow
P.S. I forgot to tel you what Dr gives us to strength us most beside good [rictuals] some of them get wine, some brandy but the most of [] to myself included is milk punch heavy [] these are given 3 times a day. you had better go into the poultry & daisy business fear my appetite will lessen the hospitals. Bradford