Camp Near Berlin Md. July 2 16th 1863My Dear Sister,

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Thinking so much of the 23d of July, you see I came near dating my letter ahead to that time, never mind I can soon date my letters that way, & have them correct.

I shall not probarbly write you many more letters before I come home, as we have only six days longer to serve the U.S.

I wrote you yesterday from Williamsport, or near there, but as there is no certainty of all my letters reaching you I write every time I can do so conveniently if it be every day.

We are about two miles from Berlin, which place is a few

miles below Harpers Ferry. We left Williamsport yesterday morning at 5 o’clock & marched to within about 8 miles of this place where we encamped for the night & came on to here this morning. We are encamped here; regularly encamped. The “big bugs” have their wall tents pitched, which is a thing that has not been done before since we got to Gettysburg, and that together with other symptoms makes me think it possible that we remain here for a day or two, tho’ we may not. It is not probarble that this army will do any thing more at present except to cover Washington; if we could not finish the “Johnnys” (as the boys all call the rebs) here on this good fighting ground it would be worse than folly to follow them into the mountains with a tired

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Army. We shall be releived from duty with the Army of the Potomac the 23d day of July & probarbly not before, or at least not more than one or two days before, so you see we shall not get to Brattleboro much before the 1st of Aug. Our valises & things are along all right as yet, so we shall probarbly not lose them now. Have you had those pants made yet? If you have you can send them down to B. when you hear we are coming, by some one that will come down to see the Regt. come in. Prehaps father will meet us there if he is not to busy, or Charley Jones may come down.

I have recd no mail since we were at South Mt. Pass, the latest date of the letters I recd there

was July 2d, the day before the fight at G. All the boys are feeling pretty well. Az stands grief better than any one would have thought he would, guess he will get round home all right, so the “mess” will not be entirely broken up.

That riot in N.Y. is an awful thing, its to bad, it will look so bad abroad. O, how we would like to have been there with the 2d Vt. Brigade. They ought to adopt the Napoleon Style and then give them the grape. Kill them every one.

I will write no more this time. Love to all.

Your Aff Brother Joseph Spafford

P.S. Had warm bisquit (how do you spell it?) & butter & blackberry pie for dinner, going to have the same for supper, & breakfast.
J.S.