H Co 4th Regt 2nd Div 6th Army CorpsMay 12th, 1865General Hospital, Hilton Head, SC.Dear Parents & 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

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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

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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