Letter No 30Brandy Station VaApril 25th/64Dear Parents & Brothers;

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It is a nice spring morning, sunshine & warm that I seat myself to answer your letter dated the 20th which I rec'd last night.

My health is good I got entirely well of some days ago so that I feel better more than ever before, dont have any fears about my healths fairling me this summer, for marching wont come so hard on me as it did last [] for I am stronger & better able to carry a lead than I was then, you spoke about sending a box of stuff. I do not wish to have you, for my appetite is good & what I get tastes good to me, besides we shall probably move very soon. Gen. Meade

is going to move his headquarters to Culpepper to morrow, that is not far off but I presume the whole army will move forward some, we shall have to move camp as soon as it gets to be very warm any way so as to get onto some fresh ground the snow is all off the mountains now & the chilly winds of a week ago have given place to warm ones, we went out target shooting saturday, fired at a mark 20 inches in diameter 300 or 400 yds, off fired without resting & there was a strong wind that took us broadside. I did not hit it but hit the ground at the foot of the stake & a little one side two or three times fired six times, have not fired a gun before since. I left Vt. Lieut. Gen. Grant reviewed this corps last week. I did not see him to see how he looked.

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I sent you my picture, the last time I wrote have you got it, I could not get a Photograph. I rec'd a couple of papers from you about a week ago. I never have had any letter form Harlan French. I do not get any war news except the Red river expedition & the massacre at Fort Pillow, such kind of war fare as that cannot prosper long, the President will [] on prisoners, there is an opportunity offered all through this army now for privates & non-commissioned officers to get take commissions in black regts if the can pass examination, they are examined first here at corps head quarters, if they pass they are sent to a military school in Philadelphia for 30 days & after which they are examined again by the military board at Washington

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& granted such commissions as they are capable of filling, there is one going from this company, a private, he is well posted intachies for a Col. I think he will be sure to get a Captains berth.

Ira is here yet, he is about the same Len. Davis has got a furlough of 15 days, do you know what reg't Sans Firk is going into, & have you heard from [] Parkes lately. I have heard that butter is worth 50 cts a pound in Vt, is it true.

I have not heard from Mass since I wrote to you last, you say that I even hes got to be quite a large boy, I dont expect that I shall know him as Eddie when I come to see them. I hope I shall see them before another year. I dont know how to answer curtises letter only he must write again when he gets his new clothes made. if Eddie can chop off a big log he can write me another letter I guess & Hiram to.

Good ByeBP Sparrow