Envelope

Miss M. J. Spafford
Upper FallsVermont

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Mansion House Hos.Alexandria VaMar. 25thMy Dear Sister.

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I will ans. your letter of the 19th which I recd the 21st to day as it has been a number of days since I have written. In the first place I will explain in regard to the furlough which you wished me to get. I would be as glad to come home and see you all, as you would be to have me, but at presen tis impossible. After our Regt left Camp G- they were encamped within about 3 miles of here, the Capt called one day to see me but was in a great hurry so only stoped a few moments. He asked me if I would not like a furlough. I told him I would.

Said he when I get back to camp I will see Surgeon Allen about it and do all I can for you, and said he I will be down to see you again in the course of a day or two. I asked him to bring me down an order when he came that I might send to father so he could draw my alotted pay, he told me he would and upon that we bid each other good day and I have not seen him since and do not expect to now for a long time for the reason that last sunday our Brigade sailed down the river. This puts the prospect of a furlough entirely out of the question A furlough must be signed by about a dozen before before it is complete. By the Regt Surgeon the Brigade Surgn the Col. Gen McClellan &c &c. You

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see our Surgn’s are with the Regt and there is no prospect at all. Those troops that go down the river cannot send letter back at present. – I was astonished to hear that Tom had enlisted. I wonder what Regt & Co he will go into. I believe he can have his choice in any of the Vt Regts & any Co if they are not already full. I would like to have him in Co. C. 4th Vt. – My money is not like to fail at present, tho’ we have not been paid for a long time, and I dont know when we shall be again. I say my money. I guess after all that is pretty well done to, but I have about $18. by me which belongs to the Co. but which I shall not hesitate to use whenever I want, and make it right

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next pay day. I have always kept Co money, sometimes more & sometimes less. Whenever they wanted any thing at the cook tent I would use this money to purchace such articles. – I am not in the house Elsworth was shot in that is in another part of the city. – There are 10 here from our Co. Geo. L. Bates of West Windsor is one of them. His brother Hen Bates is sick in the Hos. at Phil. His father heard of it and went to Phil. to see Hen. He stoped there a few days and then went back home. He had only been at home one day when he recd a letter from Geo. saying he was sick in this Hos, so he started again the next day and is here now. – He told me he saw my father

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[at] Brambles auction last fall. He is going to stop a few days until Geo. is better. He has a fever & is quite sick. –

I thought when I commenced this I would write to mother after I had to you but I guess I have answered both your letters in this so I will not write her to day. – I will write no more to day. Shall look a little for a letter from you to night. Love to all. Good buy

Ever Your Aff BrotherJo.

P.S. I am getting along very well. – Mother directed her last paper Alexandria D.C.