St [??????] [maryland?]
June 26th [1861]
Dear wife I got your letter
this morning, and was glad to
hear from you, I wrote to
Sarah yesterday, she says she
is going home the 4th of July
I suppose we shall spend
our 4th here we have not
got paid off yet, for thousand
troops have passed through
here within 4 days for
Washington our times is fast
drawing to a close, we shall
probably be off by the 15th of
July I hope so, Capt Bartlett
has started for home this
morning, he will be absent
10 days, he went without
letting us know he was
going, mean enough
[Page 2]
some of them will get
a blessing when we get
home I tell you, John
Merrills [1] letter says that
a Box is coming out I hope
that Rent Perley will
not send anything for
the company will not
get it, I suppose you see
that card in the Herald
the Boys dont now
what it means but I
guess the officers do now
But I will Say no more
about it now kiss the
children for me give
my love to all, I will
send you some mony if
I ever get paid of[f], is
John Pike doing
anything now
[Page 3]
I should like to hear
Lizzy talk and hug her up
I have got a Short [cut?]
on my [hat?] you have
got my picture before
now I will get one
taken for for hattie if I
can get a chance, I am
sick of hearing
about Westcotts company
I wish they could get
off, we are going to
have a band here we
have got a drum corpse,
but I must close by
saying god bless you

Joseph Barlow

I wash my
feet often in the brook

[2] my love to Father and
Mother