St. Helena island
Port Royall S C
March
26 [1863]
Dear Aunt i will
now Pen you a few Lines to
Let you know that i got a
Letter from you Last night
and i was glad to have one
from you i have got out of
Paper and Envelopes or i
Should write oftener i Shall
write to Mrs Drake Just as
Soon as i get Paid of[f] we are
haveing Splendid wether here
the trees are in Bloom and it
is Like June i Should Like
to Be at home and Plant
your garden this spring i Suppose
you Live in the Same Place
is that dog of Cushings there
now She was a hard one
[Page 2]
i am sorry that Mother and
Father are So Bad of[f] i wish
that Something Could Be done
for them Frank ought to Be
enlisted in the army or navy
i hope that he will Be drafted
Mother has Stood it Longer than
i thought She would But
i hope that She will get
Better this Spring well
Speaking of nigers Regt i
dont Care how many they
Put in the feild the more
the Better that is the most
inteligent But i Say Put white
officrs over them as a general
thing they are Lazy dogs and
want driving the Rebels use
them for all kinds of work
and we ought to do the
Same and you know that
i have had a good Chance
[Page 3]
to know all about them out
here i think that it would
Be a good idea to Send about
two Million Blacks to Liberria
they Say that Col Higinson
has got a good Regt of Blacks
the fact is i go in for
anything that will Put
down this Rebellion i dont
ask for Peace to give in to
the Rebels Like the Copper-
Heads But i Should Like
to have it done up quick and
Come home But if Some
other Nation Put there nose
in then it will Be worse
But i hope it wont Be So
we had a great Review
to day By gen Hunter it
was a Splendid Sight i
wish you Could See it
By the way gen Hunter
[Page 4]
Put me in mind
of gen Cushing he Looks
Like him Smart Looking
officer well i will
Close give my Love to
Mrs Drake and her
family and Hatty
and keep a Share
for your Self
Hopeing to Be with
you all once more
i Remain your
Nephew Joseph Barlow