Dear Father,

I am as well as usual and am enjoying myself as much as anybody could. I was examined the day we came out here and everyone that I have seen passed the examination except Elder Whiting, and he was thrown out. We are boarding at Stevens Hotel and will not leave here until next Monday. A lot of the boys have gone home and will be at Friendship next Monday to go to Portage. As for me, you need not worry any for I shall take care of myself. It rained last nite and this afternoon. There is no news that I have heard of and there is nothing going on, so I will stop for the present.

Yours truly,

Israel Spencer

Portage Falls, September 7, 1862

Dear Father,

As it is Sunday I thought I would write you a few lines to let you know that I am all right and so is Fred. We have been here 3 days and like it first rate. There was on regiment here when we came but it went to Washington yesterday and now there are three companies left. They say we shall get our uniforms this week but no pay until we are ready to start away. As for me, I shall come home when I get my clothes if I can get a furlough and money to come with.

I have been on guard twice since I came here. As for eatables, we have coffee, potatoes, beef and baker's bread, and sometimes we get butter. I was down at the falls today and went in swimming. That is about all, and so I will close.

Yours truly,

I.P. Spencer

Direct to Camp Portage in care of Captain Cole, or you need not write until you hear from em again for it may not reach me.

Camp Portage, September 9, 1862

Dear Father,

As I have just come from dress parade and the Captain said he did not believe any of the men could go home after next Monday on furlough and all that wanted to go now could. I shall come home, but not until I get my uniform, and I will stay at least two days. However, I am about out of money, at least, I have not enough to carry me home and will will not get anymore until we are ready to start for Washington.

I am enjoying myself and so are the rest of the boys. John Crandall and Alvin White are corporals. M.M. Loyden is first lieutenant. The other lieutenants's name is John Webster. The other officers I do not know well enough to tell their names.

As for some money, if you can send me three or four dollars it will be alright.

From your son,

I.P. Spencer

Fairfax Court House, Va October 1, 1862

Dear Father,

As today is Saturday and this afternoon is set aside for washing and cleaning up, I thought I would let y ou know how I am getting along. I am well and so is Fred. There are a good many that are sick and last night one dead man was taken to Washington in the ambulance. He died of typhoid fever. He was in Company E I think, but I do not know his name.

Today I have written to Mort, besides washing my shirt, drawers and stockings, I guess they are clean.

Reuben Fish shot his finger off in the joint. He is doing well. You spoke of desertion in this company. There are two, Charles Harmon and H. Churchill. They were both from Cuba and Harmon was a sergeant and Churchill a coporal. They went while we were at Portage and after they had gotten their bounty, but I guess there has been nothing done towards getting them. One of them had $20 of A. Mead with which to buy a revolver, but Mead never received it.

They say that we shall get our pay next week, as the paymaster is here and the payroll is being made out. You spoke of my owing William Cranston. The amount is 63 cents, and if he says its more don't pay him anything. Money is scarce and its more scarce in my pocket and postage stamps are scarcer.

There is no news of any consequence here. Yesterday I saw Secretary Staton and his girl, and she is darn good looking. Last night there was firing of cannon for about one-half an hour down towards Centerville. The next time you see John Beers, tell him if he don't write to me he will get a good flogging when I get home.

This is all for the present.

Your son,

Israel

Direct as before.

In Camp near Thoroughfare Gap, Oct. 4, 1862

Dear Father,

Today as we are not on the march and I will try to tell you what a time we have had.

We left Fairfax day before yesterday and marched with knapsack, pack, overcoat, tent and clothes we marched about seven miles and stopped to rest. We stayed there twenty minutes and were up again and started and went about three miles. We camped about one mile beyond Centerville. Some of the boys pitched their tents and some of them laid down on the ground. We got up in the morning and one we went, passing Bull Run about nine o'clock. I saw a lot of cannon balls, some shells and lot of graves. Some of the boys picked up an arm cut off at the elbow with the fingers drawn up and some decayed. But to go on, we passed through Gainersville and on through Haymarket. While going through Haymarket some of the boys stopped and went into a house and threw out a lot of rebel clothing and knapsacks and everything that you could think of that the rebels left here yesterday morning.

Our cavalry had a brush with them and drove them five miles beyond the gap and on to the devil for what I care. We stopped about two miles from the gap and pitched our tents and expected to go on this morning, but we have not moved yet.

There have not been any Union troops through here in a good while. Our men hold the gap now. There are six regiments of infantry and six batteries of artillery and I guess they will hold it. I am all right and most of the boys are also, but I am somewhat sore from carrying my knapsack. We must go out on battilion drill this afternoon. This is about all I can think of now. If you can read this you will do better than I can.

Yours truly,

Israel Spencer

Camp Seward, October 5, 1862

Dear Father,

I am all right and still on top of Virginia soil. We got here yesterday, coming five miles after four o'clock. There is no news here nor anything else except soldiers and mules. There are about 100,000 soldiers within four miles of here in tents. Last night all of our regiment had to sleep on the ground and you had better believe there were not many but what did sleep. As for me, I slept like a log. This is about all I can think of now.

Yours truly,

I.P.Spencer

Camp Seward, October 6, 1862

Dear Father,

Having been told to keep still by the doctor on account of a swollen leg, I thought I would write you a few lines to pass away the time. We are on Arlington Heights overlooking the city of Washington. All around are entrenchments and guns. There is one ditch within ten rods and four brass 12-pounders. They were put there right after the last Bull Run fight.

It is reported that there was a rebel general in Washington yesterday to settle up this affair, and it is ordered not to drill the new regiments now.

As for the way we came here, we got our arms at Elmira and started about eleven o'clock and away we went for Dixie. At nearly every town we had to stop about an hour and the men would get off the train and then when the trail was ready to start the men had to run like the devil to catch up. One was left behind and one man of our company lost his cap. At Baltimore we stopped for supper and had a fine old time all along the road. From Williamsport guards are stationed to protect the railroad. Our guns are the Enfield rifles. Where the 23rd New York is I do not know. This is all for the present.

Direct to Israel P. Spencer, 136th Reg. Company A, N.Y. Volunteers.