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From: Phil C. <philsuse...@fsmail.net>
Newsgroups: soc.genealogy.britain,alt.genealogy
Subject: Re: handwriting help needed
Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 11:18:24 +0100
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On Mon, 9 Jun 2008 23:23:34 +0000 (UTC), Dennis Ahern
<ah...@world.std.com> wrote:

>
>I've increased the sample to show the entire page. 
>
>See http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~macacton/sample.jpg
>
>The text I have so far is as follows:
>
>                                          Washington D C April 20/61
>           Dear Unkle     I now take this Oppitunity to
>     write to you to Let you know that i still
>     Live  i am now in the White house in the Gallery
>     over the Senate Chamber  Charles & Bill & Little Bill
>     are here we are all Prety well After So Long a Journey
>     we arrived here Last Night 15 of 6 tired and hungry
>     we had quite a Little Brush at Baltimore  we lost 3
>     of our men.  they Lost 8 of the Rebels they
>     throwed Stones into the Cars and tore up the Track
>     But as soon as we fired they Scattered  we are
>     now waiting for Orders whitch i do not [k]now
>     what they will Be  i hope i Shall Live to come
>     Back to Massachusett and see you all  tell
>     Dan it would make him Stare to see the
>     Folks here and the [?] of the [?]
>     we left home Tuesday Morning 3 O Clock   Father he 
>     felt rather Bad to have us go of[f] But it is
>     all for the Best  give my Luve to Dan & Aunt
>     and Frank and all inquiring Friends
>     i have not seen the Natick Co. here yet
>     But hope i Shall See those Bold Boys  we are
>     to stay here 3 months to go where we are
>     Ordered   we shall See some warm work

Given his basic literacy, it could be a misspelling of "brightness" or
whatever. FWIW "briskness" would fit very well in the context of the
times if he's talking about the jolly camaraderie or the efficiency of
the army