Will Fisher to his mother
Camp Stoneman, Washington, D.C.
Northern Black Horse Cavalry
February 26, 1862

Dear Mother,

I believe I owe you a letter this time, &, as I have a little time before dinner, I will commence a letter to you & finish it after.
The boys are just coming in from drill & it is about 11 o’clock. Nelson is on guard. I tell you, it’s something more to stand guard here than up to Camp Strong, for you can’t leave the guard house nor sleep at all. It is pretty tough. I am thankful I don’t have to stand.
I have not done anything since the 10th of the month, for I lost my mouth piece & consequently I can’t blow any. All I have done is to lay in my tent and read & write & hunt & roam over the country. I can go to the city or any place I want to, only show the guards.
It is getting quite warm here now. The band comes out & plays evenings & we have dances by moonlight. I think it is nice to be a soldier not in active service, but I guess those in Kentucky that are doing the fighting & having long marches in the mud do not think so.
We had great doings here the 22nd of Feb. It is a great day here in this city. All the big men were at the capitol. They had an oration in the Senate Chamber & were going to show all the secession flags that had been taken, but they concluded that they would not disgrace the Senate Chamber with a Rebel flag, so they paraded them in the navy yard. All the big men were there in carriages, &, after the oration, they came out the north end & got in their carriages & rode off. First would come some Gen. & then some member of the cabinet, then Gen. Butler, & then Lord Lyons, and some other foreign minister, &, last of all, was Gen. McLellan in the meanest looking carriage in the whole lot. When he got into his carriage, the whole crowd of soldiers gave three cheers for their brave leader, & he shook hands with all he could reach. I tell you he is the best looking man I ever saw, without exception.
President L____ was not out, on account of the death of one of his children. There is another one very low with the same disease. They do not let the sick one know of his brother’s death, he is so weak. He was embalmed & sent home to Springfield.
I was at the navy yard & saw the “sesesh” flags, the one from Forts Donelson & Henry were amongst them.
I sent you a “clipping” of poetry which struck me as rather pretty. When we get paid I intend to send you a photograph of our darling General Slocum. He is the idol of the 12 Corps, and it is because he is so kind and doesn’t drink. General Williams, our Div. General, is a very old and skillful Gen. but him and Gen. Knipe (the one that commanded the Penn. militia) drink more than any sotter in Cambridge.

But goodbye for this time,
Will