Will Fisher to his mother
Camp of the 123rd Regt. NYS
Loudoun Valley, Virginia
November 25, 1862

Dear Mother,

I will now answer your welcome letter of the 19th & also one of the 14th inst.
I was almost scared to death to read the reports of my health in old C—. What should start all of these reports I don’t know. But I am sure my health is not near so bad as represented for this morning I just came off of guard for 24 hours & am on duty all the time. My feet are entirely well & I eat about 2 rations a day, never was any better or more contented in my life. I have 2 pair of drawers, 3 woolen shirts & 3 cotton ones. I hope this will ease all of your fears for my health. I guess I was a little to blame for waiting so long without writing. I will try & do better in the future.
For 2 or 3 days the boxes of provisions & boots & gloves from the North has been very great owing to the fact that we are expecting to winter here. We are already building log shanties for winter. Now the most I am in need of is a pair of gloves. Now, Ab has just sent for a pair of boots & will have a box sent, & says you can put in a pair of gloves just as well as not. We can’t get them here because we haven’t the money to buy them with. I have not got a red cent nor Ab hasn’t, nor Jim Sherman, & if we go into winter quarters we have have got to buy stoves. I tell you, a 2.00 bill would look like everything just now. Ab has sent for some. When I was sick I had to use my money for something to eat & besides I saw times that I would give anything for something to eat. I tell you when a man is sick he cannot live on government feed any more than nothing. I don’t know as we are ever going to get paid off. One thing, if this government can’t pay its soldiers better & feed them better I hope it will get licked like Sam Hill.
If you see Mr. Shiland you can see if you will have time to knit me a pair. If not, buy a pair & have them charged. Do just as you please about it.
Tell Aunt S. that sweet oil & alcohol cured my rheumatism. She had better try it. It cures everybody here.
I will wait till mail time before I close & see if I can think of anything else to write. I guess Uncle Nat is never going to write.
I don’t know as there is anything else to write this time. I should like the gloves & the other if you can. Don’t distress yourself. I will close with love to you & all the rest,

From your boy,
Will

P.S. Jimmy is well & L. Skellie has a cough.