Will Fisher to his cousin Julia A. Whelden
Stafford C. H., Virginia
February 14, 1863

Miss Julia A. Whelden
Cambridge, Wash. Co., N.Y.
In care of Nathaniel Sherman

Cousin Julia,

Yours of the 4th is at hand & I hasten to set you an example which I hope you will follow. I was very glad to hear of the general good health of all of the friends and hope a kind Providence may long continue the same blessing.
I should like very much to see that youngster which you will call “William” instead of “Charlie” Sherman. I should like to hold him in my lap a little while but I suppose that may be reckoned among the impossibilities. You gave me (excuse this blot) an invitation to correspond with your paper and as I had a little time today I have written this which you find enclosed which you can do as you please with.
I knew nothing about the circumstances connected with the next issue of your paper. I know not even the gender of the editor so I have made it part one & part the other. I have got “Miss Editor” instead of Editress. You can remodel it to suit the times.
I should think that Uncle N. would not have anything to do these long winter evenings but to write except it is sit by the stove & dose chewing tobacco. In the meantime, I should like to see him. I wish his boys were large enough to do his chores for him these cold mornings.
I think if he has got anything to sell he had better bring it down here & he can get a good big price for them. The common price for butter is 75 ct, cheese 50, apples 4 for 25 ct, pies 35 ct a piece. Tobacco is about 1.25 per lb for plug & fine cut 10 ct a paper. Newspapers are 10 ct and there is some times that they can get whiskey. The price is 2.50 a bottle & it finds a ready sale at that price. You may guess that I don’t buy much to eat at these exorbitant prices.
Ever since we commenced marching and doing active duty we have drawn the best of rations & plenty of them. We draw ¾ of a pound of pork of 1½ of fresh beef & what bread we want to use, also coffee & sugar, sometimes tea & dried apples, potatoes & onions.
How do you like the campaign of Gen. Burnside & his removal? I think him & Hooker are both grand generals but for managing the whole Army of the Potomac there isn’t one of them that can begin with Gen. McClellan.
I am sitting up with Jesse Wood tonight. He has been sick for a long time. I have always had to take care of him & I have not had a night’s rest in a long time. He is a son of Widow Wood at Center Cambridge. He will not live long.
Sunday morning 15th
Wood is about gone this morning, will not live an hour, but I must close this to have it to out in the mail and I must communicate the sad intelligence to his mother. What a shock it will be as she knows nothing of his sickness.
Remember me to all of the folks, the little folks too.

Write soon & oblige your friend & cousin.
Will Fisher