Will Fisher to his mother
Stafford C. H.
May 19, 1863

Dear Mother,

As I have an opportunity to send a letter by Skellie, I will write for he is going tomorrow morning.
John wrote for me to get a furlough the last of this month & come home & attend his wedding, but I am afraid it is useless for Ab isn’t here to work for me now. I miss him awfully but am in hopes he will be back with us before long.
I don’t know about Beadle. The Dr. seems to be afraid that he won’t get well.
There is some of our boys that we thought was killed that are all right. I think Kelly Bishop was the only one killed.
John Larmon was taken prisoner while attending to his duties taking care of the wounded. He has been paroled & is here with us now. He saw all of the battlefield & all of the 123rd’s dead, helped bury them. They were all buried in one grave, officers & all. He said they were buried as well as possible. John Larmon has won a high name by his good conduct.
There is to be two badges of honor given to Co. I & they could not decide which two to give to so we drawed lots for it. Inman Thomas got one, the other, a stranger to you.
One of our sergeants is missing and both lieuts. wounded so I guess I will be apt to get a little lift this time which will be a sergeants place for I am first cpl. now. If Capt. Hall jumps anyone over me I shan’t like it.
I am in hopes that we shall get home this fall with the war all closed up. If we don’t I shall get a furlough next fall & come home & see the folks.
You spoke about 2 shirts. I would like to have a pair of these small checked blue cotton shirts. If cotton is very expensive you need not get any.
I have lost my “house wife” so I have no needles or thread, send along a few. I wrote to you last Friday for a little money. If you have not sent it send it by Skellie. If you want to you may send $5.00, not any more than that. I have not got any paper nor envelopes. I don’t know Jack will bring anything or not. If he will, send by him.
I have not received any letters from you in a good while nor John either. I don’t know whether you have got any letters from me since the battle or not. I have not heard from you since.
We have no prospect of moving again right away The old camp here is as pleasant as ever.
I wrote to Jim Skinner to get me some tobacco, if he gets it all right. I want some the worst way. You can pay him for it.
I never have heard whether you got my money from the bank. It is hard to wait so long for any news. Love to Aunt Sarah & all the rest. What does Uncle Zina think of the battle?

I am, Will