Will Fisher to his mother
Elk River, Tennessee
January 10, 1864

My own dear Mother,

Well I date from a new location this time & the long looked for move, of which I informed you in my last letter, has been made & we are now at Elk River or Estill Springs about 5 miles from Decherd where we camped a week awhile ago when we first came down in these parts.
We are 70 miles from Nashville & are guarding the bridge across this stream. We relieved the 2nd Mass. Vols. which by the way, is the best regt. in the service of Uncle Sam, that is, in drill, discipline & good fighters. They left us good quarters & now we are snugly settled in a perfect parlor of a “shanty." It is all papered with pictorial & illustrated newspapers. The walls are just covered with pictures of generals, battle, & everything that just now occupies the attention of artists & I assure that there is nothing obscene or vulgar to be seen.
The fireplace is made of brick & in as good shape as those which are in houses, just like the one in Aunt Redy’s parlor chamber, & now the tents are a good deal more convenient. I will give up to the “Down Easters” for ingenuity & tinkering.
We broke camp last Wednesday at Bridgeport & were that night, the next day & night getting here & have laid in the woods near by here two days waiting for the 2nd to leave the camp & today we have got in & settled. The 2nd has re-enlisted & gone home on their furloughs.
Lem tells me today that he is sending home for a box and if I want anything I must write immediately so as to be in time. I don’t know whether you have had a chance to send the soda & medicine or not. If you have not, now will be the opportunity. I don’t know of anything else that I want except you send me the Latin Grammar & Reader. You can do as you see fit about that only be sure & send along those Waverleys. I have not received any yet. I will enclose you a knife tomorrow in a paper which I want you to enclose again right off to John & tell him the reason why I don’t send direct to him is because I don’t wish to write to him until I know that I write to someone in the land of the living or not. I have not heard from him yet.
When we were coming through Stevenson, Ala. last Thursday, the cars were detained nearly all day and some of us made a raid on a “green back undertaker” (sutler) & in the affair I got several jack knifes, so you can see I can spare one as well as not if I only accomplish my end with it.
I hear Alex Skellie was to have been married the 7th inst. All I have to say is go in, Alexander, you certainly have a very promising future being the only son of Tommy. They must feel very sad at their loss.
L. is well & joins with me in sending lots of love to you & Aunt Sarah.
I imagine you must have some weather by this time that will cause the big chair of Aunt S. to be drawn quite close to the fire. I should like to have a chance to take hold of the rockers & draw it up for her.
But I must close for I did not expect to write much tonight. I have received no letters from you since my last writing.
Clark Darrow will be home soon, I expect recruiting. Remember me to all friends while I shall continue to remain your soldier boy.

Willie