Will Fisher to his mother
Holly Springs, North Carolina
April 26, 1865

My dear Mother,

I will write you a short note this morning to let you know where we are. We moved from Raleigh yesterday morning & marched about 15 miles to this place which is called Holly Springs. It is towards the front. The rumor was, when we moved, that our government had refused to ratify the terms agreed upon by our generals. I think the stick is that Gen. Johnston wants to surrender the army on the same terms that Lee surrendered on, but wants to retain their civil officers such as governors of states &c., but our government demands a surrender of the military & tend to the civil officers afterwards.
Do not give yourselves any uneasiness on our part for I do not believe we will ever fire another musket in this war. I believe that Johnston as long as he cannot agree on the terms will wait till our forces get around him a little & will then surrender & palm it off on the world as a “military necessity” as it would not look well to surrender until forced to, when he could not agree on terms.
We are not to move today & there is a talk that we will stay here three days, so by that I don’t believe there is much of importance flying or we would be up & doing. The RR runs up to this place & on to the front. It is 15 miles from here to the cavalry front.
I think we will soon be on our way home. We will undoubtedly have to march to Maryland. Gen. Sherman says that he is not going to have his men killed off by crowding them into transports after they have got through battles safe & sound. I suppose you saw an account of the burning at sea of the steam transport “Gen. Lyon” over 500 lives were lost.
Tell Aunt Sarah I hope soon to be there & when I first arrive I shall kiss her very carefully so as not to hurt her lame & feeble body. Give her much love for me. Retain much for yourself. Tell Min if you write that a letter will soon arrive at their hd. qrs. from me.

Goodbye from your son,
Will