Will Fisher to his mother
Three miles above Sister’s Ferry, South Carolina, Savannah River
February 2, 1865

Dear Mother

Your most welcome letter of the 7th of Jan. is rec’d which is the latest from you. I last wrote you at Savannah about the 14th or 15th of Jan. It was a long description of the last march together with a warrant for sgt. I really hope you will get it for the satisfaction you will derive from it, & the time I spent on it.
In the letter before me, dates Jan 7th, you say you rec’d one from me dated Dec 18th in which I said I had rec’d all the things you had sent me & then you ask if that includes the boots. No, I have not rec’d the boots yet, but all previous to that I have got or at least all that you have spoken of.
We marched from Atlanta before the box containing the boots had arrived was the reason we did not get it. The reason we have not got it since we came to Savannah is because no express has been permitted to come to us. Just after we left the city, two or three boats of express came in & was ordered not to unload but to proceed back to Beaufort or Hilton Head, so in all probability, when we get to somewhere again we will get it.
This army is getting so that they need think of nothing but fighting & marching. No mails or express as in other days, or if we do get a mail we call it a mistake. Gen. Sherman is a good man for his country, but his troops need expect no babying, for with him mail, express or anything of the kind must yield to the public interest.
We have been having some curious operations of late. We moved out of Savannah as I anticipated in the letter I sent you just before &, crossing the river at the city bridge, went up to Harderville near the Savannah river on the S.C. side and about 35 miles from S. Here a gunboat joined us & we have been working our way through the swamps ever since, going right up the river, wading in the water up to our waists half the time. The weather has been the coldest of the winter thus far, just cold enough to skin a little ice over perfectly still water. It would be very comfortable if it were not for wading in the water.
We are now at a place 3 miles above Sister’s Ferry & 35 miles from Savannah. The 15th and 17th Corps went by water to Beaufort before we started & the 14th Corps & the 2nd Div. of our corps guarded the trains of the whole army through on the other side of the river (Ga. side) while ours & the 3rd Div. came up on the S.C. side of the river & seized on this landing (with nothing but a slight skirmish however).
Now the steamers are landing rations here in immense quantities & the 14th Corps & all the trains are coming over to this side on pontoons & load up with supplies & go on. In the mean time the 15th & 17th Corps have struck out from Beaufort to Branchville & had a fight. There trains will go on with the 14th Corps & join them there. The 3rd Div. of our Corps & the 2nd & 3rd Brigade of our div. have gone on already to reinforce the troops at Branchville. This is a junction on the Chas. & Augusta RR & the key to Charleston.
Our brigade will probably remain here, guarding the place, till the whole thing gets loaded up & started, when the boats will all go back to Savannah & we will go on & bring up the rear.
There may, however, stranger things happen than that the big fight that must come off near Charleston may be over before we get there. I hope so at least.
John Larmon got a letter last night from Esq. Shiland, dated Jan. 18th, stating that the box had started. We will get it most likely in Charleston or some port north of Savannah.
I suppose the cousins are far west ere this reaches you. I had a letter from John a few days ago, said he left a picture of little Willie to be sent me. I have not got it yet, please send it on. Lots of love to Aunt Sarah. I do so hope I shall get home to help take care of her. I find it hard to make up my mind what I shall do if spared to come home, but I have resolved not to leave home again while Aunt Sarah is in her present condition.
Seven months will now tell the story & may that God who in his wisdom has spared us so far be with us through both military and civil life, is the prayer of your own son.

Will