Lieutenant William James Fisher, Civil War Soldier

I. M. Fisher Esq., My Dear Sir:

Your son George has called on me for a newspaper having an account of your son’s death, said to have taken place at Gettysburg, Pa.

I have looked through the casualties pretty generally and have failed to find the name of your son, but I find that of Lt. Harvey Fisher, 145th Pa. Vols. He was wounded which, I expect, gave rise to the report of your son being killed.

I am unwell at this time; hardly able to sit up, and have not been from home since last Thursday.

Respectfully yours, I. N. Fooks

Hon. E. M. Stanton, Secretary of War

My Dear Sir:

The bearer here of is Mr. Fisher, the father of Lt. W. J. Fisher of the 10th Regt., U. S. Infantry, who is reported killed in the battle of Gettysburg; he is seeking his son’s body and any facility you can afford him will be gratefully appreciated by him and yours most truly.

William Cannon, Gov. Del

My Dear:

It is 10 o’clock and I have retired to my rooms to grieve in private. Our worst fears are realized and I know that William is no more.

I have seen Lt. Bradford, who is at home, slightly wounded in the foot, and he told me that he saw the dead body of our dear boy.

He was killed on Thursday the 2nd of July as we supposed by a musket or rifle ball in or through the body and was buried with the other officers named in the list which we saw on the battlefield.

Lt. Bradford says he thinks they were put in coffins and that I shall be able to obtain his body and if I do, I will have it with me when I get home.

Lt. Bradford also thinks I shall obtain his sword and other personal effects which will be very valuable to us as mementoes.

My heart sinks as I contemplate this sad desperation. We have made the most costly sacrifice that we could possibly offer on the altar of our country and if it is not sufficient we must perish.

How my heart bleeds as I call up past reminisces of our poor boy. I remember the first sound I ever heard issued from his mouth, poor little heed-less innocent babe.

If I have ever done wrong by him, if any thing, I trust I may be forgiven.

I leave at 5 o’clock in the morning for Baltimore and thence by the nearest route to the battlefield from whence I will write again if I can.

Yours affectionately, Isaac M. Fisher

My Dear Dr:

I introduce Isaac M. Fisher, Esq. He goes to Gettysburg to recover the body of his son who was killed in battle—

I know you will give him any information and facility and you will particularly oblige me.

Yours truly, N. B. Smithers

Dr. Wagner:

Allow me to introduce to you Mr. Isaac M. Fisher, father of Lt. Fisher, 10th Infantry—who is reported killed—Please give Mr. F. what assistance you can in finding the body of his son.

Obliged. Yours truly, C.W. Jones, Surgeon

[On the back of the cover, IMF wrote in pencil: “1st Lieut. Lauman of the 10th can tell me all about. 2nd Lt. Hamilton took his watch, etc. Write to him. Capt. Wm. Clinton can tell me about it.”]

5th Corps Hospt.

Go out the Baltimore Pike about 2 1/2 miles cross Rock Creek Bridge. Take the first road on the right at the white church. Follow this road into 2nd Div., 5th Corps Hospital–Lt Boyce, 10th US Infantry is most likely to be found in the town—

Dr. Clinton Wagner in charge. Lt. Boyce wounded & in Gettysburgh —-ask for him.

On the reverse of this note, these names were listed:

Iarus Hoof, Franin Gillis, Thomas U. Lawrence, Peter Shanley

[at] Annapolis Junction: Frederick Ostenberger, S. J. Young

[caption id="attachment_255" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="5th Corps Hospital Directions (reverse)"][/caption]

My Dear:

I arrived at this place night before last, Tuesday night, about 10 o’clock, having come up the last 18 miles on the top of the cars in the rain.

I spent the day yesterday until twelve or one o’clock, hunting for the grave of our dear boy and succeeded in finding it out in a field not far from a farm house, a half mile, I suppose, from the spot where he fell. I learned from Lt. Boyce, one of his comrades, who is in the hospital wounded, and who says he saw him fall.

I shall have his body taken up this morning and embalmed and try and get it home. I should have gotten it up last evening, if I could have had a coffin ready, but I failed to get one.

I hope to get home on Saturday.

Yours affectionately, I. M. Fisher

Isaac M. Fisher, Esq.

When I heard my brother telling, among other scenes at Gettysburg, of the death of Lieut. Fisher, for whom he had the most sincere esteem, I said, “I wish his friends could know about it, for I know how satisfactory it would be to them, to learn any little incident connected with him.”

He said he had not your address, and furthermore, he was confident you would go to Gettysburg and there learn more than he could tell; and in any event, Lt. Hamilton would send you a detailed account of the sad occurrence.

My uncle met Judge Fisher a few days ago and obtained your address. My Brother’s wound is so much worse. He is not able to sit up and can not write.

I know you must feel a painful interest to gather any thing relating to your son’s death; the slightest word that will tell you of the last hours of a loved one.

I send, with assurances of our deepest sympathy, what Robert has told me.

It was just before sunset—some one standing near my brother said, “Fisher is hit.”—he turned and saw him with his hands upon his breast—his head soon fell forward and he dropped easily to the ground, without speaking, or making any sign of suffering. At that moment, they were ordered to fall back —my Brother with Lieut. Hamilton and the Sergeant carried him some distance, when the Sergeant was wounded and fell, and Lt. Hamilton was called away.

During that time, though living, he did not speak. Robert, who is large and strong, then lifted him alone, as he would a child, and carried him to a stream, when he was himself wounded in the leg, and obliged to lay him down. There was no struggle, and a more serene death could not be.

Lieut. Hamilton then came up, and Robert, unable to do more, left him to his care.

We saw his body afterward at the hospital lying bedside that of Genl. Weed.

Lt. Boyce also told him that Lt. Hamilton had taken his watch, [illegible] etc and would attend to having them sent to his friends.

Just before the engagement, Lt. Fisher asked my Brother if he would take his haversack. He did not feel well enough to carry it, but took it, but soon after, when Capt. Clinton dismounting from his horse, Robert fastened it to his saddle. Undoubtedly, Lt. Fisher was wearied with the long marching and the excitement, contingent upon the approaching battle.

He sent no dying message to you, and I presume you have no mind of such from him, for, I doubt not, his whole life has been a ministry of love to you—as well as to the country.

O, how beautiful to think of now!

I trust his glorious death, and the sweet remembrance you have of his life, will bring you comfort in this great sorrow.

It would be a satisfaction to us, and to my brother especially, who belonged to the same Regt. that your son did—(Lieut. Robert G. Welles, 10th US Infantry) to learn whether you recovered the body of your son—and if you received his watch etc.

With the most sincere sympathy for yourself and family in this affliction,

I am truly your friend, Anna M. Welles

[caption id="attachment_267" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Anna Wells to Isaac Fisher"][/caption][caption id="attachment_269" align="aligncenter" width="600" caption="Anna Wells to Isaac Fisher"][/caption]

Mr. Isaac M. Fisher, My dear friend:

Your favor to Sergeant Callaway was received at 2 ½ o’clock announcing that you expected the remains of your son yesterday and that you expected to bury him this afternoon at 3 o’clock.

I regret that we did not hear it sooner as we should have attended the funeral had we of known of it in time. My dear son, I truly sympathize with you and your family in this affliction (the loss of your son) for verily it is a sore affliction to you all, but you must remember that our heavenly father, who disposes every event, does nothing wrong and Undoubtedly designs that the afflictions sent to us (for who escapes them) shall be the means of leading us nearer to him whilst we journey through this wicked world.

With my regards to you and your family

I am yours truly, Robert C. Hall

Dear Brother:
I suppose you have been informed of the death of our dear cousin, William J. Fisher? He was killed at the battle of Gettysburg on the 2nd of July (Thursday). He was in command of a Company and was leading his men in a charge when he was killed. He did not live but a few minutes after he was struck. He was buried on the battle field and laid for two weeks, and he was taken up and brought home and buried.
His funeral was preached by the Rev. Mr. Massey.
It was just a week ago today that he was buried.
I was at the burial and I was very sorry that you was not there for I know that you wanted to be.
As for my part, I always thought as much of Cousin Will as if he had been my Brother.
You know that he staid at our house a year or two which made me think more of him. It made him seem more like a brother to us.
I said that he was taken up and brought home, but I did not tell you who did it. Uncle Isaac went after him when he heard that he was killed.
The way that he was buried on the battlefield was this: he was wrapped up in his blanket and laid in the ground without any coffin so that when he was taken up, his face and head was swelled so that you would not know him (so Uncle Isaac said). He was not opened at his last burial so that he was not seen by any one, not even his mother.
When I see you I will tell you more about it. You, nor I, will ever see him here any more. ________ ____________
You wanted me to tell you how much wheat we raised. We raised in all 2 and a ½ bushels of wheat and 41 bushels of rye. We ourselves raised 33 and a ½ bushels. It was very wet and [illegible] smelled badly so that I expect 30 bushels will measure it. [illegible] was not expected.
I am writing this in my school room after school so that I am here by myself; the scholars having gone home.
It is getting most dark so I will have to close.
You must write as soon as you receive this. I will write to you again before long.
Don’t show this to any one.
The reason I have not written before is because I have not felt much like doing anything and I expected you got Uncle Isaac’s letter informing you on Cousin Will’s death?
When you write, tell me whether you did get it or not.
Our wheat has been threshed more than once.
In your next letter ask me anything you want to know and I will tell you if I can.
Your affectionate Brother, Will
N. B. You must not let anybody see this for it is written so badly that I should be ashamed of it.
Your Bro., Will

Mr. I. M. Fisher, My Dear Sir:
I received you note of the 3rd inst.
I can assure you it is not the least trouble to furnish you with all the information in my power, concerning the death of your son, who I always esteemed as a friend.
The Brigade which the 10th U.S. Infantry formed a part, was drawn up in line of battle to the north of Round Top Mountain. In front of our line was deep ravine, about three or four hundred yards in width, with a swamp running through the center, and on each side, the ground was covered with large stones and rock which we had to cross before reaching the woods in our front.
About 4 ½ o’clock P. M. we received orders to move forward on the double quick and take the woods in our front. We crossed the ravine with the loss of a few men, when we received orders to halt about ten yards from the woods. We remained in this position about ten or fifteen minutes, when we received orders to move up to the edge of the woods and halt, which we did, when the 2nd Infantry and the 10th Infantry battalions received orders to wheel to the left and relieve a Brigade of the 2nd Corps, which had moved up while we were in line of battle, about ten paces from the woods. After our three battalions made the left wheel, our brigade formed two sides of a square, we remained in this position about ten minutes, when I discovered Rebels on our flank and moving down on our front in heavy force, and as the Colonel commanding the brigade had not yet taken notice of the Rebels flanking his Brigade on the right, I left my company and started to the rear, after going about twenty paces, I found the Colonel and informed him that the Rebels had turned his right flank. I then returned and joined my company. When we received orders to fall back to the edge of the woods but before we were out of the woods the Rebels were some distance out so instead of halting at the edge of the woods we received orders to fall back to our first position on the hill. Your son must have received his death wound while I was back giving Colonel Burbank information about the Rebels being in his rear. As I did not know Lt. Fisher had been struck until after the company had moved back out of the woods some twenty or thirty yards when I met Lts. Welles and Hamilton, 1st Sergeant McCabe of Co G and one man of H Co, carrying some officer. I stopped and asked Lt Hamilton who it was, when he replied poor Fisher, I then walked over to the party and looked at your son who I knew was about breathing his last. I then asked Mr. Hamilton if he had spoke or not since he had been shot, answers not, not one word. I then had to leave the party as my company had got some distance in advance of me. Telling them to hurry on with your son as the Rebels were close in their rear. I had no watch on at the time but I would judge it to have been about 5 o’clock that your son received his death wound.
His sword and scabbard was left where he was shot as those around him thought of nothing but getting his body off the field of battle and his sword belt I am sorry to say was taken from his body before we could get to it the second time. As the party I spoke of before having had two of their number wounded. The other two, Lt. Hamilton and the man belonging to Co. H, had to leave the body just the other side of the marsh from the woods we first advanced from.
Enclosed you will find a small sketch of the ground we fought over on the 2nd of July/63. On one end of the card you will see a dark line in ink with 2nd Brigade marked under it, which is the position our Brigade had first, and then made the advance over to the other piece of woods, keeping on the left of the road all the way over. After reaching the woods as I told you in the first part of the letter, the 2nd, 7th, and 10th Infy. Made a left wheel, the position we then held you will see by two dark lines in ink.
Where your son was shot can be seen by the dark ink spot, just above the number ten, which indicates the number of the Regiment. The reason I have for judging that to be the spot is from what Lt. H. told me. I had the right companies and Lt. Fisher was on the Left of G Co. which was the left company of the two and from the size of the regiment would bring my company about that spot. The day of the Battle your son was Lt. of G Co. I, having received orders to take command of the H & G companies; the companies being so very small.
The man who placed the head board and prepared the card that was fastened to it was also one of the men who helped to bring your son. His name is John A. Buchan, a private of company H, 10th U.S. Infantry.
And as for your son being honest and brave, I will answer in this way. Your son joined the Regiment about the 16th of March 1862 from which time to his death we had always been together. I have been in every battle with your son and I do not think there was a braver or more honest officer in the U. S. A.
Captain E. G. Bush, 10th Infantry, has charge of your son’s watch and clothing and desired me to ask you what you wished him to do with them. He shall keep your son’s effects ’till called for or send them to you by express.
Your son was struck in the left side just below the heart.
I suppose you would like to know the numbers lost out of the Battalion your son belonged to as it was his last battle. The 10th Infantry was eighty-one strong going into battle. The next day all we could muster was thirty having lost fifty one in action and out of that number seventeen where killed on the field and one or two since. A large number of the wounded lost their limbs since.
You will please excuse this letter as I am a poor hand at writing letters and had nothing but my bed to write on.
If there is any thing else I can do for you or give you any more information I will be very happy to attend to it.
I am Sir
Most respectfully your friend, Geo. S. Lauman,10th U. S. Infantry
PS: Lt. Hamilton will write you later on tomorrow.