Lieutenant William James Fisher, Civil War Soldier

Dear Father:

Since I last wrote, our battalion has been relieved from duty with Sykes’s Division and put on duty with Headquarters Center Grand Division, that is, General Hooker’s. So, for the present, no more fighting on Pickett duty. Which you may be sure is very acceptable to all of us just as the present time when the weather is so cold and General Halleck and the President have assured the people that the Army of the Potomac shall not go into winter Quarters. By the way, I see in the last paper that Secretary Simon has resigned and General Halleck been removed

I hope to see General McClellan in command of the Army in a few days as I confidently believe that he is the only man capable of handling it.

If he had had commanded the Battle of Fredericksburg, it never would have been fought.

If even Burnside had been allowed to use his own judgment, he never would have made the attack. And how do you expect a man sixty miles away to fight a battle that never even looked over the ground he wished to fight?

We are encamped in a beautiful and warm place, surrounded entirely with pine and cedar bushes.

We are independent now of anybody below General Hooker. The way we came to get up to him is that Major Hayden, of our Regiment, has been appointed Provost Marshal of Hooker’s Army and of course he would do all he could for his own Regiment.

If nothing happens, and all things work well, I expect to be on recruiting service before this time next year.

Our Camp is about two hundred yards from the Rail Road.

Has John F. Allen made any efforts to get a commission yet?

There are about three hundred vacancies in the New Regiments for 2nd Lieutenants.

I received a letter from Aunt Angie a few days ago saying that W. F. was sick.

I wish you would have the Editor of the News change his 11th Infantry to 10th Infantry on my address. If he would, I think, I could get my papers without any trouble.

Nothing else at present, Give my love to all. Your Son, Will

P.S. Merry Christmas

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My Dear Father:

I haven’t received a letter from you in at least two weeks. What is the matter?

I got a copy of the News yesterday but saw no news in it.

I have a very comfortable place.

I have nothing to do except go and guard once in five days and have nothing to do.

How did you spend Christmas? I spent Christmas day hauling wood for General Hooker or rather over seeing that it was hauled.

What is W. F. Calloway doing? I haven’t received a letter from him in I hardly know how long. I haven’t heard from Sis in about two weeks.

How do you get along drilling your Company? Or don’t you drill it. I wish you would send me a list of all the men and officers in it as I should like very much to see. Do you want any Tactics? If you do I will send you some.

What are Meredith’s boys doing?

I wish you would write a note to the Editor of the News and give him by proper address. He now addresses me as belonging to the 11th Infantry. My proper address is 10th Infantry, Head Quarters Center Grand Division, In care of Maj. Hayden, Provost Marshall.

Nothing else at present. Give my love to all. Your son,

W. J. F.

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My Dear Father:

I received yours of 6th Inst. this morning and you may be sure I was very glad to hear from you. And be here after. I wish that you would write at least two letters per week and also to answer my letters immediately after receiving them.

I am very glad you called my attention to that word. I have often noticed that in writing I spelled it wrong and once or twice before my attention has been called to it. But now I think I will try and remember it. I wish you would enclose me a half dozen postage stamps as I am very near out and have no chance of getting more.

I should like to see little Eliza Emily but I suppose I shant have a chance. I am glad to hear she can talk and say Brother Will.

But I hope to be home within a year anyhow.

My address is———10th Infantry Head Quarters, Hooker’s Grand Division, Army of the Potomac, Ica Washington, D.C., In care of Maj. Hayden, Provost Marshall.

My love to all, Your son, W. J. Fisher

My Dear Father:

There is no particular news just at this moment stirring.

I believe,it is reported, that Sumner is going out West. Franklin is going down South somewhere and that Hooker will fall back on the defenses of Washington. Although I hate to think it will be done.

I’ll tell you now, frankly, what I sat down to write for. I wish you would send me $25 in treasury notes. I will be able to return it on the first of next month, when I shall have a month pay due.

I must tell you the cause of this. I sent my pay accounts, for two months, to Washington, by an officer, to get them cashed, as I was in need of money and no pay masters were about. He made an ass of himself; got drunk, went to one of the gambling houses and lost all of his own money and mine in the bargain. I don’t want you to say a word about it to anybody as I have hopes of getting it all back some time. I believe he is honest and that he will pay at the earliest opportunity. I wish you would send it to me immediately on receipt of this as I haven’t a cent now.

Please don’t say a word to anybody about it. I’m sure I shall get it again. Your affectionate son, W. J. Fisher.

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My Dear Father:

I haven’t received a letter from you for at least two weeks and I’m sure I have written at least three.

Four days ago the Army moved. But the day after, it rained so hard that the trains and artillery were stuck in the mud so that they could not move and are in the same predicament yet.

The last I heard of Sykes’s Division was that they were trying to get back to their old camp and were building corduroy roads on which to move the trains, but this, as you know, is slow work.

We did not move our camp but staid, intending to accompany as guard, General Hooker’s train. He is coming back and, I suppose, every thing will become quiet as ever in a few days.

Our camp is very close to the Rail Road and we get almost everything we want for the Mess direct from Washington through the caterer of General Hooker’s Mess, who goes regularly back and forth twice per week.

You need not send to me either the Postage stamps or the money that I wrote for as in the first place the story that I heard about the Officer losing my pay etc. on cards is happily an untruth or rather an —-. I hardly know what to call it, but it pleases me very well, and as to Postage stamps, there is a kind of book stall or store at the Depot, so I can supply myself when I need any.

The weather here is quite warm, but very wet and muddy.

I wish you would write oftener and tell me everything that takes place.

That check I sent you, you had better get it cashed pretty soon, as they become good for nothing after being issued a certain time.

What are the Meredith boys going to do now?

Did you tell me that Isaac was maimed or not? If you didn’t, I must have dreamed it.

What are Billy & Jimmy Reynolds doing? And where is David Lofland?

Give my love to all, Your son, W. J. Fisher

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My Dear Father:

This morning I received your two letters of the 16th & 20th Instant.

One of them enclosing a $20 bill, which I am happy to say that I can return to you, as the story I heard about the officer that had my money has proved to be untrue. At the time I wrote to you I did not know, personally, what I wrote had occurred; but as the man had staid six days beyond his time, when the story was told me by our officers of his own regiment, I could do nothing else but believe it.

My trunk is still at Mr. Queens in Washington and I should have sent it home months ago if I had known that this campaign was going to hold out as Long as it has.

As to being “ragged,” I can’t say that ever I have been. I get under- clothing from the Sutlers, and such things as pants & shoes, I get from the commissary by paying the Government price.

The rifle that you inquired about, after carrying it to Snicker’s Gap, I got rid of it and gave it away.

I don’t think you could, at present, get here at all as they don’t allow citizens to come within the lines. Some do come, yet, if the order is at anytime countermanded, I will write to you immediately. I should like you to come very much.

You could not send me anything just now with any certainty of it getting here. We have a way of getting things direct from Washington and our Caterer keeps the mess well supplied.

Peace is a word that I don’t often hear used, but I think if something isn’t done pretty soon, that we will have peace with a vengeance by recognizing the Southern’s Confederacy.

I will tell you, secretly, that there is a dissatisfied spirit all through the Army. A few days ago one whole Division mutinied because they hadn’t been paid within two or three months. And when this Army moved a few days ago, I think, five thousand would not cover the desertions, I mean from the Volunteers.

A Regular Soldier looks up to Uncle Sam (as we all call him) almost as their God. Although in our little battalion of about two hundred men, we have men from every State in the Union, and I think if there is a final thrash up, as I am afraid there will be, if this army is not handled better, the Regulars will stand by the Government to the last.

The whole Army now is where it was one month ago and, instead of decreasing as you seem to suppose, I believe, it had been increased by at least two Divisions.

The reason that I think I shall be sent on Recruiting Service is that by the 15th of March we will not have men enough in our regiment to make a Platoon. Our men were, nearly all, enlisted in 1858; as yet we have got no recruits. Men will not enlist in the Regulars if they can help it. The principle reason is that, in the Regulars, there are several little things required that a Volunteer can’t see the use of. To give you a sample: a Volunteer would as soon think of poisoning himself as to touch his hat to an officer; and the Regular soldier would almost as soon take poison as not salute when he meets an officer, for if he neglected it he would be severely punished.

My financial affairs are prospering and I think in a month or two, I will be able to send you another check for one hundred or two.

My health is very good and I am heavier by thirty pounds than when you saw me last.

Everything is very comfortable here. We get the daily papers regularly and I expect sooner than you do.

Give my love to all, Your son, W. J. Fisher

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Dear Brother:

Yours of the 20th I’ve received and, as there is nothing pressing, just at the moment, I will answer it.

I hope you will keep the dogs out of all mischief, at least until next fall, as I am going to get a leave of absence. Then, if I live, I’d go home and go rabbit hunting with you.

I am glad that Doc. Lofland is to be discharged for I don’t think that the life we lead would suit him at all.

As to Flora I hope you will break her all right so you will be able to ride her when I get home again. When I do, maybe I will be old enough to go fox hunting, for you know, I suppose that fox hunting, was not by a long shot, my favorite amusement.

Well to wind up, if you will be a good boy, you may have my gun, and tell Eliza Emily that if she will be good and don’t cry that probably she will be able to see the original sometime.

Tell Pa I got his letter that he mailed from Dover.

Tell William Meredith to write to me. I think I have written to him once or twice but never as yet have been so very fortunate as to receive an answer.

So Georgie, all the good advice you can get from me, (for I’m a regular Socrates, I believe that was the old chap’s name) is to write to me as often as you can and tell me all the news. Anything will interest me. Tell me how many lambs and pigs you have got and also if there are any ducks along the entrance. How many Partridges have you killed here George?

As soon as you get this set down immediately and answer all my questions then tell me all the news of the neighborhood.

I see one thing that I am very glad of, you can write a very good hand, indeed, for a boy your age.

Who is keeping store at the Crossroads and who is Post Master there?

What are you studying, George?

Now be sure and answer this as soon as you receive it.

How is David Lott Rawlins? Your brother, Will

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My Dear Father:

Since my last letter we have again been moved to Sykes’s Division and you will change your direction accordingly and also write to the Editors of the News and give them my proper address. I believe they have never addressed a paper correctly to me yet. The last one I got was directed to 2nd Division, Hooker’s Corps.

We got orders today to report to General Sykes for duty and, I suppose, before twenty four hours more, we will be under his command.

I received a letter from Aunt Angie a few days ago in which she told me of the death of several Delaware Volunteers.

I haven’t got a letter from Sis in several days, perhaps two weeks, although I wrote to her. I also wrote to G. F. Callaway at Milford.

Nothing else at present. My love to all. Your Son,

W. J. Fisher

Lieutenant Fisher, Dear Sir:

I had a son in your Company by the name of Earl Payne, who, I am informed, was killed at the Battle of Antietam.

I would esteem it a favor if you would send me a certificate of his enlistment, and his death and such other information as will enable me to obtain his back pay, bounty, etc.

Yours truly, J. Payne

Please direct you letter to B. Brown, Walled Lake, Mich.

By B. Brown

Dear Father:

I got a letter from you a few days ago but, until this, have not had an opportunity of answering it. I also got one from Will Callaway at the same time. I have written to Sis several times but, as yet, have received no answer.

Last Sunday morning I went out on Pickett duty. When I left camp it was raining very hard and continued to rain until nearly dark when it slacked up and in about an hour the stars were shining bright. I then thought that I should have a very pleasant tour of it and so I had until next night when it began to snow and continued to snow until the next evening it then cleared off partly. But after about one hour the rain began again and continues until I got into camp the next day. Out of about eighty-four hours on Pickett, I had twelve of clear weather.

I went over to see Captain Layton a few days ago. He has just returned from five days leave but, his time was so short, that he got no further than Washington. He told me the son of John Hazzard had been appointed 2nd Lieutenant in his company. The son of E G. Bradford is also in his Brigade.

I hear that an effort is going to be made to increase the Cavalry force, if they succeed, I shall make an effort to get into the Cavalry with the rank of First Lieutenant. I hardly think I should be able to succeed but you know there is nothing like trying. I think if nothing happens I shall become 1st Lt. of Infantry within a year at least.

About writing an account of what I did in the Peninsular Campaign; I hardly remember what to do. All that will be of any interest to you, I can tell in a few words.

When I left Washington, I was Adjutant of General McClellan’s body guard, under Maj. Willard of the 8th US Infantry. When we went to the Peninsula, I joined my own Regt. and was made Provost Marshall there. I served in that capacity until the Battle of Gaine’s Mills when I was acting 1st Lt. of A Company and Malvern Hill the same. At Harrison’s Landing was attached to the 2nd US Infantry and put in command of Co. A, which I commanded at Bull Run and Antietam although I was not in the hottest part of the fight at the last place. After we came to this camp I was again ordered to join my Regiment where I was put in Co. I of the 10th US Infantry which I command at present.

What do you think of enlisting Negroes? What will they be good for? How would you like a big thick lipped greasy nigger with a Captain’s shoulder straps on, come up to you and order you? Well I say, “Git out of my way Suh.” “Move your company or I’ll put you in arrest you white trash.” I hope it will be then unwise but can hardly expect it.

Don’t you think it would be a good speculation to go to Mexico now and offer my services to the Mexican Commander in Chief, not that I think of doing it, but one officer who did do it, and he was made a Col., And killed the same day.

I know of one officer who had accepted a commission of Contraband Volunteers.

As to getting a pass to this army you might do it by going to the Sec. of War. But I hardly think he would give you a pass except to get the dead body of a son which you may have to do some day but I forgot to tell you that we are again on Provost Duty and Minnie bullets don’t kill Provost Marshals. I wish you would write oftener. In your next tell Sis to write also.

Give my love to all, Your Son, W. J. Fisher

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