Lieutenant William James Fisher, Civil War Soldier

Sir:

I have this day received your letter having a date of the 16th instant.

It gives me infinite pleasure, Sir, to give you all the information I can, relative to your son, the late Lieut. Wm. J. Fisher, 10th Infantry; an officer who was regarded with the utmost esteem, affection, and respect by his inferiors, as well as by his superiors, for his fine soldierly qualities, his gentlemanly deportment and his extreme kindness and unassuming manners towards those under him.

I have had the honor to serve under the immediate command of this really excellent officer ever since he entered the service and have been in his company during the 7 days fight, the battles of Gains’ Mill, Malvern Hill, Antietam, 1st Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg and several minor skirmishes.

In all these general engagements he behaved over with a coolness, intrepidity and personal bravery, almost unequalled during my long time of service. While in the Army he was always of a sedate, contemplative character and never did I hear a profane word come from his lips.

When he was struck at the battle of Gettysburg (at which battle we lost nearly 2/3 of our regt.), he grasped a tree while falling and was carried to the rear by Lt. Hamilton, Welles, and myself. He rolled his eyes full of gratitude towards us but already he was speechless. He never uttered a word after being wounded.

It moves me to tears now to recall this gloomy scene to my memory.

He died brave as a lion to the last and never even groaned when he received his mortal wound.

As I said before, he was greatly beloved by every man in the brigade and died deeply regretted by everybody that knew him.

Lt. M. C. Boyce died on the 2nd of July 1863 at the General Hospital Gettysburg of wounds received in the battle of Gettysburg.

I am Sir, Very Respectfully, Your obedient Servt., Terrance McCabe

1st Sergt, Co. G, 10th U. S. Infantry

PS: Thank God, I am almost recovered from my wounds too. The present station of the 10th Infantry is at the Fort where owing to its very small number of men it is likely to remain during the winter.

T. McCabe

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