Will Fisher to his brother
Stafford C. H., Virginia
January 31, 1863

Dear Brother,

After so long a silence I will improve the present opportunity in writing a line to you this afternoon.
We have been having another siege at marching of 5 days length. We marched from Fairfax Station direct south to Dumfries the first 2 days. On the night of that day a severe rain storm set in. We expected to wait till the storm should have ceased but we were doomed to endure some hardships this time of the 1st order. We waded all of this day up to our knees in the mud but did not make more than 5 miles in all day because the teams could not but just get along. We lost lots of mules & horses mired in the mud.
That night it became known that the bridge just ahead was washed away. By the bucket it still kept raining. We went into the woods & cut boughs to lay on to keep us out of the mud & had lain down to rest for the night when the memo came for Co. I to get up & go out to build the bridge. They were called on because they were the best men in the regt. & also in the brigade.
Well we got up & packed up our blankets which were all wet & heavy. Our rations had also run out this night & the supply train had not catched up. Well we waded in the mud up to our crotch about a mile & there we found the Gen. there waiting for us & he stayed there all night with us. Oh how it rained & there we was without any rations & hungry as bears but by morning we had the bridge completed & then had to start on & march all day with the rest of the troops that had rested all night. We marched that day & the next till night without any rations when we arrived at Stafford C. H. 12 miles from Fredericksburg. It is where Gen. Sigel has been all the time lately. They had good quarters built & we moved into them.
We have just been paid up to the first of Nov. There is 3 months more due to us. I have just enclosed some to Mother. I only got 23.00 from the 7th of Sept. till 1st of Nov. I paid my debts & had 15 dollars left. I keep 5 & send home 10.
I have no more time today so must close.

I remain as ever your brother,
Will