Will Fisher to his mother
Near the Chattahoochee River
July 6, 1864

Dear Mother,

Will write again this morning as it is quiet with our div. Had a most welcome letter from you yesterday dated 24th June & containing the picture & 4 stamps & you don’t know how much I prize it. It does me good to get a letter now if it ever did.
I lost my knapsack yesterday and have to write on nothing but fortunately there was nothing in it of much consequence. I will have a chance to pickup another on the next battlefield. I wrote you about the last of June on what we call the Kenesaw Stand. The Rebels made the best stand there they have made yet but last Sabbath morning they were all gone & we followed them taking a great many deserters who came in.
They made another stand in a few miles but held it only one day for McPherson got in the rear & they got out with some loss. It was a hard 4th to them.
We are now near the river & by climbing the trees we can see Atlanta. We are not in front today, therefore cannot tell whether the Rebs have gone across the river or not. Such lines of breastwork as the Rebs have built lately I never saw. No one but cowards would build such works.
We are getting a good many deserters.
Atlanta is about 12 miles from here so you see you were wrong about the distance you wrote some time ago. We have had no battle since the battle of 22nd, that is, our div.
Tobacco is a terrible scarce & no money at all among the troops, & in fact, money is no good now because stuff is so high. You could sell tobacco for 25 ct a chew if had it. I wish you would get half a pound of loose fine cut & do it up in heavy wrapping paper & mail it for 8 ct. Don’t wait to call it wrong for in this hot climate the doctors say it is a preventive to disease & it would kill anyone to break it off now.
I should like to see Laura & Willie & John, sorry Aunt S. got hurt. Will write soon.

Love to all from your living boy.