Will Fisher to his mother
In the line of battle for the 25th day successively
June 20, 1864

Dear Mother,

I will write a few lines just to pass away the time & while I think of it I will write with ink. But I am afraid will have to fall in. I have just mailed a letter to you this morning which I wrote a day or two since. The mail did not go out before. You see I am beginning to economize with my paper for I have got a little short but I don’t write much only to you, so I guess I will use up the loose ends of my old foolscap. You see I had to cut it down to make it fit my portfolio. I tell you I wish for those old foolscap days at Elk River. That was the gayest place, “I ever went any where.”
I had a letter the other day from Lem, he is at US Gen. Hospital, Jeffersonville, Ind. I have received & mailed 8 letters to him since he went away, but you probably hear from his folks oftener than I do.
We have not been in any fight since my other letter, but we are so close to them that we loose one or two men most every day by sharpshooting, which, by the way is a very destructive kind of warfare indeed. We lose a good many valuable officers by this mode of fighting.
But we have to fall in & I must close.
June 24th 1864
I will finish my letter today & send it out as the mail goes.
Day before yesterday the 123rd added another to its list of bloody conflicts but I, by the preserving care of a kind Providence, escaped again unhurt. The 123rd on the 22nd of June were thrown out as skirmishers for the whole div. & advanced through a heavy fire until about 4 PM, when a whole Rebel Div. (Gen. Stevenson’s Div.) made a charge onto our brig. & us skirmishers had to just climb to get in without being captured & in fact some of the boys were captured but we managed to get in some way. We lost 4 killed, 27 wounded, and about 12 missing.
The regt is getting considerable reduced down. It is ⅓ smaller than when we started on the campaign. This is certainly a long tough, tedious campaign & I wish it might soon end & we be allowed a little time for recuperating ourselves a little. I think we will as soon as the Rebs shall be driven across the river.
The last fight was a very brilliant affair for our brig. and has added new laurels to our already bright name. There was no one in our co. hurt but three were hit by spent balls. James Rowen of Argyle in Co. F was shot through the body & I fear mortally wounded. I think you knew Jim Rowen, brother to Lib Rowen of Argyle.
The mail goes out soon so I must close. Much love to all in haste from your own boy.

Will Fisher