Dear Father and Mother:
I am seated for the purpose of writing in answer to yours of the first inst. which I received a few days ago. I cannot say I am exactly well at present but I am able to perform the duties of a soldier. I have a very bad cold. The rest of the boys are all well. I was sorry to hear Jason was not healthy, you had better give him some medicine. Mother, I found some of your relatives out here. Raders Calvin.(Peter s son), he lives at the old homestead of his father. He is a man of a family, although his wife is dead. She died about five or six weeks ago. She was frightened to death by horse thieves who tried to call him out one night. They had been knocking men in the head and taking their horses or what ever else they wanted, and she being a very weakly woman took fright and died next day. Your aunt is still living and lives with Calvin. She is very old. I think she told me she was 81. I could tell you a great deal more, but this will suffice for the present. I had the pleasure yesterday of hearing Brother Boring. He was here and preached for our Regt. His text was a portion of the 30th verse of the 12 chapter of St. Matthew, "He that is not with me is against me  " He arranged the two vast armies before the congregation, Satan and his followers on his left and the army of Christ on his right. There was no middle ground. First he noticed the leaders of the two armies. In the second place he noticed the banners of flags of the two armies. That upon the left, a dark banner without a bright spot or white thread about it to represent one ray of light or star of hope through vast unending eternity. But upon the right how different. The banner there was of pure white. Never shall that glorious banner trail in the dust or fall at half mast in token of defeat. Next he noticed the soldiers of the two armies, lastly the pay of the soldiers. I tell you it was an interesting discourse, and I don t think there was a man but what was pleased and tears rolled down the cheeks of some of the hardest sinners. I cannot tel 1 when we will get back to Virginia again, but I think the weather will get so rough that we will have to get back to some point on the railroad.  When ever we do get back to the railroad I will get a pass to come home. This trip has knocked furloughing in the head. There has been none given yet. I wrote you a letter about a week ago and told you where we were and what we were doing. I have to go to preparing some dinner as it is near 11 o clock. 

So I must close for the present hoping this will find you all well. Write soon, don t delay. I haven t time to look over this letter, if anything is left out supply its place. Correct all mistakes and excuse bad writing and spelling. I remain as ever your affectionate son,

                                                                      Thomas W. Fisher
                                   
 
 
 

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