My dear parents,
I am seated to answer your letter of the 22nd of August which came to hand a few days ago finding me well and glad to hear from home. I sent you a few lines by Sargent C. W. Umberger which I hope you received. Then I wrote another letter after we had the fight on the 25th. I presume you have also received that, so it is unnecessary for me to say anything more about that affair only to correct a mistake I made or rather an error. I told you (among other) that Lieutenant Burnett was killed. This was incorrect, he is unhurt. But Lieut. Hall of Co. H. was captured. You remember that I told you that a ball hit my knapsack. I did not know at the time that it had penetrated but thought it was spent ball. On opening my knapsack several days after the fight I found the ball in there and found that it had made some dozen or fifteen holes in a shirt that I had folded up in it. I have the ball in my pocket now. It is a pistol ball. You wanted to know how I am off for clothes. I have a good pair of pants, two tolerable shirts with the exception of bullet holes in them. A good pair of shoes and a tolerable jump jacket, but as for socks, I am entirely destitute of them. I hope if you got the few lines I sent by Sargent Umberger, I hope when he comes back I will get a pair or two of socks. If you did not get that in time, send them by William Peck or John Walters. They are going home on furlough in a few days as soon as Charley gets back. Peck lives in town at the old man Pattisons. About us going to Maryland, we did cross the Potomac over in Maryland but we only stayed there one night and I did not hardly think it worth talking about. That s the reason I did not mention it. It was done to let McCosland out of Pennsylvania.
I was sorry to hear of the death of Jacob Baumgardner and I also heard with deep sorrow of the death of Alfred Fisher. While I am on this subject I will tell you of a sad occurance which took place yesterday morning. Mr. William Mallory of Co. B. fell dead in camp. He was as lively and gay that morning as he ever was up to the time he fell. He had just been skuffling with one of his comrades and had got up and was laughing and talking when the summons came. Imagine our feeling as we stood gazing upon the lifeless form of him who but a few moments ago was gay and playful. The extreme uncertainty of human life was there most forcibly illustrated. It was another warning to the living to prepare for death.
The drum has sounded for preaching and I want to go. I will finish my letter when I come back. I will now resume my writing. I have just listened to a good sermon delivered by Rev. Robertson, chaplain of Clark Battalion and Divinity of Christ. I am glad you have such nice sugar cane. I hope to help you eat some of the molasses. Is there plenty of apples on the trees, if so make a good kettle of apple butter. Did those little peach trees bear this year. You wanted to know what we get to eat. We get plenty of flour and beef and there is plenty of apples in the country and we make stewed apples fly. We also have had roasting ears plenty.
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 Lastly you wanted to know whether there is any talk of peace and what I think of it. There is a great deal of talk of peace, almost every body thinks that there will be a treaty of peace agreed upon this winter. Father, if you want me to come home you must try and get me a recruit and send him up to the Co. They give a thirty day furlough if he gets a recruit to this Co. I will give anyone thirty dollars that will come to this Co. as a recruit for me. Everett Miller and William H. Thomson have come up. They both tell me they saw you at Camp meeting and you were all well. George Saunders is here with the 45th Regt. He expects to get a detail to return home in a few days to collect. Tell Mr. Hiltens  folks that Joe is well. He got a letter from Andy a day or two ago. We suffered in the flesh last night. It just poured down rain. I would have done fine but the water run under me and routed me out. During the summer it has been very dry in the valley but for the past 10 or 12 days it has rained half the time. There is nothing stirring of interest at present. The sound of the cannon has been silent for the last two or three days. It has been so familiar that it is no more headed than if it were thundering, so common it is that we almost forget we are soldiers or that the war is going on if we do not hear it every day. I have written all that is necessary at this time, so will close for the present. I commit myself into the hands of God for protection until I have another opportunity to write. May he guard, guide and protect us all and ere long bring about some means that we may see each others faces in health and vigor, and also bring about and restore to our land peace once more. Cameron says he will put his fist upon a peace of paper and send it to you next time I write. He has no paper now. Nor I have none to lend him. Write soon to your devoted son.
 
Thomas W. Fisher
                                     
 
 
 

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