Submitted by Ken Ferris

-Death of Lt. John Fisher
The Death of Lieut. Fisher—Hundreds and thousands will be called upon to mourn the loss of relatives and friends by the casualties in the battles now progressing in Virginia. This was to be expected, and although many had endeavored to so school their feelings as to be prepared for the worst, still when the tidings of the death of a beloved father, husband, son or brother reaches the ears of those who are waiting at home with throbbing hearts, there are none who are able to receive the sad intelligence of the fall of a loved one without tears and mourning. Among the deaths of those best known to us is that of Lieut. John Henry Fisher, Co. I, 138th Regiment, P.V., brother of Major B. Frank Fisher, of the Signal Corps, and son of the Rev. P.S. Fisher, of Sellersville, Bucks county.
In the summer of 1862, Lieut. Fisher was active in his exertions to raise a company for three years or the war, but he did not succeed in raising the entire number. He therefore took the men raised by him to Harrisburg, and had them incorporated into a company with a number of men raised by Capt. Feather, of Montgomery county, and were mustered into the 138th Regiment, P.V., as Company I, and have been in service since August of that year.

During the month of March last Lieut. F. obtained a short leave of absence, and reached Doylestown while his brother Captain B.F.F. was here to deliver a lecture for the benefit of the Ladies’ Aid Society. After his escape from Libby prison, the brothers met for the first time in nineteen months. The time spent together was short, as the Captain had to report at Washington the next day. Lieut. F. returned to his regiment where, as from the first, he performed all the laborious duties incumbent upon him with cheerfulness. He was a good soldier, obeying the commands of his superior officers strictly, and performing all his duties with fidelity. By his suavity and conciliatory manners he won for himself many warm friends in the regiment, and was endeared to all his companions by whom he was held in high regard, and we deeply feel and mourn his loss. Lieut. F. was born on the 23rd day of July 1842, and had not reached the years of manhood when he entered the military service of his country. He fell in the discharge of his duty, gallantly leading his men in action, on the 5th of May 1864, aged 21 years, 9 months and 13 days. He was a courageous and noble youth. But what is of far more importance, he has left that testimony behind that warrants his friends in believing that he was a God-fearing man, and endeavored to lead a Christian life, and that in his death the country lost not only a true patriot, but a Christian soldier.

The following is an extract from the last letter he wrote his mother. It is an evidence of his piety.

The army is in motion. In reply to your kind letter, I am thankful that I have Christian parents to advise me in all things useful to me both in this life and to that which is to come, and I hope that your prayers as well as mine may be answered. I commit myself to Him who is the giver of all goodthings, and hope that he may guard me through this life and when death comes he may receive me in his heavenly mansions where I shall praise and glorify him through all eternity. What a consolation!

Your affectionate son. John.

My Dear Parents -Another desperate struggle for the preservation of American constitutional liberty raged during the last two days. It was indeed fought as if each one recognized the immense importance of this battle, upon it we can say the fate of a government honored in all lands for its institutions depended. No one seemed to think any sacrifice too great. Life dear and noble was offered upon the altar of liberty. Many will be called upon to mourn the loss of dear and near friends. But all can feel that the cause for which this sacrifice was made was worthy, and bow with submissive and prayerful hearts to the bereavement brought about in God’s providence. Let all take courage and gather strength from the source that never fails, when prayer’s drawn from.

To God and his promises let all look. You too my dear parents have had a heavy tax laid upon you, by an all-wise Providence, but what He does is well done, and as Christians we will recognize His act and not murmur. My dear brother John and your son fell yesterday morning while gallantly leading the advance skirmishers in a charge upon the enemy’s lines. His noble bearing and undaunted courage in the face of danger won the confidence of his superiors and the love of those he commanded. A regiment mourns his death with us, my dear parents; aye, every patriotic heart and friend of his country will yield their sympathy.

We mourn him not as lost. He has preceded us to join the little circle already gathered from our hearth. We will therefore look forward with hope to a future and happy meeting where trouble ceases. There is some comfort in knowing he died with out suffering. The ball penetrated his heart and death was instantaneous. Now my dear parents you have administered comfort too frequently to allow this to overcome you. We will gather the closer around you and try to supply the place of the lost one. God bless you my dear parents and give you strength in this trial. Accept love.

Your devoted son. Frank

P. S. I am well.