I feel pretty confident this letter was written by Jacob Fisher (1823-1905) who was born in Germany in 1823 and came to Buffalo, New York in 1833 with his parents, and then came to Racine, Wisconsin about 1845. According to his obituary, he worked for many years for the Case T. M. Co. as a machinist. He did serve in the Civil War but did not enter the service until September 1864 as a recruit in Co. D, 16th Wisconsin Infantry. In this letter he claims to have enlisted in the 22nd Wisconsin but says he was “sorry” he enlisted and given that the regiment was urgently mustered in and moved out to Kentucky just a couple days after he wrote this letter, my hunch is that he was never mustered in. At least there is no one by that name appearing in the regimental roster. At the age of 36, Jacob married his first wife, Anna Stecher (1836-1911) in 1859.

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September 12, 1862

Mr. George Hall, dear sir, I now take this opportunity of writing a few lines to you to let you know that I am well at present and I hope these few lines may find you the same. I have enlisted and going to war. I should like to have come out there before I went off but I could not.

In regard to that little matter I have left it with Joeb Fisher and all the rest of my business. I am married and I am sorry that I enlisted but it can’t be helped now. I have bought a house and lot and I don’t know how I can keep it for I shall have to pay it before I can get the money, were it is coming to me. It would accommodate me very much if you would advance the money on those mules. I will throw off the interest which would make it one hundred and thirty-eight dollars. I said accommodate me but I mean my wife for I don’t know but I am past accommodation. But fools for luck, they say, and it may hit me. When you do send it, send it by express and then you will have a receipt to show that you have sent it and it will be all right. Send it to Jacob Fisher, Orfordville T., Rock county, Wisconsin

I hope I shall get a letter from you. You will please answer this at your first leisure time if you please. Direct to Jesse Edgerton, 22nd Regiment Wisconsin Vols. Racine, Wisconsin, in care of Capt. Miles