Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his uncle and aunt from Bridgeport, Alabama, December 18, 1863

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PAGE IMAGE BridgeportAla. (Alabama) (Bridgeport, Alabama)
Dec. 18th 1863. Dear Uncle (Tanner, Franklin) and Aunt (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner))

your ever welcome letter came to hand
this morning and I will now try a and
write a few words in answer to it.
I am in good health and enjoying
myself tolerably well the boy's are
all well I believe. one of the boys in
the Fort Ann (Fort Ann, New York) company (Fort Ann Company(New York)) accidently shot
himself with his revolver while he was
cleaning it he died the next day his
name was Fisher (Fisher) he was from the
western part of the of the town. his body
has started for home yesterday they launched
a steamboat there is three more being
built here they will be ready to launch
in a few weeks. It is evening and I am
on guard tonight so in about an hour
and a half I must go on the post I
think I must hurry or I shall not
get my letter wrote tonight. I hardly
know what to write I have written so
many letter's lately that I have written
all the men's. our army has been
having good success since we have
been out here. Bragg (Bragg, Braxton (General)) 's army (Bragg's Army) is

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PAGE IMAGE almost entirely broken up and I hear
that Bragg (Bragg, Braxton (General)) has been relieved of his
command. I think that this rebelion (rebellion) is
fast going up and the war rapidly drawing
to a close. I dont think that we shall need
many of the drafted men down here
but I guess they will fetch out a few this
time still I hope not I dont want to
see any one forced into this war its
bad enough to come volentairly (voluntairily) but I
suppose if ther (there) is not volenteer's (volunteers) enough they
will have to enforce the draft. by the way
I think the town of Granville (Granville, New York) is safe
from any invasions or attacked of any
kind under the protection of the brave
home guards that they have got there
I think myself that the home guards
have got some gallant officers that is as far
as I have heard who they are. when I
read your letter and read that
Ike (Ike) was Lieutenent (Lieutenant)  Dowd (Dowd) asked me
if Billy Duel (Duel, Billy) was was Captain of the company
I told him that I thought he must be
to corspond (correspond) with their other officers. well
I will not make sport of the home
guards, but I can tell them one thing
that home guard business will not

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PAGE IMAGE clear them from a draft unless they
are regularly enlisted and organized and
sworn into the state's service and then
they are liable to be called out at any
time. so I cant see how much better
off they would be then. there has been
quite a heavy picket sent out tonight
its the first time we have had a picket
line out in a long time I do not
know what it mean's it is reported
that the rebel cavalry is going to try
to make a a raid through here
if they do undertake the job they
will have a rough time of it before
they get through dealing with what
soldiers there is at this place. I am
glad to hear that Philo (Philo) is getting better
Aunt Polly (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner)) you wrote that he was much
changed since he first left there when
you write tell me how he is changed
and wherein. I have just received a
letter from him I must answer
it tomorrow I alway's and answer the letter's
that I get as soon as I get them. I write
about one letter a day sometimes two
or three Uncle Franklin (Tanner, Franklin) I want to hear
how your horse's are getting along this

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PAGE IMAGE winter I s'pose you keep the same one's
yet did'ent (didn't) we use (used) to make some tall
trades though. the worst of all was
that twenty five dollar boot
money scrape. does the bay horse look
as well as he use (used) to I suppose chief
is out of Granville (Granville, New York) he had aught
to be in the army. would'ent (wouldn't)
he make high time on a retreat
I have not time to write any more
please excuse this letter and these
mistakes for I have written in a
hurry I send my love to you both
write soon good bye for this time

from your Nephew Henry Welch (Welch, Henry) PS

tell Isaac (Isaac) that I answered the last
letter that I got from him a long
time ago I think that it is his
turn to write my respects to all
the folks around there
Henry (Welch, Henry)