Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his brother John from Camp near Elk River, Tennessee, April 22, 1864

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PAGE IMAGECamp near Elk River
Tenn. (Tennessee) (Elk River, Tennessee)   April 22nd -64 Brother John (Welch, John)

I will write a
few lines to you this
evening to let you know that all is
well with the 123rd (123rd Regiment)
things are moveing (moving) along very
pleasantly with us these days
and we are enjoying ourselve's
pretty well. there
is a good deal said in
the regt about reenlisting
the bounty offered is
some over eleven hundred
dollar's, we can reenlist
when we have served
about one month more
I think that a good
many of the boy's will
go in for another term

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PAGE IMAGE as for myself I rather
think that I will see
my free paper's before
I bind myself again. three
year's is about all I can
afford to soldier it.
the diferent (different) regiments of
our Brigade are to meet
at Dechard (Decherd) (Decherd, Tennessee) tomorrow for
a general review it is
three miles from here
I of course shall be obliged
to go. I suppose it would
be quite a sight to you
to see a full Brigade
together, and it is a fine
sight too, to see the long
lines of men, and then
to see them marching
over the review ground
in squadron's on the
double quick with color's
flying and bayonets glistning (glistening)

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PAGE IMAGE in the sun, and then
to hear the cannon
roar as the salutes are
fired at regular intervals,
taking it all together it
looks like war. I was
on picket last night
so you must not expect
much of a letter for I am
awful sleepy tell Mr Duel (Duel (Mr.))
that I would like to accomodate
him with that turkey's
wing but I made up my
mind that time that I got
lost that I was not going
hunting again in these
wood's, but if a tame turkey's
wing will do him any good
I think I can send him
one for I have better success
hunting them than I do
the wild one's. night is our
favorite time of hunting them

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PAGE IMAGE all we need to
catch them is a bayonet
to keep the dog's off with
tell him that he and Fenton (Fenton)
I think rather generaled
Oliver (Oliver) in that fox scrape
I would like to have heard
what he said when he found
that the fox had been dug
out the night before. there
is no news to write. I will
send a ring to Helen (Helen) in
this, Philo (Philo) says she is most
as fat as I am. tell Delia (Delia)
that Henry (Welch, Henry) has not forgotten
her. I will send her a ring
when I get through making
it, my love to all the family
please write soon and

oblige your absent
Brother Henry Welch (Welch, Henry)