Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his brother and sister from Nashville, Tennessee, December 16, 1864
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Nashville Tennessee (Nashville, Tennessee)
Dec. 16th 1864 Dear Brother (Welch, John) and Sister (Welch (Miss.))
I will try and
write a few lines to you this
morning and let you
know that I am yet
alive and well. I have
not
seen or heard from
any of the boy's yet, so
I can't say that they are
all
well but I can say that
I sincerely hope they are.
I have left the
hospital and am now
clerking in
the Medical
Department I had my
choice either to come here
or go
into the invalid corps
I have to write a part of
time only, apart (a part) of the
time I act as Orderly
which is to carry dispatches
and order's and all sorts
of documents to diferent (different)
place's, I have a horse to
ride any time I want
him, he is kept in a
stable with several other's
and some negroes take
care of them, I am
having a pretty easy time
and am enjoying myself
very well, the rebel army
has caused much excitemen (excitement)
since I come back, their
lines have been for the
last ten day's within two
and three miles of the
city yesterday our troops
attacked them there
was some hard fighting
and our men drove
them from their works
I have not heard so heavy
artilery (artillery) firing since the
battle of gettysburge (Gettysburg) (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
night closed the fight and
decided the day's fight
much in our favor.
This morning the battle
opened again the cannonading
is teriffic (terrific) the reports
of the large gun's make
the windows rattle in this
room, I would like to be
where I could see the
fighting, but the other clerks
have gone out so I have
got to stay in the office
until they come back
this afternoon will be
my turn to go out
I will not finish this
letter until evening.
It is now evening
I have been out on the
battlefield this afternoon
the thing's that I saw
reminded me of
old
time's a little, our men
have drove the rebs at
every point
today, the
general opinion here is
that
Hood (Hood) is getting
in
rather a tight place,
You are probably having
some cold
weather up there
now day's and sleighing
too I expect, would like
to take one more sleigh ride
myself perhaps I may sometime
my regards
to all please write
soon and oblige, your Brother
direct to
Nashville Tennessee (Nashville,
Tennessee)
Part: of 4 
