Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his uncle and aunt from Camp Williams near Stafford Courthouse, Virginia, June 12, 1863

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PAGE IMAGECamp. William's (Camp Williams, Virginia) ..near..
Stafford.Courthouse..Va (Virginia) (Stafford, Virginia) ..
June.12th.1863. Dear Uncle (Tanner, Franklin) and Aunt (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner)) !

I received
a letter from your (you) yesterday, and
I cannot pass my time more
pleasantly for a few hours than
answering it! I am well and so is
Dowd Francis Thair (Thair, Dowd Francis) and all the
boy's from Granville (Granville, New York) ! we are haveing (having)
very warm weather down here now
days, but I guess we can stand it!
we received marching order's a few
day's ago but we have not marched
yet we keep three day's ration's
in our haversacks ready to march
at one hour's notice! there has been
a great cavalry fight up near
Kelly's ford (Kelly's Ford, Virginia) our men gained the
victory! I think they intended to

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PAGE IMAGE have had our Brigade march
up there if the reb's had been
likely to crossed the river! but as
our men drove them back I
hardly think we shall march
very soon! our men captured their
papers which contained all their
plans Stuart (Stuart) 's plan was to make
a raid into MarylandMaryland with
12 thousand cavalrymen my mind
is that he has failed in his
calculations! we are doing picket
duty in the woods the picket
line extend's across the hill's
through thick pines and ceder's (cedars)
with here and there a small
clearing! one of Co: E (Company E.) boy's was
shot a few nights ago while
on picket the ball passed
through his arm! the bush
whackers are spying around our
line all the time! Dowd (Dowd) and
I are going to try and get

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PAGE IMAGE permission to go beyond our lines
as scouts if we get the chance
we will be just in our element
for no business would suit us
better! we do not have chance to
sleep but very little when we are
on picket the last time I was
out I slept about 45 minute's
we saw nothing of any rebs that
night but a pesky wildcat
was prowling about my post
the most of the night its yell's
did not sound very pleasant! its
against orders to shoot unless
at a reb but if I get a chance
to take good aim at the beast
I shall halt Mr wildcat and
then fire. if the oficer's (officers) say
anything I will make them
believe that I thought it was a
reb shure (sure)! well Uncle Franklin (Tanner, Franklin)
then you have commenced hoeing
have you if I was up there

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PAGE IMAGE I believe we could hoe more
than any two men in town
and then get through
in time to visit fortann
before the rest of the folks
got through! then chief has
got to be a 130 dollar horse
has he I wont say that I should
have sold him for I know that
he is a little the best horse
in the northern States! I
would like to see him in the army
wouldn't (would'ent) he do some tall walking
when he heard the cannon fired
when I rather think he would!
there is a report in the regiment
that one of our lieutenent's (lieutenants) is to
be removed to another company
and that Dave Rogers (Rogers, David) is to have
a commission in his place if the
report prove's true there is over thirty
of us boy's are going to enlist in
the regular army for we never

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PAGE IMAGE will serve with Dave Roger (Rogers, David) 's
over us the boy's all hate him
worse than they do the reb's!
I think that Col. Mr. McDougal (McDougal (Mr.)) will
give him a commission if Dave (Rogers, David)
will give him money enough but
I hardly think he will get one
in this company there is some
companies that have a vacancy
he may get a position in some
of them: one thing is certain
if he does get a commission
in our company the boy's will
brake up the company! they say
that they had rather serve
five year's in the regular army
than to serve the rest of our time
under such an idiot as Dave
Rogers (Rogers, David) is. we can renlist (reenlist) for the
remainder of our time in the
regular army and we will do so

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PAGE IMAGE sooner than we will be under such
a man as he is! I would as soon
serve under a mule! if the
Colonel see's that we are
likely to break up the company
he will hold up a little I
think! the new's have just
come that we are to march
tomorrow morning we do not
know which way we are
going but it is supposed
that we are going up the river
if we are going to fight I
hope that we shall have
better luck than we had
the last battle! but I must
close write soon good bye for
this time from your absent

Nephew Henry Welch (Welch, Henry)