Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his mother from Camp near Stafford court house, Virginia, January 25, 1863

---

PAGE IMAGECamp..near..Stafford..court..
house..   Verginia (Virginia)Jan..25..1863.. Dear Mother (Welch, Luther (Mrs., Phebe)) !

I received your letter last night
and was glad to hear that you
were well and that the rest of
the folks in old Hebron (Hebron, New York) were
enjoying good health too..
I am in good health at presant (present)
and so are all the boys from
Hebron (Hebron, New York) I believe!
We have had a pretty
tough march since I have written
we did not march so very far
but it rained most all the
time we were marching. we were
on the road five days and I never
saw so much mud it was ankle
deep all the way some nights
we staid (stayed) in our tents
and some nights we could hardly

---

PAGE IMAGE get a place to lay down there
was so much mud one night
I spent by a fire with no
blanket or anything els (else) to keep
the rain off excepting my overcoat
it was raining all night and
I began to think that it was
Soldering (soldiering) in ernest (earnest) before it
got light the next morning
my things were packed up with
Colonel Norten (Norten (Colonel)) s and the teams
got behind and so I could not
get them out until they catched up of (off) the wagon
I did not have to carry anything
on the march and I had a horse
to ride when I wanted to ride
and so I got along pretty well
we are ten miles from
Fredericksburg (Fredericksburg, Virginia) and I expect
that soon I shall have the
pleasure of sending a few
leaden balls in among the

---

PAGE IMAGE rebels and I tell you it
will be a pleasure if I ever
do get a chance to show my
love towards them in the
form of a rife ball!
Mother (Welch, Luther (Mrs., Phebe)) I have often heard
you say that we had always
ought to do to others
as we would have others do
to us. I am most afraid that
plan wont work with a
soldier if we go into battle
I shall try and shoot
some body and I cant say
that I would have them try
to shoot me but if they
do I will try and submit
to it cheerfully and say
let Gods will be done always
its hard to die far from home
and friends and in a strange
land but there has a good many

---

PAGE IMAGE died so and I dont know
as my life is any
sweeter to me that thiers (theirs)
was to them. but some
body has got to be killed
and so we all have got to
stand our chances all
I ask is that the rebels
may soon be whiped (wiped) out
and I am willing to do my
part in fighting them
untill (until) they are whiped (whipped)
for I have soldiered about
long enough without doing
anything and now I want
something done and I am
willing to do my part
but I must close tell
John (John) to send me a news
paper once and awhile (a while)
and do up some envelopes
in them I send my love
to you and all the family
pleas (please) write soon

from your
Son Henry (Henry)

excuse this poor
writing and all
mistakes
Henry (Welch, Henry)