Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his father from Camp near Kelly's Ford, Virginia, August 27, 1863
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WASHINGTOND. C. (District of Columbia) (Washington, District of
Columbia)
AUG 28? [Year
unclear.]
Mr
Luther
Welch (Welch,
Luther)
North
Hebron
Washington
Co
NY (New York) (North Hebron, Washington County, New York)
Camp near Kelly's Ford, Va (Virginia) (Kelly's Ford, Virginia) .
August, 27th, 1863, Dear Father (Welch, Luther) ,
I will pen a few
line's to you this morning
and
let you know how
I am getting along, and what
is going on about our
camp
these day's down here on
the
Rappahannock (Rappahannock
River) , we drill two hour's
a day and go on picket
twenty
four hour's every ten day's
and camp guard as often
so you
see that we do not
have much duty to do, and
we are pretty well
satisfied
not to do much, yesterday
morning two deserters came
through our lines to
our camp they were smart
looking fellow's one of
them
was without shoe's he had
lost them runing (running) through
the brush, they said that
they belonged to North Carolina (North Carolina)
cavalry they also stated that
there was a full regiment
across the river from us that
was all going to desert as fast
as possible, their soldiers they
state are all discouraged very
much, and say they never can
win and that they never
will do much more fighting,
that their cause is hopeless
they are now fully convinced,
my mind is that we done much
towards convinceing (convincing) of the fact them at a
place called for short Gettysburg (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) ,
we get very good news from
Charlston (Charleston) (Charleston, South Carolina) harbor this morning
Gilmore (Gilmore) is doing the big thing
there he is bound to have
the place, I hope that he may succeed
we have received our pay at last
I will send you a check of
forty dollars you can get it
cashed at any of the Bank's up
there, please write
as soon as you receive this letter
so that I will kow (know) whether
the check is all right or not
you need not send me that
money that I sent for,
Philo (Philo) is not quite so well this
morning he does not get along
much but the wether (weather) is not
quite so warm and when it
gets cooler I am in hopes
that he will get well right
off. he is very poor our
ration's are no food for one
that is sick, they are bad
enough for a well person.
the rest of the boy's from
Hebron (North Hebron, Washington County, New York) as well as myself are
all well, I guess they have
given up the notion of having
us move there is no
signs of our being obliged
to march soon, I do not
think of anything more to
write so I will close, my
love to all the family, Good Bye for the present
from your son Henry Welch (Welch, Henry)
Part: of 5 
