Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his uncle and aunt from Camp near Staffords court house, Virginia, February 7, 1863

---

PAGE IMAGECamp..near..Staffords..
Courthouse (Stafford Courthouse, Virginia) ..Feb..7..1863..
..Dear Uncle (Tanner, Franklin) and Aunt (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner)) ..

..It is
one of the pleasantest day's that
I ever saw the sun is shining
out warm there is not a
cloud to be seen. its just
such a day as I should like
to spend at your house having
a good old visit with you but
as I cannot exactly do that today
I will do the next thing to it
talk a little by the way of uncle
Sams mail hoping that the
time will soon be when
I shall have the pleasure
of sitting around your fire
and have a nice visit with you
I believe that I could visit

---

PAGE IMAGE around old Washington County
quite awhile and enjoy myself
finly (finely) for awhile (a while) I feel as
though I would like to try it
at any rate. But I like to forgot
to tell you that I am well
and hearty as ever and getting
along finely! I am about the
same old sixpence that I was
when I left you some six
months ago a little more weather
beaten though I think!
when we were at Fairfax
Station (Fairfax Station, Virginia) I think we were
troubled about as much
with pine wood smoke
as ever Sam Adams (Adams, Sam) was
I s'pose the smoke was awful
on him! I have received a
letter from Father (Welch, Luther) since
I commenced writing this letter
and I was glad to hear that

---

PAGE IMAGE they were all well but I
suppose you want me to write
some news there is nothing
new to write we are getting
down where they have war
and rumors of war and I am
most afraid that before we
take Fredericksburg (Fredericksburg, Virginia) that we
shall have war in dead ernest (earnest)
we are within ten miles of
there now! and the thought
of moving nearer is not at
all pleasant to the most of
us I think! but I had much
rather that the grand army
of the Potomac (Army of the Potomac) would move
on and do what they are a going
to do than to lay still untill (until)
hot weather then have
another severe repulse and
have to fall back to
Maryland (Maryland) once more

---

PAGE IMAGE and just as shure (sure) as they
dont whip the rebels before
the first of May they wont
whip at all unless they make
a heavy draft for at the first of May theres a good many soldiers
time will be out and they are
a going home! but I am in the hopes
that they will whip out the rebs
by that time and then we all
can go home! the reason that
I did not speak about that money
that you wrote about was because
I had not got quite out and
we have been paid off since
then and so I have plenty now
I tell you Uncle Franklin (Tanner, Franklin) I
have got a gay horse to take care
of he is up and dressed every
time round. but I will bring
my letter to a close for I
think of nothing more to write
give my love to our folks and
save a part for your selves from
absent

Henry (Welch, Henry) PS

Billy Warnner (Warnner, Billy)
and Ed Warnner (Warnner, Ed) has
deserted and Alba
Woods (Woods, Alba)