Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his uncle and aunt from Nashville, Tennessee, December 25, 1864
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Nashville Tennessee (Nashville, Tennessee)
Dec. 25th 1864 Dear Uncle (Tanner, Franklin) & Aunt (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner))
I received a letter from you
yesterday, of course was
very glad to hear from
you and to hear that you were well.
I wrote to
you just one week ago today
and I had ought to call that an answer
to
your's that I received last evening or
yesterday, but not having much to
do
today and as "Uncle Sam" furnishe's the
material both paper &
ink I don't know
as I can spend Christmas in a better way
than writing
letter's. it did just do me good
to read your letter, yes
Aunt
Polly (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly
C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin
Tanner)) I have
thought
of them apples that you were drying. I am
glad for your sake
that you have got
them finished up I suppose that
Uncle
Franklin (Tanner,
Franklin) is sorry though that they are done.
wish
I was sitting today on that lounge
visiting with you. if I was
Uncle
Franklin (Tanner, Franklin)
I
would still argue that this campaign
will close the war, and if you asked
me
when this campaign would end I would
tell you when the war closed.
I can see
just how you looked when you told
Aunt (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly
C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin
Tanner))
Polly (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner)) to write and ask me about this campaign
closing the war. I used to get a hint of that
occassionly (occasionally) when up there on my furlough.
but I realy (really) do think this war is about
to an end, what do you think of " Sherman (Sherman, William T. (General)) 's"
march through the confederacy, I tell you
General Sherman (Sherman, William T. (General)) is a "brick" as the boys say
he is far a head of Grant (Grant, Ulysses S. (General)) in my estimation
he is soon a going to have the "old flag" flying
over Savannah (Savannah, Georgia) then Charlston (Charleston) (Charleston, South Carolina) must come
down, this rebellion must shurely (surely) go down
in the spring, I do realy (really) wish it was over
now for I am tired of war, and I begin
to think that I have seen enough of it
to make most anyone sick of it, over
two year's now and I have seen some
pretty hard time's since I have been
a soldier and its enough to make a
fellow shudder to look back and see
some of the sights that I have seen in
the past two year's. And so the young
folks are all getting married up there
are they. well a fig for the diference (difference).
I don't allow such thing's to trouble
my brain I don't, no sensible fellow
will, but I don't s'pose them fellow's
know any better they ought to be pittied (pitied)
realy (really), they will pity themselves before long
and then they will wish that they had
enlisted for three year's in the service
of Uncle Sam. instead of enlisting for
life in a service that is so much more
disagreeable but I believe that I am getting
off quite a lingo for me so I will change
the subject. Tell Louisa (Louisa) the next time you
see her, that when I get out of the service
I am coming up there and then we will
all go over and make that visit
that I promised that day I saw her.
in the meantime I will provide myself
with an extra hat to slip in my pocket
to take along you know, so that in the
case the hired girl should hide one
I will have another to wear home
well enough to look out for these thing's
you know for it won't pay to get caught
in the same trap too many time's.
We must go down to Morvin (Morvin) 's too I promised
to make a visit there, I believe I shall have
more visiting to do than ever when I get
home. "get home" yes that make's me think of
a little story that I have heard somthing (something)
about counting chicken's before they were
hatched I believe it was, no I am not home
yet but its well enough to live in hopes
my respects to the folks up on the hill
tell Grandfather that I am going to
write to him before long. when I can
write somthing (something) that is worth reading.
he does not like such nonsence (nonsense) as I have
written in this letter much you know,
I am not to write any letters after today
in ten day's or perhaps thirty when I do
write I will explain the reason why
I am to drop all corespondance (correspondance), also the
reason that I do not tell you now
and so Uncle Franklin (Tanner, Franklin) you are drawing
wood are you, wish I was up there helping
you I should want another team and them
we would see which would draw the most,
my hand has healed entirely over now
but is still very tender, it would do to
draw wood with if I was out of the service
it is about dinner time so I will draw
this letter to a close, we are to have
a turkey for dinner and I must not
miss that anyhow, my respects to
all enquireing (enquiring) friends and my
regards to yourselve's. please
answer soon and oblige Henry (Welch, Henry)
Part: of 4 
