Letter written by Henry Welch, corporal in the 123rd New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, Company K, to his uncle and aunt from Camp near Elk River, Tennessee, April 17, 1864

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PAGE IMAGECamp near Elk River
Tenn. (Tennessee) (Elk River, Tennessee) April 17th -64 Uncl (Tanner, Franklin) and Aunt (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner))

Not being
busy this afternoon I will
improve an hour or so of my
leisure time writeing (writing) to you.
I am as usual in good
health and getting along
as well as a fellow can expect
to in the army. the boy's
are all well I believe.
Philo (Philo) arrived here six day's
since he is well and looking
finely, I have had some
good visits with him, you
may well believe that I
asked him a good many
question's about the people
up in Washington county (Washington County, New York) ,
about the young folks

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PAGE IMAGE and the older one's. it done
me good to hear him say
that the people still remembered
the soldier boy's, and
that they are still with us
heart and hand in puting (putting)
down this rebelion (rebellion). I was
sorry to hear that there are
so many copperheads up there
they are our bitterest enemies
they are to (too) cowardly to fight
us face to face but hand
about and injure our cause
all they can by plotting and
talking treason. hanging is to (too)
good for such men they
deserve torture and if they do
not change their ways I am
afraid that torture will be
thier (their) lot through all eternity.
I would to have this regt.
in the country where it was
raised, and then let those

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PAGE IMAGE copperheads talk so Philo (Philo)
said he had heard them
if they valued their lives
very highly they would
change their talk or else
they would not say much
I am thinking. Philo (Philo) thinks
he will enjoy himself
firstrate now, in fact we
are all having pretty
good time's here now,
its raining now and tonight
will be a wet dreary night
I feel sorry for some of the
boy's who are out paceing (pacing)
their lonely rounds on
picket shurely (surely) a soldier's
life is a life of hardship.
there is no signs of our
moveing (moving) soon, but I think
by the time you receive
this there will be an
advance mad (made) here or in

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PAGE IMAGEVerginia (Virginia) (Virginia) , and on that advance
depends almost the fate of
the nation, at any rate I think
it will decide whether this
war will close in six
months or last three year's
longer. I am very sorry to
hear that Isaac (Isaac) has taken
the course that he has, I was
in hopes he would stay
with Grandfather and try
and be a man, but I
fear that he will soon
be a ruined boy, he will
probly (probably) see when he gets older
where he has missed his
reckoning, I tell you its a
fine thing for boys to get
older, but sometimes they
do not come to their
senses untill (until) its to (too) late.
I wrote a letter to Isaac (Isaac)
a few day's since, I advised

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PAGE IMAGE him all I could to stay
at home, I told him plainly
that he could gain nothing
by leaving. I hardly think
the letter had time to
reach him before I heard
he was gone. I received your letter
this morning I need not tell
you that I was glad to hear
from you for you know
that I always like to hear
from you and to hear that
you are well, I think that
last wedding beats all
the weddings that I have
heard of yet, pretty fast
time's up there, I think by
that. I think that boy of
John Bumps (Bumps, John) did rather a fast
thing too, a good way that
to break up a goose nest

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PAGE IMAGE but it was powerful hard
on the barn and the
cows too, I think those Barnard (Barnard)
boy's are doing a fast thing
in the marrying line,
I dont think Leroy (Leroy) will
be much behind when
he gets out of the service.
Aunt Polly (Tanner, Franklin (Mrs., Polly C.)) (Tanner, Polly C. (Mrs. Franklin Tanner)) you wanted to
know how my shirts ware (wear)
they ware (wear) firstrate not a
stich (stitch) started yet but they are
getting pretty small, they
have been just the thing
this winter. well Uncle
Franklin (Tanner, Franklin) I suppose you have
heard before this that I
smoke a little once in awhile (a while)
if you have not you know
it now, and I want to
make a bargain with you
after I get home to the
effect that you go as long

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PAGE IMAGE without chewing tobacco
as I do without smokeing (smoking)
it, now what do you say, the
one that breaks the bargain
shall furnish tobacco for
both. we used to make
trades and I dont see why
we can't make this one.
I guess I shall alway's have
to own that you had me
a little on that trade where
the boot money was
but the boot did not
look half as large to me
as that spavin [?? (a disease of horses) ] did a week
or two after we traded,
but I will be after you
yet when I get out of
the service if I don't
forget how to drive a
horse. by the way who is this
Miss Acley (Acley (Miss.)) that teaches your
school this summer

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PAGE IMAGE you know that it
stands me in hand
to find out who all
the young ladies are
around there for I have
not got quite sixteen
month's to serve now
and then hurah (hurrah)
for freedom again.
but I must close excuse
all mistakes Andrew Harris (Harris, Andrew)
sends his respects to Mrs
Taylor (Taylor (Mrs.)) , my respects to all
the folks on the hill and
to yourselves in particular
please write soon and

oblige your Nephew Henry Welch (Welch, Henry)