Dear Sister

I received your letter the 8th of December and was much pleased to hear such goad news, that you are all well and pleased with the country. We are all well. Henry is fat as a pig ; talks of Grandfather and Jane and wants to go see them. Albert is usually well; looks quite poor. He has had the bowel complaint ever since we have been here, but is now some better of it. Uri is fat as a hog and getting rich fast. He has bought a cow and a pig and paid for them.

We are keeping house in a little log shanty and have enough to eat and drink. Things are cheap enough and he can get them with the work. He had taken a job of splitting of five thousand rails of one man and has paid for our pork and grain that will last till spring.

He is now splitting far cash for another man as many as he has a mind to.  Grocerys are cheaper here than in York State. I like it here much. We live within six rods of my brother Burr. Helen lives with sister Mary Ann twenty five miles from us. They live in Sugar Grove.

I must tell you how long we was getting there to Mary Ann's. We got to Chicago Saturday Morning and started from there about 3 o'clock that after. noon and got there Monday night. ; only 20 miles; it was very bad going. I tell you there was great rejoicing We lived to Mary Ann's two weeks, and to Burr's seven. Then we had 14 in the family. They have five children and our two; we had music sometimes We have purchased an eighty acre lot of prairie about a mile from the timber and are going to build in the spring.

When you write again write where Ari is and what he is doing. Tell him to come and see how he likes this part of the world. Tell Buel to write with you next time and write as soon as you can. The boys are going to the office and I have no more time to write. My love to all;read it if you can Tell Mother we are doing well yet.
From your Sister, Rhoda Welsh

Helena, Ark March the 13th, 1863

Dear Mother

As I had time I thought I would write you o few lines to let you know that I am well, and hope that these few lines will find you the same. I have received my boots all right. The right one is plenty large enough, but the left one is pretty small but I think it will be all right after I have worn it a few times.

The boys are all well that come from the Ridge that are here, but Sam Torbert and Ed Cole are both dead. I tell you it is hard; there has three died that inlisted at the Ridge. We have lost nine out of our company and they all had the mesles but one. Thare haint but one had the mesles that got over them and that was Orin Chet. His mother told him to drink cold water if he got them and he done so and got well. But the rest drank warm tea and such stuff and caught cold and died; but he would not drink enything warm altho the doctor said he should. But he would not and so you see he got well. I tell you if a man gets sick here and has to go to a hospital he never comes out alive ..- or ten changes to one he doesnt. But if he will take care of himself and doctor on roots and bark and such stuff, he will get well in a few days. He wants to keep himself clean and exercise himself in pitching quoits or playing ball. I tell you that just as soon as a man dont fell very well he will go in his tent and lay thare from morning till night; that haint what he wants to do. What he wants to do--he wants to stir around and exercise himself a little every day. And some bring on sickness by eating too much and then lye down and not ster. I tell you that is the cause of a good meny men dying. But lust as long as I can ster, I will If I dont feel able to walk, I will get a horse and ride. I have a chance to be as sick as eny of them.

Thare was a week that I felt pretty bad, but I went on fatigue and picket and then we went down to the Yazoo Pass. We had to march six miles. I might have had a horse to ride, but I would not. The next day I went and helped kill a beef. The next day after I felt all right again, when. if I had given up I might have been a pretty sick fellow by now. I will not take the doctors medisin. I believe it does a man more hurt than good. I am getting fat and George Sifts is as fat as Ernest Whelock used to be; I will bet he wighs over two hundred pounds. Nute Allen is getting fat. Some men will get fat while others grow poor. Some men the climate agrees with better than others; It agrees with me first rate I tell you.

There was a man read in a Memphis paper to day that the 29th was ordered to Utah. How true it is I don't know, but it is reported as a fact; they say that the Mormans are raising and that we will have to go and put them down. I hope it is so, but I cant hardly believe it yet.

Dave Laup wanted me to write to you and ask if you could spar Albert to go and do his choars untill it was warm weather enough for the cattle to pick their own livin. If Frank wants to hire out, let him go thare; Dave said he would pay him what was right; he cant get eny one to do his choars. I tell you it is too bad here he is down here and cant get home to do them himself and cant get eny one to do them for him. If one of them will go I will risk bet that he will pay them what he said he would.

Albert Visgar is well but Charley - I don't know eny thing about him only he's at Vicksburg, or thare about a diging land some whare and he is well.  Dave Gripes is pretty sick; he is from Watertown. Ari knows him. He was taken just the same as Charley McDupper was.  Leon Crandal is well.

Please write soon. Give my Love to all inquiring Friends           H W

May the 17th ‘63

Dear Mother

I thought I would write a few lines to let you know I am among the living yet. I am well and hope these few lines will find you the some.

Today is Sunday. Yeasterday we had a hard fight I tell you, but Dam them! we whiped them like hell. We lost 108 killed and wounded. Thare was ten wounded and two killed in our company, and one missing. Trace Taylor
 was wounded in the leg but not searously. O. F. Benidict was hit in the head but is with the company. Capt Bissell was shot in the foot. Our orderly was shot in the shoulder. He is pretty bad; I don't know weather he will live or not. Frank Persons was shot in the thigh; I don't think he will live. His brother James Persons is missing. They are some relation to Mrs. Parr. I tell you, Mother, that this is a hard fight. Thare was boyes here that was in the Battle of Pittsburg Landing; they say that this was a harder fight than that one. Our Company and the Horicon Company charged on a Rebel batery and took four cannon and a lot of horses and ammunition and quite a lot of prisinors. We drove the Rebels half a mile from their battery and then they got re-enforcements and come on to us. We tell back again and spiked two of the guns and then they were a little to much for us and we had to fall back, but not a grait ways for just then we was reenforced by fresh troops and we scooped them out. Our Division stoped here to bury the Dead and take care of the wounded. If ever I felt like scalping a Rebel, it was when I saw the Dam cusses shooting down our men.

I have got a Rebel Sword that I captured yeasterday in the fight. If I had it at home I would not take ten dollars for it. It is a nice one, I tell you. I have no sheath for it. I did not have time to get it .-- the Rebels were to close on me. I heard that our men had drove the Rebels the other side of Black River and burnt the Rail road bridge. Buly for that! I know that our men followed them up last night and I heard heavy cannonaiding this morning off towards Vicksburg
. We have got them pretty near cleaned out along the Mississippi. I think that Vicksburg is ours without much fighting for it. Jackson is ours and so is Richmond. I tell you this rebellion has got to come to an end before long. I tell you the Rebels cant stand it much longer. We are coming in on them from all around. I tell you General Grant is slow, but he is shure. General Harney says that he haint but one fault to find with the Wisconsin boyes
 and that is they dont know enough to stop fighting. He ordeared us to stop fireing when we was giving the Robs Hell. I wouldnt stop for forty Generals then, just when I could give them fitts.

I haint much time to write; I have so much to tend to. Our Capt and Orderly were both wounded and our First Lieutenants brothers was killed. The two that was killed was was John Barney and Oscar Angel I just heard that our men had taken 33 pieces of artillery and 3000 prisoners today. Bulley for them! Oh we are whiping them like the Devil.

I am well and hope that these few lines will find you the same. Write soon. I dont know when I can send this but will send it just as quick as I can. This letter was wrote on the Battlefield in Mississippi four or five miles from Edwards Depot. That is as near as I can tell you whare we are.

No more at preasant. Write soon and let me know how all the folks are. No more.

Henry Walsh
Direct to: Co. I 29th Regt Wis Vol
In care of Capt Bissell
Via Helena. Ark

Vicksburg, Miss.
June 12th, 1863

Dear Mother
It is a fine day to-day and I feel fine, so thought that I would write you a few lines. To-day is the 12th day of June and it is my birthday, so I thought I would write you a letter to let you know that I am well, and hope this finds you the same.

We have been here one month lacking six days and the Rebels haint give up yet, but they will have to come down and draw in some of their feathers before long. I think that we have got them foul. Everything works all right for what I know. We have got them and have had them so that they could not work their big guns on us. They will send a musket ball over in among us once in a while, but they dont do any hurt. We have rifle pits dug up in a bill within gunshot of them, so that every Reb that shows himself gets a ball pretty close to his head. I wish you could see us; you would laugh yourself to death. We are the raggist and dirtiest Regt you ever saw in your life. But we are drawing new clothes now and will look kind of half way deasent after a while.

We have lots of Gray Backs, but not very plenty of Green Backs, but the boyes think that we will get payed up when we get Vicksburg. We get plenty to eat now, but when we are on the March, we could not get enything to eat only a little fresh beef and pork and that we had to furage after we had stopped for the night. And have been three and four days without a mouthful to eat. We would get corn sometimes and parch that and eat that & I tell you, them times made me think of home! I would have give two dollars for a loaf of bread, if I could of got a hold of it. I have offered two shilling for a hard cracker and could not get it. If enybudy complains that they haint got enough to eat, lust tell them to enlist. Tell Albert never to grumble for something to eat as long as he is at home, for he don't know what it is to be hungry, nor he never will unless he inlists in the Army of the United States and is put on force marches. But we are where we can get all we want to eat now, and we are getting fat again and feel first rate.

I will have to quit writing for a spell for we have got to go up in the hills a sharp shooting at twelve o'clock and will have to stay untill two and we want some dingier before we go. I will tell you what we will have for dinner; it will be hard bread and ham and coffy ; that is all.

Well, it is about three Oclock now and I have just come out of the hills and cleaned my gun, and now will try and finish my scribling I dont think that I killed eny Rebels to day, but I will bet that they heard the bullets whissle around their heads. We kept so close watch of them that they couldnt get much of a chance to shoot at us, only once in a while, but they don't hit eny of our men unless they get careless. They killed one of the Eleventh Indiana boys this morning but you see he got careless and showed himself too much.
 

June the 3th/63

Three times and I will finish my letter this time or I will commence another. I could not get time to finish Fast night; I had so mutch to attend to, I had to go and draw clothes for the company from the quartermasters and I could not finish my letter. I was on picket last night but did not see eny budy; the Rebs dast not show themselves. The Rebs opened a battery on us last night and shot an Extre into one of our cannon but you ought to see our batteries go for them! They soon made them shut up their nois, They haint shot a gun at us since then . . I will tell you what I saw done yeasterday when I was up in the pitts. The Reb kept shouting at us with muskets, and the battery men sow them, so just for a joke, they sent a cannon ball over at them. I saw a Reb knocked about ten feet above the fort and came down on the outside. Now that is a big story, but when a cannon boll strikes a log and a man stands behind, it will use him pretty ruff. I tell you! I' can stand Musket balls pretty well, but when they come to let rotten shells fly and cannon balls and grape and canister then I dont want to be around. I have seen enough of such works as that, but Dam the Rebels! if they don't give up I will fight them as long as I live, or as long as I can.

Care of Capt O. C. Bissell Trey Helana, Ark

The Siege of Vicksburg June 17. 1863

Dear Mother

I thought that I would write you a few lines to let you know that I am still in the land of the liven and hope that these few lines will find you the same. I have not received eny letters from you since I left Helena. I don't know whether you have wrote eny or not, but if you have, I have not got them.

The weather is nice and warm down! here. There has been but little rain since we have been on this Expidition. It has been good weather for us as we had: no tents nor haint got them yet nor dont expect to get eny until we get into Vicksburg. You may think that we haint a going to go in thare, but you can bet your head that we will go in thare, or die in the attempt! You see that we haint no notion of giving up. We have got them in a pen and we are going to keep them thare untill they get enough of fighting. They say that Old Johnson is back of us at Jackson but we don't care for that. We have men p watching him. I think that thare will be the bigest fight here that was ever known before this thing ends. Thare may not be, But I think thare will. I understand that the Rebels ore fetching in their forces from other places and so are we.

I have heard and seen that the 20th Regt was here but I have not had time to go and see Jim Stevens;you know that he is in that. They lay about two miles from us and we cant leave long enough to go there and see them. It seams rather hard that we cant go and see our friends when they are within two miles of us, but it is all well enough for we dont know what minute or what hour we may be heeded. You see we are close on the enemy and it wouldnt do for us boyes to be up running all around.

There was one fellow shot through the leg to day. He got rather careless and went up on the side of a hill and went to picking black berries right in sight of the Rebels and they shot him through the leg. I shouldnt wonder if he lost his leg. There haint much danger if a man will stay where the place fir them is;not be running around allover. I haint no more afraid here than I have been on picket before now. But still thare is danger here more then thare is at home. We have got to go on picket to night. So I will quit writing and get supper and get ready for picket. I will finish this tomorrow after I get off picket.

June 18/63

I hove just come up from picket and got my breakfast and will now try and finish my letter. I received your letter dated the 7th this morning and was glad to hear from you and to hear that you was well. I sent up to the 20th Regt by the Lieutenant Colonel's boy to find out if Jim Stevens was thare and they told him that he was dead. It is too bad; I expected to see him as much as could be. Well, it cant be helped. So goes the war; Meny a man has gone under in this war.

You wanted to know how Trace Taylor was getting along. The last I heard of him; he was getting along pretty well. He has gone up the River to Memphis. I think that he will be at home before long. You need not worry about me; I shall come out all right yet. I have been through two heavy battles and never got a scratch and I think that I shall come out strate yet;but still I dont know; if it is the will of God that I should be taken away, I am ready. I know that I can never die in a better cause.

You said that An wrote to me and sent some postage stamps but I have not got them yet. I dont get half the letters that he writes to me. I will write a letter to you once a week as long as the siege lasts at Vicksburg, and oftener if I get
a chance. I want you to often tell Albert to write to me every Sunday. I like to hear from home as well as you like to hear from me. And I want to know if you have got eny of my alotment;the rest of the boyes have heard from theirs and I haint heard a word from it yet. I would like to know if you haint got it, so that I can get the thing straightened out so that you will get it.

Albert Visgar is well and so is Ed Allen and the rest of the boyes. I heard from Charley Visgar and Amos Noble the other day and they are well and are at Leake Providence doing police duty. I heard that Martin Visgar had sold his farm. I think he is very foolish for selling his farm. I will put in some kind of seed; I dont know what kind they are. I wish you would sow some of them.

I cant think of eny more to write now. Tell Albert to write to me as oft as once a week. If I dont answer every one he writes, paper costs a little more here than it does in Iron Ridge! Now be shure to write as quick as you get this. No more for now, so Good by.

Dear Mother

As I habit got enything else do do, I will write you a few lines to let you know that I am well; I hope that these few lines will find you the same. I thought that I would write you often while I can and while we are here at Vicksburg, as you will be ancious to hear from here to know things are agoing on well. I cant tell you much about it for I dont hove a chance to find out eny thing. We are lying in the hollers just the same as when I last wrote, only we have just been out a sharpshuting. Oh we have lots of Uri down here! We can go out in the rifle pitts and shoot at the Rebels over in their forts just all we want to!

I was on picket the other night; it was a nice moonshiney night and the shells from our mailer guns were bursting over the city. It was about nine Oclock in the evening. The boyes on the post that I was on were all asleep. As I stood a watching, I saw the flash of their guns, and then heard the reports of their guns. The boyes that was asleep jumped up; the Rebels had ataked our picket Fine down on our left. I sat and watched them fight for a few minutes and then had the satisfation of seeing them drove back into their fort. In abot half an hour they came out agin with a larger force but was drove back again; they tried it the third time but did not make out enything. I think that they wanted to get hold of a cannon that we had planted up on a hill so that they could not use their cannon that they had in the fort. We have got them in rather a tight place, I reckon; but they did not get that piece of cannon;we had too meny men for them. We have got over two hundred pieces of cannon planted on the hills around Vicksburg, and the more coming every day, and lots of troops a coming in all the while. I tell you that Vicksburg is ours in a short time. We have cleaned them out twice and made them run and now we have got them pened up like a lot of sheep.

It is the hardist looking place here that I ever saw in my life! It is up hill and down;up hill and down. I tell you it is ruff country. I would not live here if they would give me a good farm;now that is as shure as you live!

I understand that the people of the North think that this war haint agoing to end very soon. I dont know as it will; but I would not be afraid to bet ten dollars that whoever lives to see next fall will see this thing to an end. If it dont end by next fall, it wont end for three years. I tell you I have seen something of what the South have to live on. I will tell you what I found in their haversacks the next day after the Battle of Backers Creek;(or Champion Hills; it goes by either name). It was corn meal in some and corn bread in others with no salt at all and some fresh beef with hardly any salt. I saw a good meny prisoners. They most all looked like they wanted something to eat. There is a good meny deserted and come into our lines from Vicksburg. They say that they cant stand it much longer in Vicksburg. Today is fifteen days that we have been here and a shelling them all the while. It must be a pretty place to stay in for they cant sleep eny nights for fear of a shell taking them on the head and day times they have to keep a dodging to keep out of the way.

I saw Guveror Solomon yesterday as he was here and made a short visit. Our Captain has gone home. If you can I wish you would send me a pair or two of wooling socks for I cant wear cotton sock in the summer. I was lucky enough to get hold of a pair of socks of one of our boyes and I gave him 75 cents. If you and the rest of the folks that has got boyes down here would get up a box and send it to us with Captain Bissell we would like it very much. I think the Captain will bring it through for us all right If you want some money I will send you some. You can write and let me know. I wish you would send me some postage stamps. If you dont, I will have to stop writing.

I cant think of eny thing more so I will stop writing. Please write as quick
as you get this. No more at preasant. Yours as ever

Henry Welsh
 

THE REST OF THIS LETTER IS MISSLNG. IT WAS WRITTEN WHILE SGT WELSH WAS IN AN ARMY HOSPITAL IN MEMPHIS RECUPERATING FROM WOUNDS RECEIVED AT VICKSBURG.

. . .see so meny young men with their legs and armes off. They will have to go on churches as long as they live. Thare was one man layed by the side of me that was shot four times at the charge that was made the 2nd of May and then he was taken prisoner by the Rebels and had his leg cut off in Vicksburg. He was shot three times in the leg. He said that while he was prisoner they treated him first rate or just as well as they could. He said that the worst he was used was when the Docter cut off his leg without cloreform. I dont see how he stood it. I dont think I could stand it to have my leg cut off that way. I cant think of anything more to write now. Be sure and have An come and get me. I will pay him for it if it takes me ten years. Tell him to come to Memphis, Tenn. Geosha Hospital Ward G if he will, whare I tell! him he will find me.

It is true about Vicksburg being ours for thare is two officers now in the room that was thare the time they surrendered so it is true! Oh, you dont know how much better I feel to think that we have got that place!

Henry Welsh

Memphis Tenn July the 18th 63

Dear Uncle

I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you, but very sorry to hear that you was sick. I am doing first rate now. Have got so I can walk around a little. My wound is doing well. The place where the ball came out is pretty near healed up; but where it went in is a runing yet. The doctor says that it is better for it to keep open yet awhile so that it will heal in the inside first. you said that you would send 10 dollars to a man by the name of Johnson to got my discharge. I dont wont a discharge if I can get a furlough to go home for a couple of months untill I get my strength again. But if I cant get a furlough, then I want a discharge, for you con sometimes get a discharge when you cant get a furlough. you need not worry about me for I am doing as well as could be expected. I could stand it well enough to come now if I could get a furlough; I am pretty weak yet but I think that I could come. I was talking to the agent from Wis and he said keep still and he would try and get me a furlough. He said that General Washburn would have command here in a short time and then us wounded fellows would stand a pretty goad chance to get to go home. You told me to keep up good courage;that I will do! I haint one of them kind that gets dishartened when there is enything hurts me.

It is a raining a little to day; the weather is cool and nice this week. I have not heard from the Regt since I have been here. I dont know where they are. Thare has troops gone to Port Hudren and some gone up Black River after Old Johnson, but I dont know wheather our Regt went or not. I suppose you have heard that they had a fight at Helena. We took 1400 prisoners there. We expect to hear every day that they have had another fight there. Did Price says that he wants to get a! hold of old Printico once more. I dont know what they want to do with him, but I do know they wont get him. He haint got enough men to take Helena.
 

I haint got but 50 cts and if you will send me two or three dollars I would like it. You see we haint been paid up in four months;or I haint. The Regt was paid off two or three days after I left so that wiped me out of my pay until the next pay day. I hate to send home after money, but I would like a little now very much. You had better send it by mail.

Henry Welsh

New Iberie, La. Dec 13/63

Dear Mother,

I will now try and write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and preasant and hope that these few lines will find you the same. The weather is very pleasant now; it did rain a little this morning, but has cleared off and is very pleasant.

I think that we are having the best time now that we have ever had sence we have been South. The boyes are all well and are enjoying themselves very well. I have lust been writing a letter to Joel Andrews. I received a letter from. him a few days ago; he said he was well and was going to Putters Hill ; there is whare he wanted me to direct my letter. George Sitts and Ed Allen is here with me. There haint a man in the Company but what is fit for duty.

Today is Sunday, but it dont seam as if it was for the boyes are building shanties and at work at something. We dont have enymore preaching. Down here we have got away out here alone and our Chaplines dast not came here; they are afraid they will get hurt.

I have not had a letter from you or eny of the rest of the folks since I left home, and now I am going to write you a grait long letter and then I haint agoing to write enyone untill I get one from some of you. I have made up my mind that if you dont write to me, you dont care enything about hearing from me. I guess that this will be the last one I write until I get one from home. I dont know if you are all dead or gone to Cannada. I tell you if dont pay pay for me to keep writing when I dont get answers to them for paper is scarce and stamps cant be got hold of very handy.

Some of the boyes got a letter and sold that William has lost one of his children; I dont know which one. I heard too that Peter Simpson was drafted and Chancy Cole, Ira Cole, and John Cole. I say that is goad for them ; let them fellows that has stayed at home enjoying themselves by the fire in the cold winter weather and have had a good bed to sleep in come down here for a while, then see how they like it. Oh yes, and the Fox boyes are drafted tool That is good news, and I tell you it made us boyes feel good to hear that them fellows were all drafted.

Well, I have been to supper and on dress parade and have bought me a little candle that cost me ten cents and now I will try to finish my letter for when I begin to write, I like to write good long letters for I know when you are reading them, you wont be in eny other mischief. I want you to write me all the news you can think of and tell Albert to write to me. I guess he thinks that I dont want to hear from him. I would like to know if he is at home or where he is. Tell me who is teaching our school this winter. Has Mart Visgar moved into that house this winter? Wh0t is An and Bill' doing? Is Vet Fox moved up yet? Has Oliver Taylor got his house up yet? I heard that Ceymore Taylor was drafted in Michigan and had to go thare. Poor Boy! He might have came with me when I wanted him to; then he would have been with the Boyes that he knew and would have got a bounty besides and would only have to stay two years, but now he has to stay three years. Well. I dont pity him a bit for he might have come. when we inlisted a year ago last Fall. You see we have been in the service about 17 months;pretty near half of our time is out. The rest will slip away pretty quick I tell you and then, Hurah for Wisconsin! If we cant stand it a year. and a half, then we haint much of soldiers. I think the boyes dont feel half so homesick as they did last winter. You see that all the homesick ones are all played out. Allen Newton is either at St Lewis or Memphis, I dont know which, nor we dent care for I tell you we dont think much of him in this Company. He has played up a little too much for the boyes to like him. We have got a pretty nice Company now. We, have got rid of all them that play-off. We hove got about 45 men in our Company now. When we started from Madison we had about 90 men1 and now 45. If that haint thinning men off pretty fast, then I dont know! We had 985 men in our Regt when we started from Madison and now we cant muster over 350 men fit for duty. I tell you that Regt looks pretty small' to what it did a year ago. but I would give more for it to fight today than I would before we left the' state for they have been tried and we all know what we can do. The boyes
 dont feel quite so tickish as they used to be either, although I dent believe that thare is one in. the Regt that wants to get in a fight, but if they hove to go into one I dons think that there is one that would back out. I tell you I have a right to brag up the old 29th, far they have done their duty well and deserve to be praised.

Since we have been on this March the 19th Army Corps has got all the praise for everything that has been done. When you come right dawn to the point, it is the 13th Army Corps! But it is kind of natual that General Franklin should praise up his Carps for they are Eastern men and he is an Eastern man too, while the 13th Army Carps are all Western men and they dont hitch very well. They dent like to hove our men forage which they will' do if they can find enything. If there is a sweet potatoe within four miles of Camp or a chicken, or a hog, our men are sure to have it. The other night there was a drove of cattle that some of the Eastern men had picked up on the prairie and our men pitched into them and I guess that our Regt got enough meat to last them three or four days. We picked out young cattle and they were fat. The officers didnt like it. You see they like young beef best and they give us the old tuff beef that a dog cant eat, so we made up our minds that we would have some young beef to see how it would go.

A few days ago our Company was out on picket in advance. We was stationed right by a house, so George Sitts and one or two others took a blanket and went to the house and made the man give them a couple bushels of sweet potatoes which we brought into Camp in our haversacks. We have got a mess left for breakfast. I wish we could go out again! soon and get some more, for when you hove potatoes, you can live first rate.

The drummers are beating for Roll.call and I will have to stop writing for tonight. I just heard that our Company goes on picket tomorrow morning and so I will ahave to stop writing for a day or two. It wont make a grait deal of difference for I have wrote about all that I know and maby I can think of more when I get at it again. So I will have to bid you good night.

December l5th/63

I will now try and finish this letter. I have just come in from picket and dont feel much like writing but will try and finish this. We had a very pleasant time on picket; the hull company went. There is a big Rastle a going on now. The boyes are all out a seeing the fun. Thare is four dollars bet on a side. I wont have enybady to bother me while I am finishing this letter. Today is a very pleasant day; the sunshine's warm and nice. I suppose it is very cold up thare in Wisconsin just about now. You see we have the advantage of you; we can live in a warm climate while you hove to live up thare where it is cold enough to freeze a Negro to death.

When you write let me know how my steers are getting along. I dont want them to starve to death. If you haint got hay enough for them tell An to buy some. I haint had eny pay since I left home but expect to get some in a few days and then I can send some home. I want the steers kept fat and grow all they can for I may want to use them when I get home.

I heard that General Grant had cleaned out the Rebs up in Tenesee. Well, if that is the case, I think that this war will soon be over. I heard that he took sixty pieces of Artillery and a good many prisoners. If that is so, we shall be home before next year this time. I wrote a letter to Mr. Jones a while ago, and have not received eny answer yet. . I have wrote to Will twice and sent my gold pen, but have not heard that he has got it yet. It did not cost me enything, but I would like to keep it because I got it at Champian Hills.

Direct to Henry Welsh

Co I 29th Regt Wis Vol
In care of Capt O. Bissell

Dear Mother,

I will now try to write a few lines. I am well, and hope that these few lines will find you the same. The weather is warm and pleasant now. It rained a few days ago for the first time for a good while.

We have been to Texas and back again. We expect to go to Bossier City in a few days and then from there to Franklin. We dont know where we shall go to from thare, nor do we care.

We have not been payed off yet. I heard that An had the Small-Pox but dont know how bad. I received a letter from Ivel Andrews a few days ago; he was well and has got him a woman now. I tell you he feels proud of her by the way he writes. He sayes that he has got him a nice farm and lots of sheep and cattle. I hope that he has done well; she is deaf and dumb like himself. He is agoing to send me her and his picture; if I get them, I will send them to you.
I heard that you had a pretty cold winter up north and that the snow was pretty deep. We have had a very pleasant
 winter down here;no snow at all.

I had a letter from Tom Phillpot a few days ago; he said he was no better than when he went to Madison. We have not heard from Newton Allen ii a good while. I hear from Trace Taylor every little while.

We had a Grand Review to-day. They are agoing to have grait times over in the city of New Orleans tomorrow The Govenor of Louisiana takes his chair.

I believe the boyes are all well and getting fat as hogs. I heard that Mr. Alien was dead. I did not expect to hear that news. Ed feels pretty bad, I tell you. I can't think of enything more to write. You must write and tell me all the news you can think of. I wish you would send me a Dollars worth of stamps. Never mind if they do get lost it will be my toss, not yours. When I get payed off. I will send you some money. Uncle Sam owes me 204 Dollars;one years pay! I intend to send my allotment ten Dollars a month, and if William goes up north in the Spring and gets him a farm, I want him to buy me one.

Write and tell me how my stears are getting along for I want them to do well untill I get home, for I will want to use them. Tell Albert to write to me rite off, so no more at preasant. Write soon. My Respects to all enquiring friends.

Henry Welsh

Co I 29th Regt Wis Vol

Natchetoches, La  April 5th/64

Dear Mother

I received your kind letter yeasterday and was glad to hear from you. It found me well and enjoying myself first rate. The boyes are all in good health. We are after the Rebs, but cant ketch them. We start again in the morning at daylight. If you dont hear from me very often, you must not think it strange. The mail goes out at two Oclock and it is now one, so I will have to hurry up. I have just been washing.

You said that Ceymour told you that I said that he might have use of my stears. It is not so, by jingol He has lied. I never thought of such a thing. Dent you let him have them. He must think that I am a fool or dont know enything! I would not have them worked this summer for the price of them. You said that you would keep them until fall and then sell them if I wanted you to. I had rather keep them, but if you think best to sell them then do it. They are well built and well matched and for that reason I would like to keep them for I may want to use them when I get home. But dont you let anybody have them to work.

You said that Ceymour was married, or going to be, to Laura Meaker. He is married to her now; he got married last New Years. Tom Meakers wife wrote and told Ed Allen so.

I heard that the town of Hubbard had raised ten thousand dollars to pay men that would inlist and it may be raised by tax. I dont like that at all. I tell you it makes soldiers sware ; them that has got land for they have to help pay for soldiers as much as them at home. I dont think they ought to give them anymore Bounty than they did us! They haint a darn bit better than we are.

I tell you things are going to take a big fall north one of these dayes. Everything is high now, but in less than a year things will take a fall; money wont be worth a darn;that is paper money. See what gold brings now. I tell you, the less paper money a man has on hand, the better. It may not look so to you, but I am afraid it will be the case. I hope not.

I cant think of much more to write. Tell all the folks to write to me and every time you write send me a few stamps. I got six in your last letter. We are away from everything. If we had money we could not get stamps. I have not had eny pay for nearly 14 months. I think we will have some before long. I cant think of eny more to write. Give my respects to Mr. Meunar. Write as quick as you get this. Please excuse haste.

My respects to all

Henry Welsh
Co I 29th Regt Wis Vol

Dear Brother Albert

I will now try to write you a few lines to let you know how I am getting along. I am well and hope that these few lines will find you the same.

We have had some pretty hard times since I last wrote. We have had a fight with the Rebs and got whiped out. Our Division is all cut to pieces. We lost 68 out of our Rgt; killed, wounded and taken prisoner. We dont know how many was killed for we had to skedadle like thunder for once in our life. But we have been lucky. Our company and four more was guarding the train about a mile and a half from where the battle was fought. There was only five companies of our Regt in the fight and they lost 68 men. The 46th Indiana lost 105 out of 250. I tell you, we was cut up pretty bad but the next day we cut them off. We retreated back 16 miles that night and the next day the ReIn came upon us. But we was reenforced by Smith and cleaned them out. The first days fight we lost 22 pieces of artillery but the next day took them back again, all but four pieces. The way we came to be whiped out was by Detail. The 4th Division went in first and got whiped; then our Division went in next and fought until pretty near sundown when one Division of the 18th corps came in and checked the Rebs. We commenced retreating at dark. The 18th corps was 8 miles behind us. Our Regt fought nearly three hours. I say our Regt;l mean the Division. If the 19th h0d been there with us we would have whiped them out. It seams to me that our Generals dont know very much or else they are darn fooles, and I dont know which. But I tell you I had rather have A. I. Smith than 40 like Banks and Frankling. We should have got whiped out the seckond days fight if Banks had had command, but he turned the command over to Smith and he went in on them and cleaned them out. I tell you, we dont feel quite so nice as we did when we was
a coming out here a driving them! I have not got time to write the particulars for the mail goes at seven Oclock in the morning and we have been on retreat for the last three nights and dayes and we feel pretty sleepy. We are on Red River. Let them come;we will show them the Dam Yanks haint all played out yet!

Lon Crandall is among the missing. We dont know wheather he is dead or taken prisoner. The boyes from the Ridge are all right. The next time I write, I will tell you more about it. I lust heard that we expect an attack here; but let them come! If they dont get enough, then we will.

Write soon as you get this. No more at preasant
Reckoleck that this is the first time the old 29th has been whiped.

Dear Mother

As I have nothing else to do, I will try and write you a few lines to let you know that I am well.

There is nothing of any importance a going on. It has rained for nearly three weeks, but not much;only a little shower every day; and when it dont rain, it is hot enough to rost a fellow alive. We have moved our Camp about 12 miles to a station on the Jackson and New Orleans Rail Road called Keller Ville. We are in a very pretty place and I think we shall stay here some time as we are assigned to the defense of New Orleans and this is one of the out posts.

The boyes are still well except Aaron Allen; he is sick but is getting better. George McDuffee, George Sifts, Ed Allen and Hank Welsh are all well and getting fat as hogs. I got a letter from Martha the other day and answered rite off. It was the first letter that I have had in three months. I tell you it done me good to get it! Do you know what regiment Albert is in and what company? If you do, I wish you would write and let me know, for if he comes South I have a few things I would like to tell him. I dont expect he will come down as far as this.

Do you know wheather An has got my allotment money yet or not? If you wont any money, get it of him. Dont sell my oxen;I suppose that they have, got big enough by this time to call oxen. If Albert dont get back to take care of them this winter, get somebody to come and live with you and take care of them. Is William there at the Ridge yet or has he gone out west? I heard that they was a selling out thare and building up like thunder. Well, I am glad of it! I would like to see a large city thare when I get back.

I tell you they are pretty strict with us now dayes. We have five roll calls a day and if a fellow haint here or excused, they put him on 48 hours extra duty. It stands a fellow in hand to be around! We are incamped in a very pretty place where we can get all the new potatoes we can eat and get them pretty cheap. We get them for 50 cents a paid full.

I cant think of anything more to write. I have got my old watch yet and am going to keep it untill I get back home. I have been offered 40 dollars for it but wont sell it. I have bought me a silver watch. I payed 17 dollars for it. I think I can sell it for 25. It is a splendid watch I tell you! It is almost a new one.

You must write as quick as you get this. No more at preasant.

Dear Mother

I once more sit down to write you a few lines. I am well and hope that these few lines may find you the same.
The weather has been some cooler than it has been. I believe that when I wrote to you last we was at White River Landing. We left there the next day and came up here. We are now in the best Camp we, have been in since we left Wisconsin. We are in camp in a Fort; it is a nice place, I tell you.

We hove lots of picket duty to do. The boyes has to go on every other day. We have got a nice house. It is 8 by ten with a board roof, a window in the northeast corner and a door in the north. We have got a table big enough for six to eat on. There is six of us messes together. I will tell you who they are. They are: first, J. E. Sayles of Rubicon, George Silts of Herman, George McDuffy of Iron Ridge, James H Persone of Neosha, E. H. Allen of Iran Ridge and Henry Welsh of Iron Ridge. The last named person I presume you have seen. He used to be around The Ridge once in a while!

I heard there was lots aparting for Canada to get rid of the Draft. I hope that they will ketch every one of them! I suppose that the Copperheads are in hot water about now. I heard that Fat Clare of Horicon wanted the people to arm themselves around thare and fight against the Draft. I think they had better let that lob out if they know when they are well off! There is too many Union men to let them have their way. I heard that the 9th Regt was a going home to help enforce the Draft. If they do, the Copperheads had better look out and not make too much disturbance for they are men that have fought the Rebels and had just as leave fought a traitor as not. I heard that our Regt was d going home to vote and keep down rows. I hope not, for I dont want to go eny further North untill my time is out.

I dont know as we'll go home yet. We are getting good news from Sherman now. He has done bulley; haint he? I think that Grant will make a strike before long, It is getting cool weather now and almost time for them to be moving. I have got letters from folks up North saying, ‘Why dont Grant and Sherman do something?" They did not believe that they would ever get Richmond. I can tell them why they haint done enything. It has been too hot weather for them to march. Soldiers cant stand it to march when it is so hot. You will hear news from them before long. The first thing you know Richmond will be in the hands of the Yanks. I tell you this war will soon be ended. They have been giving them fits at Mobile.

When you get this write and tell me who was drafted. We are anxious to know. I hope they will draft some of the Stock boyes and make them go. I had a letter from Ceymour Taylor a few days ago. He was afraid he would be drafted. He did not know what his family would do if he was drafted; he did not know what they would live on for he had raised only enough to keep them one year. I told him that he need not be afraid of their starving to death for I did not think there had eny bodys family starved that had enlisted. I told him he hadnt ought to have got married until1 this was over ; he ought to have enlisted and come down here like a man ; that soldiering was not as bad as it was to stay at home and be afraid of getting drafted. I told him that us fellows just had lots of fun down here a hearing them take on. All I am sorry about is that they did not draft for three years instead of one.

Charles Merrill wrote home a while ago to his father and give the Copper- heads fits and his Father opened the letter and scratched out "Dear Father" and sent it back to him as much as to say he did not own him as a son. Chancy felt pretty bad about it, but said, "Let him go ; there is a hear after coming when things will be different". A man that will do that to a son of his when he is In the Army ought to be hung. He is worse than a Rebel. I would respect a Rebel; o real Butternut more than such a man. I tell you the Copperheads has got to look out for themselves when the soldiers get home or there will be a war in the North and maby a few less Copperheads! They can have their way now, but the time is a coming when they will have to keep mum or suffer the consequencies. I tell you the Army dont make Copperheads by eny means. Men that have come down here and fought the Rebels for three years cant stand it to go home and have them praise up the South and say the North cant whip the South and all such things as that. You may think that I am a blowing but I cant help it; it is so! I am a Union man and am a going to vote for Abe if I get to vote at all.

Well I guess I shall have to stop writing for it is ten Oclock. When you write tell me all the news you can think of. Tell Mr. Jones I would like to hear from hint. I believe that I wrote the lost letter to him. Has Albert got home?
 

Please excuse poor spelling and writing and all misstakes. Write soon. Give my respects to- all and tell them to write to:

Henry Welsh
Co I 29th Regt Wis Vol Inf
2nd Brigade 2nd Division 19 AC

St Charles Ark. Sept 19/64

Dear Mother

As I have nothing else to do I will try and write you a few lines hoping that they will find you well. We are still in Camp at St. Charles and I think that they will keep us here for a while. They have got us away off in a by place where thare haint enybody or enything and I guess will keep us here. I hope so for it is the best place we have been in since we left the state of Wisconsin.

The boyes are all well at preasant the weather is some cooler than it was at New Orleans when we was thare. We all feel first rate. I wrote to you awhile ago and gave you a discription of our house so I won't say enything about it this time, only we are going to build a fireplace in it before long. The Colonel seyes that he is going to have us fix up good winter quarters before long and see if he will have so many men die this winter as we did two years ago. He seyes that we will stay here untill the first of March. I hope that we will! Then they can shove us through next summer as much as they want to.

I thought when I sat down to write that I had nothing else to do, but I have. I have got to go and draw rations for the Company. I will tell you what we got for 54 men just for fun: 81 pounds of pork, 135 salt beef, 181 flour, 122 hard (tack) bread, 24 beans. 16 rice, 17 1/2 coffey, 25 oz. tea, 48 sugar, 3 1/2 candles, 2 1/2  vinigar, 10 soap, 9 salt, 2 pepper, 67 cornmeal. That is rations for 54 men for six day. The hard tack is full of bugs and worms, but that dont make any difference;it only makes them richer.

I have not got any news to write this time. The most I wrote for was to tell you that if you wanted to send a box of things you could do it. I wish you and Mc Duffers folks would send a box. I would like a couple of good wooling shirts if you could send them. I am getting sick of the shirts that we get. When you wash them, they shrink up so small you can't get them on. You can send what you have a mind to. Let Hans Allen know it so he can send some things to Ed if he wants to. I wish you could send me some butter. You con get a tin can that will hold about ten pounds and send it. You can direct your box to St Charles, Ark, Co I 29th Regt Wis Vol. 2nd Bregade, 2nd Division 19th A C.
Well, I have finished Drawing Rations and ate my supper and will now try to finish my letter, It is half past nine and Ed and me have been playing chequers. (I don't know as I have spelled that right but I guess you can make out what I mean)

The mail came in to-night but I did net get a letter. The last mail I got was a couple of papers that some of McDuffers folks sent me. That was about a week ago. We are back here out of the way so that the mail don't come to us only once a week. They keen it at the mouth untill they get a lot and then send it to us. Before, we used to get mail every day.

We have got to go to work on the Fort tomorrow or the next day. It is almost done; all we have got to do is slick it up a little and fix some places to plant some guns.

I heard that Willie Cole. Chet Cole's brother, was offered 2000 dollars to go as a substitute for somebody. If I was at home, I could make my fortune to go in the place of some of those fellows that are drafted.

Chat Cole was lust in my tent and wanted me to tell you to let his folks know if you sent a box and have them send him some butter and what else they had a mind to. If you think wooling shirts will cost too much send me some cotton
ones. Oh yes, I want a pocket hankerchief. I have got one that I bought when I was in Milwaukee a year ago but it is almost wore out. Whatever you get, keep track of and I will pay you, or if An gets them I will pay him.

How many cows have you got? Do you have eny butter to sell? The butter we get down here is lard with a little tallow and a few hairs in it to keep it together and we have to pay 75 cts to a dollar a pound. Eggs are 50 and 60 cents a dozen, tobacco $2.50 a pound! What do you think of that? Dont you think the boyes has done well to allot ten dollars a month and only keep three? Thare haint been but one or two sent home for money since we hove been down here. I have got over 20 dollars a coming to me in the Company that I expect to get next pay day. Besides Uncle Samuel owes me 46 dollars. I think I can afford to send some of that home. I want to get enough ahead to make up that that I spent last fell when I went home. I think I can do it without much trouble. When I get out of this I would like to have a little something to look at. You may think a soldier can live without spending anything because he is furnished his grub and clothes. But he has to buy his own dishes to cook with. The most of them we are furnished with;mess pans and mess kettle, but we have to buy our frying pans, coffey pots, and plates, knives end forks, spoons, cups and such as that.

Henry Welsh Co I 29th Wis Vol
 

P.S. George Mc Duffee, George Slits. Ed Allen, Chet Cole and myself are all well. George Mc Duffee is on picket tonight. No more this time. Good night
Hank Welsh
 

Dear Mother

As I am now laying in camp, I thought I would write you a few lines. I don't know when I can get a chance to send it, but I will have it reddy to send when I do have a chance. I. received your letter about a week ago; it found me well.

I have seen the boyes once since they left Fort Morgan. We are now two days march from Fish River on Sunday. Our boyes are fighting like thunder today. They skirmished all day yeasterday. We had one man killed in our Regiment. His name was Joel Martin; he belonged to Co. C. He was the only man hit that I know of. I have not seen the Regiment but heard it from a man that had seen it. The Rebs has got a Fort here that we want to take and I think we will take i before night. Some of the boyes have gone out today to put up a telegraph around the fort. I Think by that we have got them on all sides. I am having very easy times on this trip; I dont have to carry a thing ; only my canteen. It is the first time I ever had such good luck on a march.

I got them stamps you sent me all right. I received a letter from Ceymour Taylor; he sayes he was a going to Michigan this Spring. Dock Emerson is driving team in the Telegraph Corps with me. I believe I wont write enymore lust now; I will wait and see how the fight comes out before I finish.

Well, I guess I will finish this for the mail is going out at four O'clock.

They still keep pecking away at the Rebs. It is another Vicksburg scrape. We have got to seage them out. Our gun boats came up the river last night. It is on Kensaw Bayou that is all I can tell you about it.

I have been puffing up telegraph today; we run it from General Canby Headquarters to General Smiths and from there to General Grangers.

Since I have commenced writing this I have heard that there was a man shot in the arm out of Co. E. George Mc and Ed Alien is all right yet We hove had no men hit in our Co. yet.

I dont know how long we shall have to stay, but I guess not a grait while for it is my opinion that the Johnies will be glad to give up in a short time, and if they dont get out of there between this and tomorrow night, they cant get out at all. There is nine or ten thousand of them there and they have got good works. To tell the truth, it is a pretty hard place to take, but we might as well fight them here as enywhere else.

I cant think of enything else to write this time, and I am in a hurry. Please excuse poor spelling and writing.
Write as soon as you get this and tell me all the news you can think of. No more this time.

Dear Mother,
It has been a long time since I wrote a very long letter to you, and I dont know but what it will be a good while longer, but I will try and write a long one on the strength of the capture of Mobile and the good news we hear from General Grant We are now in the City of Mobile. We came here the 12th at night. After the Rebels heard of the fall of Spainish Fort and Blakeley, they got up and left without bidding their friends good by. so all we had to do was just walk in.

Now, I will tell you how and when we got Spainish Fort and Blakeley. General Smith charged the Fort the 8th and took it. He only had six or eight men hit. The 9th, General Steele charged the Fort and Breast Works at Blakeley and took them with about 2500 prisoners. We lost a good many men there and so did the Rebels. We took in all 3860 prisoners. I think that is doing pretty well. Just as soon the Rebs found out we had taken them two places, they left Mobile. They thought we could not take them Forts, but I tell you if we dont have any harder fighting than we had thare, I think we are all right.

We are now taking our comfort in the Mobile and Ohio Rail Road Depot. The Regiment is in another building up town. The 28th Wisconsin had a skirmish out here about five miles yesterday. They had three men killed and killed thirteen Rebels and took five prisoners I think we are having better luck now thon we was a year ago the 8th and 9th of this month. We was then fighting at Sabine Pass Roads and Pleasant Hills. Our Colonel thinks that this Cornpone is ended for this time.

We are having good news from Grant now;almost too good to be true. We heard that General Lee had given up all his army and himself with it. That is too good but it may be true. If it is, this war is played out and thare will be no more fighting of any account I hope it is so!

There is lots of good Union women in Mobile and lots of Rebels. Nearly half of the Rebel Army that was here at Mobile are here now. They gave themselves up and said that they would not fight against us any longer; that it was no use. We got three Reb Generals at Blakeley and one of them said when our boyes went up to him and told him to surrender, "Yes, Boyes, I surrender for I think it is no disgrace to surrener to such Brave Men as you arel"

You ought to see the Negro women and children when we came through town. They would ask us whare our tails and horns were. They said that the Rebels told them that we had tails and horns but they could not see them.

I saw a woman in town yeasterday and she told me that her husband had been in jail for two years just because he wouldnt fight and for the last six months had had a ball and chain on him, but since we came in here we have set him free. I believe she was a good Union woman. She came from New York just before the War broke out Her sister was sick and her and her husband came out t take care of her. After a year and four months her sister died and they wanted to go bock home, but the Rebs wouldnt let them so she had to stay.

Mobile has been a pretty place before the War, but it is a good ways from it now. The streets are dirty and things look bad I tell you, but our General sayes that he will make them clean it up. I think that he will too, for he is a good Post Commander. Our Regiment is doing Provost Duty in the City. They stand a pretty good chance of staying here their time out. I think now that we have seen all the hard fighting that we ever will see I think that we will have peace three months from now;that is, if it is true about Grant and I guess it is. There is lots of cotton here. The Rebs dasent burn it. General Canby sent word to them and told them if they burnt the cotton that was here that he would burn the city.

The boyes are having first rate times; they are in good spirits and feel first rate because we have got in Mobile and haint had any harder fighting.
 

Well, I have been to dinner and rested awhile and now I will write awhile longer. In the first place I will tell you what I had for dinner. I had Johny cake and buttermilk;good new buttermilk the women had lust churned. The Johny cake I mode myself. Wouldnt you like a piece of it? You may think I cant make a good one, but I can!

I saw Oliver Clause the day after the charge; he came out all right. Our Regiment was not in the fighting at all. Its a wonder; haint it? They never got out of Camp at all. I was where I could Lee it.

I am in hopes we get some mail. We have not had mail in over a week. I would like to hear from the North very much. I got a letter from Lib Welsh the last mail and she did not tell me whare to direct to, so I cant answer it. I guess by the way she talks that she dont like it very well up thare where she is. Has Albert left the state yet? If he dont leave pretty soon I am afraid he wont get a chance to, for I think that the coffin is made all but cinching a few nails and they are cinching them pretty fast; I think that war is pretty near played out. But you couldnt make one of the Copperheads believe it up thare;no sir, they wont believe that the North can whip the South, but I am afraid they will have to believe it in a short time. What do you think of it? What does the folks think of the war up North;do they think ii is pretty well played out?

Well, I will have to stop writing for a while for I am in the Railroad office and they4 want to clean it out, but tomorrow I shall finish this and send it and I may have mere news to write about.

April l6th/65

I will now try to finish this little job that I hove before me. I was on Guard all day yeasterday and last night. We have to help keep guard in the city. There is not men enough in our Regiment and the 8th III to guard things in the city. The rest of the troops are on the outside of town. I was on guard over a let of powder and shell that the Rebels left here. We have to be pretty careful around it. We dont allow anybuddy to walk en the sidewalk next to the building.

I had a good time yeasterday I found a good Union family. They gave me my dinner and supper and wouldnt take any pay. They told me that anytime I was on duty around there to come in and I might have all I wanted to eat.  I tell you I have had good times since I have been in Mobile. I worked my way here and am bound to have a good time.

I received a letter from you last night and one from Albert and one from Lydia. I also got one from a fellow in the 11th Ind. I will answer two of your letters with this one!

I was around the city a good deal yeasterday and had a chance to see how the poor people live, and I tell you it is ruff! I know that the hogs up North has better stuff to eat and better houses to live in than the poor folks do here; they are half starved. They seem to be glad that our troops are in here.
 

It came out In the Morning Paper that General Lee has ordered all Confererate troops to lay down their arms on the East side of the river and all men that are caught with arms after the first of May shall be punished as outlaws. They are whiped and badly whiped too and they know it. They know the best thing they can do is stop fighting, and I think so too. There is no use killing off men when it dont amount to anything. I think that the 29th Wisconsin has seen the last fight that they ever will see in this war. And there cant anybo4y say that they ever showed any cowardice. They have always Went where they was ordered. I don? know what kind of name they have got at home, but I know that they have got a good name down here. There is net a Regiment that has been with us but what will stick up for us. Now you may think that I am bragging, but I cant help it; it is true! It shows that we are a good regiment by the way we have been shoved around. There has not been a campane but what we have had to go on it. You see a Regiment that wont fight and they are kept in city's to do gairison duty.

You said that my box came all right but you didnt tell me how much it cost. What was it apiece that we had to pay for sending our overcoats and blankets home?

Albert said he wanted me to stay home when my time was out untill he get back and take care of- his stock, I will see when I get home, I can tell better then, But there is one thing shur;thare hadnt anybody better offer me a very big Bounty to go for them as a substitute, or I may take them up. I did not come in the Army this time to make money. I came to fight for my Country and I have done it. And think if every man that could come would do as well as I have and put in three years as well as I have, the War would net last more than twenty years longer. I have never been to a doctor to be excused from Duty on account of sickness since I have been in the Army and never took but little medicine. All the Duty I ever missed was when I was wounded arid I was not to blame for that.

Well I am running ashore for something to write; I guess I shall have to quit. I think by the time you read all of this, you will be tired. Tell Lydia to be a good girl and I will write her a letter in a few days. I have nor got that letter you said An wrote to me. I dent see what the reason is his letters dont come to me. I shall Write a letter to Will in a few days. It haint very often that I write such long letters as this and I couldnt afford to have done it this time if we hadnt had such good luck in capturing the long dreaded city of Mobile and then the good news we hear from Genera' Grant helps me some. I am well as you must know;for no sick man could write such a letter as this! The rest of the Boyes from Iron Ridge are well and are in good spirits.

Now be sure to write as quick as you get this. I Wont ask you to Write as long a letter as this for you cant get quite as big a sheet of paper without a good deal of trouble. Give my respects to all the folks and tell them to write to me. New I will have to stop by bidding you good by.