The General Thomas Welsh Family Papers is a collection of original correspondence, official documents, and ephemera. Many of the papers were created by or directed to Thomas Welsh between approximately 1843 and his death in 1863. They provide glimpses into his youth, his experiences in the Mexican War, his life in Columbia between the wars, and his rise in rank to Brigadier General during the Civil War.
The collection contains correspondence with his wife and family from 1861-1863. There are also official correspondence and documents related to Welsh's military service, autobiographical pieces, correspondence following his death, obituaries, and family papers into the early twentieth century. Other items in the collection include genealogy pages from the family bible, photographic images of Thomas Welsh and family members, two scrapbooks, newspaper issues and newspaper clippings, written notes from recollections of one of Welsh's daughter, and a biographical sketch of Welsh written by his son.
Admin/Biographical History
Thomas Welsh (1824-1863) was a Lancaster County native (born and raised in Columbia), who rose from hardscrabble origins to local fame, first as a Mexican War hero, and then as a brigadier general during the Civil War. He was well known and well respected as a no nonsense officer, for his leadership and gallantry in battle, for his dedication to the service of his country, and for his concern for the welfare of his men.
Welsh lost his father at the age of 2, and went to work to support his family at age 8. He had very little formal schooling, and was largely self-educated. In 1843, at age 19, he left Lancaster County for Washington City, then went west as an itinerant carpenter/laborer to Cincinnati, Little Rock, and Fort Smith.
When the Mexican War broke out in 1846, he enlisted in a Kentucky regiment, and was severely wounded at the battle of Buena Vista (1847) from which he never fully recovered. Returning home to Columbia, he re-enlisted as a second lieutenant, assigned to the 11th U.S. infantry regiment in Mexico City. Within days of his arrival in Mexico City, he was declared unfit for service on account of his battle wound, and sent home again.
Back in Columbia as a civilian, he dabbled in politics, and received a patronage job in the Pennsylvania Main Line of Public Works (the rail and canal system connecting Philadelphia and Pittsburgh). After several years, he opened up a grocery and dry goods store in Columbia's canal basin. He also became an insurance agent. In 1857, he was elected Justice of the Peace, and his reputation grew as a community leader. By 1860, he was president of the Borough Council, a founding member of the Columbia Board of Trade, Vice President of the Columbia Cricket Club, and a canal boat operator, in addition to a dry goods merchant, insurance agent, and Justice of the Peace. He had a wife, 5 surviving children, and legal guardianship of his sister's 4 children.
When Confederate forces shelled Fort Sumter, marking the beginning of the Civil War, Thomas Welsh raised and organized the first company of volunteers from Lancaster County, and took them into the field as their Captain. Within days, he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of the regiment, which served out its 90-day enlistment in the Shenandoah Valley.
Returning to Harrisburg, he was appointed Commandant of Camp Curtin, the problem-plagued processing center for new recruits. In short order, Welsh cleaned up the camp's poor sanitary conditions, improved the health of the camp, and implemented soldierly discipline and training.
In October 1861, he resigned from his camp duties, and as Colonel of the 45th Pennsylvania, led his regiment into the field. After brief service outside of Washington, they were sent to South Carolina in December, where they were posted to Otter Island. After the battle of James Island, they were recalled to Newport News, in July 1862, then sent to guard Aquia Creek.
In September, now in brigade command in Burnsides' 9th Corps, Welsh chased Lee's Confederate army west into central Maryland. His brigade broke the enemy line in Fox's Gap, on Sept. 14, then 3 days later achieved the furthest Union advance at Antietam, reaching the edge of Sharpsburg, and nearly cutting off Lee's only avenue of escape. Welsh's gallantry earned him a field promotion to brigadier general, which Congress confirmed on March 13, 1863.
The 9th Corps (Welsh now in command of the 1st Division) was sent west in the spring of 1863, then dispatched south to support Grant's investment of Vicksburg. After Vicksburg fell, they turned east and defeated Confederate General Johnston at the Battle of Jackson. Welsh contracted malaria in the southern swamps, and died in Cincinnati upon their return north. One of his men later recalled, "Had he lived, Welsh would undoubtedly have attained a much higher command. 1
1. Beauge, Eugene, in Albert, Allen D., Ed., History of the Forty-Fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer Infantry 1861-1865, Williamsport, PA: Grit Publ. Co, 1912, p. 79.
System of Arrangement
The collection is arranged in series:
Series A Thomas Welsh before the Mexican War
Series B Mexican War, 1846-1848
Series C Between the Mexican War and the Civil War, 1848-1861
Series D Civil War
Series E Post-Civil War
Series F Miscellaneous Family Papers
Series G Papers from the families of Gen. Thomas Welsh and Blanton C. Welsh
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact archives@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Some items are photocopies from other collections--researchers must obtain permission for reproduction and publication from the owner of the original material.
Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pa.
Classification
MG0828
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Almost all of the papers have been passed down through successive generations of Welsh's descendants, from Thomas Welsh's wife and children to his granddaughter, Emilie Benson (Welsh) Wiggin, to her daughter Nancy Jane (Wiggin) Townsend. After Nancy Townsend's death, her son Charles Townsend passed them on to his cousin, Richard Wiggin (grandson of Emilie Benson Wiggin) in 2015.
A few papers passed out of the family's possession and found their way into other collections. Richard Abel of Columbia, PA began collecting Welsh papers and artifacts some years ago, and subsequently transferred this collection of Welsh materials to Richard Wiggin in 2012.
Vol 3 published by John Patterson, New York, no date; vol 7 published by John Patterson, New York, 1787; vol 9 published by John Dunlap, Philadelphia; vol 12 place and publisher not identified, 1887; vol 13 place not identified. printed by Jon Dunlap.
Contents
v. 1. Sept. 5, 1774 to Jan. 1, 1776 -- v. 2. Jan. 1, 1776 to Dec. 31, 1776 -- v. 3. Jan. 1, 1777 to Jan. 1, 1778 -- v. 4. Jan. 1, 1778 to Jan. 1, 1779 -- v. 5. Jan. 1, 1779 to Jan. 1, 1780 -- v. 6. Jan. 1, 1780 to Jan. 1, 1781 -- v. 7. Jan. 1, 1781 to Nov. 2, 1782 -- v. 8. Nov. 2, 1782 to Nov. 1, 1783 -- v. 9. Nov. 3, 1783 to June 3, 1784. Contains also: Journal of the Committee of the States : containing the proceedings from the first Friday in June, 1784, to the second Friday in August, 1784 (29 p. at end) -- v. 10. Nov. 1, 1784 to Nov. 4, 1785 -- v. 11. Nov. 4, 1785 to Nov. 3, 1786 -- v. 12. Nov. 6, 1786 to Nov. 5, 1787 -- v. 13. Nov. 5, 1787 to Nov. 3, 1788.
The American statesman: a political history, exhibiting the origin, nature and practical operation of constitutional government in the United States; the rise and progress of parties, the legislation relating to all matters of national importance, with views of distinguished statesmen on questions of foreign and domestic policy
by Richard Peters, comprising also some decisions in the same court, by the late Francis Hopkinson, to which are added cases determined in other districts of the United States. With an appendix containing --The laws of Oleron.--The laws of Wisbuy.--The laws of the Hanse towns.--The Marine ordinances of Louis XIV.--A treatise on the rights and duties of owners, freighters, and masters of ships, and of mariners: and the laws of the United States relative to mariners.
Published by William P. Farrand; Robert Carr, printer,
Date of Publication
1807.
Physical Description
2 volumes 23 cm
Notes
Preface signed: Richard Peters, Jun.
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library.
Yeates's signature at top of title page.
On verso of front flyleaf: "Affectionely presented to Judge Yeates - by his old & Sincere] Friend, Classmate, and Fellow Student, Richard Peters, Aug. 1807."
The Civil War Collection consists of material acquired over many years from different sources. Coverage is of Lancaster County soldiers and of daily life in the county during the Civil War. The collection contains records of various military units, family correspondence, "Home Front" papers, Civil War era diaries, the Captain John R. Bricker/Dept. of Commissary papers, celebration and reunion materials, images, newspaper clippings, and general orders.
System of Arrangement
The collection is organized by category into ten series.
The oversized documents of Series A, C, F, and H are oversized and filed flat in Box 4.
Series A Military Units: Series A contains documents of military units, including muster rolls, enlistment papers, discharge certificates, assignment and promotion records, and papers of individual soldiers and officers.
Pennsylvania Volunteers
Pennsylvania Militia
Certificate of State Regiments
U.S. Regiments
Series B Civil War Families
Benjamin Reed Family
Soldier's Letters
Series C The Lancaster Home Front
The Bounty Funds
Pension Claims
Articles
Letters
Series D Lancaster Notables
Series E Civil War Era Diaries
Series F The Captain John R. Bricker/Dept. of PA Commissary Papers
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Civil War Collection (MG0018), Series #, Folder #, (or Object ID), LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Restrictions are noted at the item level.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at research@lancasterhistory.org.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Other Numbers
MG-18
Classification
MG0018
Description Level
Fonds
Custodial History
Much of the collection was cataloged prior to 1997. Added to database 23 March 2022.
Letter to Deborah T. Simmons Coates from [a sibling], 1837
Letter to Elizabeth Coates from Alice, 1862 (Elizabeth Jackson Coates, future wife of Marriott Brosius)
Civil War diary of Marriott Brosius, 1863-1865, with damage from bullet that shattered his arm (original, digital copy of images of each page and transcription)
Note from Gertrude (donor's g-g-grandmother) to her daughters Gertrude and Helen regarding the diary
Framed certificate: Commission to 2nd Lt., 97th Infantry
Pass for leave, Marriott Brosius, 1863
Digital and hardcopy of "Marriott Brosius story"
Digital and hardcopy of "Marriott Brosius military regiment history"
This collection has not been cataloged, but may be used by appointment. Please contact Research@LancasterHistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
A digest of the revenue laws of the United States : wherein are arranged, under distinct heads, the duties of collectors, naval officers, surveyors, merchants, masters of vessels, and all other persons connected with the imposts
Printed and published by B. Graves, no. 40, North Fourth-street,
Date of Publication
1804.
Physical Description
iv, [3]-262, xlv pages ; 17 cm
Notes
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library.
Book number 470 as assigned by Yeates.
Signature of John Yeates on back of front cover and on front of flyleaf.
LHS copy includes a 19 page supplement to the digest of the revenue laws passed during the second session of the eighth Congress ending March 3, 1803 with separate title page, published by B. Graves, Philadelphia, No. 40, North Fourth Street.
by Publius, written in 1788 ; to which is added, Pacificus, on the Proclamation of neutrality, written in 1793 ; likewise, the Federal Constitution, with all the amendments ; in two volumes.
Edition
Revised and corrected.
Place of Publication
New-York
Publisher
Printed and sold by George F. Hopkins, at Washington's Head,
Date of Publication
1802.
Physical Description
2 v. ; 22 cm.
Notes
Jasper Yeates's Colonial Law Library.
Yeates's signature at top of title page.
Book numbers 470 and 471 as assigned by Yeates.
Edition statement transposed; precedes "in two volumes" on t.p.
On front of flyleaf: "Original Memorandum of Genl Hamilton, deposited by his Executors, in the public Library of New York, with his copy of the Federalist; Nos 2, 3,4, 5 were written by Mr. Jay; Nos 10, 14, 37 to 48 Inclusive by Mr. Madison; Nos 18, 19, 20 by Mr. Hamilton & Mr. Madison jointly; All the other Numbers were written by Mr. Hamilton [Extracted from the New Series of the Port Folio, Vol 4, no. 20, November 14 1807 page 310. Sub Finem]"
Debates and other proceedings of the Convention of Virginia : convened at Richmond, on Monday the second day of June, 1788, for the purpose of deliberating on the Constitution recommended by the grand Federal convention ; to which is prefixed the Federal Constitution
