An historical treatise of an action or suit at law : and of the proceedings used in the King's Bench and Common Pleas from the original processes to the judgments in both courts
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.
Cases argued and adjudged, in the Court of King's Bench, at Westminster : in the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th years of the reign of his late Majesty, King George, the Second. [1733-1738] During which time the late Lord chief Justice Hardwicke presided in that court
To which are added, some determinations of the late Lord Chief Justice Lee ; and also two equity ones by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. Published under the inspection of a noble lord, and eminent lawyer ; with notes and references to all the contemporary reporters. Likewise, two tables ; one of the names of the cases ; and the other of the principal matters therein containe.
Printed by W. Strahan and Woodfall, for W. Johnston and G. Kearsley,
Date of Publication
1770.
Physical Description
8 preliminary leaves, 417, [22] pages ; 32 cm
Notes
Supposed to have been edited by Annaly, and sometimes cited in his name ... In 1815 Thomas Lee edited an edition, with many corrections and improvemets. Since then the citation has been Lee temp. Hard. cf. Soule, Lawyer's reference manual.
Cases argued and adjudged, in the Court of King's Bench, at Westminster : in the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th years of the reign of his late Majesty, King George, the Second. [1733-1738] During which time the late Lord chief Justice Hardwicke presided in that court
To which are added, some determinations of the late Lord Chief Justice Lee ; and also two equity ones by Lord Chancellor Hardwicke. Published under the inspection of a noble lord, and eminent lawyer ; with notes and references to all the contemporary reporters. Likewise, two tables ; one of the names of the cases ; and the other of the principal matters therein containe.
Printed by W. Strahan and Woodfall, for W. Johnston and G. Kearsley,
Date of Publication
1770.
Physical Description
8 preliminary leaves, 417, [22] pages ; 32 cm
Notes
Supposed to have been edited by Annaly, and sometimes cited in his name ... In 1815 Thomas Lee edited an edition, with many corrections and improvemets. Since then the citation has been Lee temp. Hard. cf. Soule, Lawyer's reference manual.
Cases determined at nisi prius, in the Court of King's Bench. From the sittings after Easter term, 30 Geo. III. to the sittings after Michaelmas term, 35 Geo III. both inclusive [1790-1794]
Cases in law and equity : argued, debated and adjudged in the King's Bench and Chancery, in the twelfth and thirteenth years of Queen Anne [1714-1715] during the time of Lord Chief Justice Parker
With two treatises, the one on the action of debt, the other on the constitution of England. Now first printed from the original manuscript of the late Lord Chief Baron Gilbert.
A collection of decisions of the Court of King's Bench upon the Poor's Laws : down to the present time. In which are contained many Cases never before published ; extracted from the Notes of a very Eminent Barrister deceased: The whole digested in a regular Order. By a barrister at law of the Inner Temple. To which are prefixed, extracts from the statutes concerning the poor
A collection of modern entries, or, Select pleadings in the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer : viz. declarations, pleas in abatement and in bar, replications, rejoinders, &c., demurrers, issues, verdicts, judgments, forms of making up records of nisi prius, and entring of judgments, &c., in most actions. Many of them drawn or perused by Mr. Broderick, Carthew, Comyns, Darnel ... and other learned counsel. As also special assignments of errors, and writs and proceedings thereupon, both in the said courts and in Parliament. With the method of suing to and reversing outlawries by writ of error or otherwise. To which is added a collection of writs in most cases now in practice. With two tables, one of the names of the cases, and the other of the pleadings and writs
A digest of adjudged cases in the Court of King's Bench, from the Revolution to the present period, alphabetically arranged under the different heads of practice
Comprehending all the approved determinations during the time that the Lord Chief Justices Holt, Parker, Pratt, Raymond, Hardwicke, Lee, and Ryder, presided on that bench; and also those of the present Lord Chief Justice, by a gentleman of Lincoln's Inn.
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by W. Strahan, and M. Woodfall, law-printers to the King, for G. Kearsly,
