2-833-108 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

This is a personal letter from Gideon Welles to his son Thomas. This is a bifolio letter written in dark ink on off-white colored paper. The letter is dated at the top right:[Washington / 5th March 1865] and begins [My Dear Tom]. The letter's text fills the front page, both inside pages and half the back page. The letter congratulates Thomas on his recent military promotion and recounts the recent inauguration of President Lincoln: [The inauguration passed off pleasantly and well. There was a great crowd, exceeding any previous one I have ever witnessed at an inauguration].