WELCH, MARTIN --- Age, 35 yrs. Enlisted, Aug. 8, 1862, at Mooers, to serve 3 yrs; mustered in as private, Co. I, Aug. 29, 1862; mustered out with company, June 13, 1865, at Richmond, VA. *TC MO ~ enlisted in Centreville (Mooers Forks) as butcher; W; M; p. Thomas Welch and Phiny Cooley; occ. farmer; was at Drewry's Bluff, fight afterwards and to butchering; discharged June 25, 1865; has moved into the Western Country. *DROVE A COVERED WAGON TO THEIR LAND GRANT - Thomas Welch, an Irish Immigrant came to the United States in the 1820s. He married Philena Crowley whose first immigrant ancestor came from England in the early 1700s and whose grandfather was in the American Revolution. Their son, Martin Van Buren Welch, a butcher, enlisted in the 118th Infantry on August 8, 1862 in Mooers. He was mustered into Company I in at Plattsburgh and left for Washington two days later, on September 1st. Martin survived the 118th's stay in the capital, and the battles in Virginia in 1863 between May and July. He became ill and spent from October to December 1863 in Eckington Hospital in Washington. His regiment was in winter quarters at Newport News, VA, when he rejoined them. The regiment's heavy fighting around Petersburg began in May 1864 and continued until the end of October. The Battles of Drewry's Bluff in May followed by Cold Harbor in June accounted for the 59 men killed in action. Over two hundred casualties followed while they were in the vicinity of Petersburg that year. Their last major battle was at the end of October with 111 casualties.I n 1865, the 118th participated in the fall of Petersburg and then travelled to Richmond where Martin mustered out with his company on June 13th. He returned home to his wife Catherine McMulligan, born in Donegal, Ireland, who he had married in 1851, and they decided to move West with their children. They took the train to Shabbona, IL, where they lived until they received their land grant in Iowa. In the fall of 1871, in a covered wagon, they started the 350-mile trip to claim their land in Fonda, IA. The family stayed on the land until 1890 when Martin died. He was buried in the Cedar Township Cemetery in Fonda under two stones, a large cenotaph and a military stone. Catherine immediately applied for a Widow's Pension and received it until she died in 1928 at age 97 and was buried with Martin. She outlived all of her eight children except two daughters.>>>>> Catherine McMulligan was born in Donegal Co. Ireland and at the> age of 8 came to America with her family. They settled in New York state where she met and was married to Martin Van Buren Welch. They settled in New York state where five of their 8 children were born. She was left to manage as best she could while her husband served in the dark days of the rebellion. They moved to Shabonna, Ill in 1867 and lived there until the fall of 1871 when they moved to Fonda, Ia to a farm 4 miles west, a land grant from Civil War service. Three of their 8 children died in infancy. Four girls and 1 boy reached adulthood but only 2 daughters outlived their mother who reached almost 95 years of age. Catherine endured years of hard work as young girl caring for her family. She survived an Iowa Prairie fire burning her feet badly which from a great grandaughter I learned she was a very outspoken person. She was very alert and spry until the final days of her life.
