THEOPHILUS WELCOME -- 118th INFANTRYWOUNDED AT DREWRY'S BLUFF - Theophilus Welcome (Theophile Bienvenue orTuffield Welcome) was born in Quebec and was living in Chazy when heenlisted for the Civil War. He was mustered into the 118th Infantry inPlattsburgh when he was 18 years old on December 5, 1863. For hisenlistment he got a town bounty of \$300.He met up with his regiment while they were in winter quarters inNewport News and was assigned to Captain Henry Ransom's Company I. Theregiment started up the Virginia Peninsula to fight in the battlefieldsaround Petersburg and Richmond.Things went well for Theophilus until the middle of May when the 118thparticipated in the 3-day Battle of Drewry's Bluff starting on May 14,1864. Three of the men from his company were killed. His captain wasshot through the arm and the lung and eventually had his arm amputated.Theophilus was shot in the hand on the last day of the battle and wassent home on a furlough to recover. While he was on his furlough, hedecided not to return to the battlefield and was listed as a deserter.In May 1899, a letter written by Charles Luther Hagar, the 118th'sChaplain was quoted in the Plattsburgh Daily Press -- "The enemyattacked out entire line about 4 o'clock on Monday morning. Concealed bya dense fog, they were enabled to approach us with comparative safety.They were driven back at various points, but at length outflanked us. Wewere obliged to retire to our inner line of defense. Burnham's Brigade,of which our regiment formed a part, fought nobly. At one time, therebels raised and waived a white flag, when the order was given to ourmen to ceased firing. Soon after, they poured in a volley and chargedupon us. Our loss was very heavy."Theophilus went back to Quebec to live. In 1880, he filed for a pension,but it was never processed.
