University of Virginia Library

Letter from Adelaide E. Case to Charles N. Tenney, November 9, 1862

I am going to
try and write you a cheerful letter
to day. I say cheerful, and mind
you if it is not, it is no fault
of mine. You will conclude and
rightly that I have had a dread-
ful. (please excuse the division of that
word) attack of the “blues” You will
now wish to know the cause. Well,
as you are my confidante I will
tell you. The first; (you wont tell
any-body?) I have not heard one
word from C. M. Tenney, for almost
two weeks. (listen now) and when
he last wrote me, he was not
able to go with the regt. I do so
hope he is not so ill as not to
be able to write to — to — Addie

But what does it mean. He is always
so prompt in writing when he is
not well. Can not you tell me
where he is. and how? If you can
I shall be a thousand times obliged.

Another,, I wish the 12th of Nov. was
passed. Dear Charlie, I almost feel
as if instead of gaining a brother
I shall lose a sister. I know not
why I feel so but it always seems
as if sisters did not bear the sam
same relation to each other after they
are married as before, they never
seem to give each other that confi-
dence that they did before, but
I can not write freely upon this
subject even to you, dear. I only wish
that you could be here then. that
is if I must go and Laurie says
I must. Here she sits now writing
“farewell letters” — as she says — to her
friends. Dear girl! She seems to look
forward with an air of resignation

rather than happiness. Oh Charlie
my heart aches for her But I
will not write this to you my own

You are glad Valandingham was
defeated. So was I. What an ins—
sult to Chio's brave soldiers was the
nomination of such a man — no
not a man — a traitor as Valan-
dingham. He is now — and always
has been working against us —
working with all the energy of
which demons are capable to
destroy this noble republic.

And how many more “Valandinghams”
have we here at the north
Treason is not confined herein
the south. Even here in Mecca
are “Knights of the Golden Circle”
bound by the most solemn obliga-
tions to aid the rebels in
erecting an institution the chief
corner stone of which is Slavery
Shall they succeed in their

purposes: No. never. True Freedom
and Slavery are drawing to gether
and will soon engage in a dread-
ful conflict. God only knows which
will conquer. but we hope and
trust that America may come
forth with more thanher original
purity and have her truly free
May God be with us in our
great conflict, and may we ever
look to him as our nations
savior

But you will pardon me for
not writing a longer letter will
you not dearest? I must write
to Dora to day. I forgot to tell
you that I attended the funeral
of Capt. L.D. Kee last tuesday he
was killed at Perryville[1]
He was buried according to the
Masonic order. Laura is telling
me a good lot to write you such
as "I wish he was home", "I am a
Case yet." "I've got a hard cold"
&c. &c..