University of Virginia Library

Letter from Charles N. Tenney to Adelaide E. Case, September 16, 1861

War has its visissitudes as
well as the other phases of life and they
are not a few I'll assure you. For the past
few weeks things have been constantly
changing; one day we would be reposing
in perceived security and perhaps the
next morning be awakened and moved
to haste to prepare to meet the meet the enemy
who were momentarily expected to come
upon us, still except in the instance of
Cross Lanes they have not made an
open attack upon us. The ?

But you will think this is a strange
opening for a letter but today it is my
Among other changes, ten, includ
ing Will B and my self, from
Co. H. have been detailed as guards on
the Steamer Silver Lake under command
of Lieut Wood. (I wish very much that
Hal was in his place) We have made
these trips from Camp E, 12 miles
above Charleston Va. to Gallipolis Ohio
and we are now
We have on board several of the wounded
from the battle ofCarnix's Ford[1] fought
last Tuesday, and the remains of Col.
Lowe of the 12th O. Regt. who fell at the
same battle fighting bravely. Among the
wounded are Col. Lytle of the 10th Regt
Lieut. Col. Mason of the 13th and Capt
McGoverty of the 13th. It is perhaps necessary
for me to state that the day was won
by our gallent Ohio boys. as you ere
this musthave received the particulars
I had no idea of the feelings produced
by being engaged in a battle until the
fight at Cross Lanes[2]. These feelings were
indescribable. I had no thoughts of dodging
the balls nor did I think of getting killed
All I did was to take one thought of friends
(including you, my dear Addie) then watch for
an opportunity to send some to
but although we saw them
on our front, right, and left, I thought I
would reserve my fire till I was sure of
my man, or at least till the order was given
to fire so lost a chance to discharge my piece

I cannot speak too highly of Hal. he
acted so cooly and bravely; not an action
did he commit to lessen the respect and
admiration he commands in the entire
regiment I would that I could send
you his portrait as he stood while we
were waiting the approach of the enemy
his sword was drawn and his revolver
in his left hand ready to face the

coming foe. Every oder was given in
a manner that showed he meant to
be obayed. Suffice it to say that we did merit
the apporbrium bestowed upon us by the Cin-
cinnati in that they pronounced
the affair

We are passing through a most beautiful
section of the country. we have now passed
Rome, Hanging Rock, Portsmouth, Aberdeen
and Higginsport, Ohio and Ashland,
Maysville, Rome, Augusta Ky.
On the Ohio side the hillsides are covered with
vineyards that are now purple with grapes
while the Kentucky hills are covered with
fields of Corn and Tobacco. We have just
met three steamers loaded with a part
of

We are now just
between Foster's Landing Ky. and Nevillsville Ohio.
Moscow is in sight. If the Kanawha Valley was
more thickly inhabited it would be almost as
beautiful as the Ohio and it soon will be for
the formation of the State of Kanakha makes it
the most important of any section of the state
But I must bring this uninteresting letter to a
close. Since I received your last letter which
I did not get until we arrived at Charleston
I have written you a letter covering two and a half
sheets did you get it? I have been waiting impatiently
for an answer ever since but can get none. I can scarcely
get time to write we have so much to do. Standing guard
?. The boat trembles so that I doubt if you can
read this rough thing. can you? We just passed
Point Pleasant Ohio and New Richmond is in sight
we are now twenty miles from Cincinnati. we are
running fast and the scenery is splended. Now opposite
California Ky. Hall is well or was two or three days
ago. I wish he was on here. he would enjoy it so much

With this I send you a rough pencil sketch of
Weston, where Col Tyler took for the government $37000. The
view is taken from a hill overlooking the camp. The stream
between Camp and town is the West fork of the Monongahela