University of Virginia Library

Letter from Charles N. Tenney to Adelaide E. Case, 24 September 1861

Your short but interesting
note of the 10th Hal gave me this
morning. and I haste to reply.

I wrote you last week that I
I was on the Silver Lake as a guard
with Leiut. Wood. we are still on board
of her and bound to Gallipolis O.
where I will mail this. The boat
trembles so much from the working
of her engines that it is almost
impossible to write legably, however
as the landlord said, "its our best accom-
modations" and I will do as well as I can

This is a most beautiful day here,
the trees and shrubs along the shore
look as fresh and green as in June while
a gentle breeze murmurs by and ripples
the clear and beautiful waters of the
Kanawha. The Kanawha Valley! I wish
you could see it in its wild and
picturesque beauty. I think it the most
beautiful valley I ever saw, It seems
almost sacrilege that pitiless war
should seek to deform such beauty,
but with a ruthless hand she seeks
to destroy. We have just passed
the black scorched timbers which
alone remain of the once splendid
steamer "Julia Maffit". When Wise first
commenced his depredations in the
Ka Vally he impressed the Julia Moffit
into the Rebel service; and when Gen.
Cox was in pursuit of "Wise's flying
Brigade, Capt. Cotter who commanded
an artillery company saw a boat

bearing the Rebel flag coming up
and at once turned one of his rifle
cannon upon her and fired the first
shot went crashing through her
and all on board made for the shore
not however till one more daring
than the others, applied the incendiary
torch and soon she was a smoking
hulk. Oh! shall I be so gald when
this cruel unholy war is ended. it
seems so like killing friends. but
in the language of the hoary traitor Wise
himself, who said at the time of the John
Brown raid, "Treason must be put
down", and I could conscientiously
shoot him and his associates Floyd and
Lee like dogs. Don't think for a moment
dear Addie because I say I am tired
of war, that I am tired of supporting
the glorious old Stars and Stripes on
the contrary I would not accept a
discharge if one was offered me until
every ______ banner be trampled in
the dust, and every traitor hung.
Hal says when he comes home I must
come with him. I have not yet decided
whether to come or not. but I think now
if I can get leave to come I may.

Can you explain what it is that
binds me so closely to Hal? I really
think more of him than my own
brother. Surely never boasted a sister of a better
brother. I feel far more interest in his
welfare than in my own. The boys often
ask me why it is that I think so much
of Lieut. Case, Almost invariably my answer
is, and it comes spontaneously -- "Why should
not I? He is a brother to me". Is it any
wonder that I like the sister while the
brother is so good? "Brave and efficient, a
very lion." Such are the _______ passed
on Hal by members of the ______ who know
him. Pardon me if I say I like you because
you possess the good qualities of your brother
for it is true -- and -- more.

But my letter must be getting uninteresting
if, indeed, it has been other
wise so I will close.

Please excuse this poor paper for it is
all I could get, and the writing for the
boat is in a continual tremor.

Write soon and often, even if you
do not hear from me every week
but i will write as often as possible