University of Virginia Library

Letter from Charles N. Tenney to Adelaide E. Case, 1862 February 23

Now that you are here before me, can
we not have a few moments quiet "tete a tete," all by
our selves? How does my darling Addie manage
to pass away the weary monotonous hours which
seem to lag merely to annoy us? In singing,
sleighing, and having "good times" I suppose.
I think I never saw time pass as wearily, as it
does here. It is a joyous time when the mail comes
in, and plenty of letters come for us. but then my
day does not come more than once a week. &
sometimes it passes over without my getting any.
How glad I was, when Cap Asper gave me your letter
yesterday, I can not tell you. You may imagine
my surprise, and gratification on percieving that
it contained your miniature. I can only thank
you now, and hope that I may come home soon
and repay you better. But it is not one quarter as
pretty as the original, but it serves to assure me that

you love me, and I ought to be very grateful.

How I wish you could converse with me,
but fate has ordained that I should be a "sojer boy"
and furloughs cant be obtained always when they
are wanted. But I shall not be always attached
to the U.S. Army, and three years will soon pass
away, then I shall be free once more.

Well Addie, I must tell you of yesterday.
Great preparations were made at the order of "Major
Gen Tyler" (as Creighton calls him) day before yesterday
to celebrate Washington's Birthday. Arches of
evergreen were erected. Flag poles raised
were raised, and tents were wreathed &
decorated in a tasteful manner, and every
thing was arranged in tip top order. At
11 A.M. yesterday, the Brigade consisting of
the 7th & 29th O. 110th Pa. 7th Ind. &1st Va. Regts
was drawn up in line, near our camp
and were reviewed by Col. Buckley of the
29th, then by Gen. Lander in person.
Gen. Lander says the 7th is the best Regt.
in his department. Quite a compliment
was it not? He made us a short speech

after the Review, in which he promised us soon
a "forward movement."

What do you think our Regt. is coming
to. All of our best officers are resigning and
going home. First Chaplain Brown. then
Hal. Now Lieut. Kimball of Co. A. & Adjt. DeForrest
have resigned & it is reported the Major is about
to. & I know Col. Creighton intends to as soon
as he can get any pretence. It is too bad,
I declare, that a first class Regt. must go to ruin
merely because a ruined & unprincipled man
is at the head. If some energetic officer would
take the affair into his own hands, & profer a
list of charges (which could easily be prepared) against
Tyler, and not be afraid of losing his own epau
lettes, our regt. would be soon rid of the scheming
politician & have a man for a leader. But so long
as we are tied down by such line officers as Asper
Wood, W.R. Sterling & Capt. Crane, who are afraid to
assert their own independence for fear that they
may lose their glittering shoulder straps & the
attendant salary, so long must we be down-
trodden: Yet Tyler will cajole & flatter, & promise

all sorts of "Laurels," and a few will cheer for
the "Gallant Col." He made a short speech yesterday
which he intended should be cheered. What must
have been his feelings when not a was
raised, nor a cheer given for him from the 7th

But I must bring this to a close
You must write very often Addie love. just as
often as you please. & I will endeavor to return
as many letters as you send. if not more.
I wrote you a letter the 13th which you could
not have recieved when you wrote. but. my
request was granted in one manner. Is it
in the other? I leave it all to you now Addie.
darling. will you complete the arrangements

Write very soon.