University of Virginia Library

Letter from Charles Berry Senior to his Father, March 29, 1865

I received your letters
of the 15 Jan. and 21st Feb. on our
arrival here 2 days ago. I am very
well and have been on our march
and hope that you may all be the
same. After having been cut off
from the civilized world for nearly
2 months we have again a chance
to communicate with our friends
at home. Another terrible blow
has been struck at the reeling con
federacy and I suppose that
Sherman has halted only to gather
new strength to strike another
and more destructive one than
the last. It is understood that
Sherman has gone to Fortress
Monroe. I could not vouch for the
truth of it. I cannot tell how
long we will remain here, but I don't
expect to stay long. Schofield

first occupied Goldsboro. We were
fighting the rebels at the time about
28 miles northwest of the town which
were concentrated there. It was the
only fight of any magnitude that
we had. Johnston is said to have
had about 40,000 men. The rebels
the first day of the fight rather whipped
the 14 and 28th Corps from all reports.
I don't know as it was any victory to
the rebels but the 2 Corps were brought
to a halt and that is so unusual
that we termed it a whip. I can show
the position occupied at the first
day's fight.[1]
The rebels decidely outnumbered the
2 Corps. Reports say that they charged
the 14 Corps 4 times, they were all impregnated
with a solution of gunpowder and whisky.
The 14 Corps had rail barricades and
killed a great many of the rebels. They
shot deliberate, nearly all the rebels were
hit in the breast or head, but you
will learn all this from your papers. I
wish we had the same privilege of reading
the news that you have, a paper is a
rarity. I think that there is a
good prospect of having peace before long.
I think that the rebellion is played out, as
the term is in the army. I guess that
Davis, Lee and crew begin to see that
it is a failure and I am satisfied
that the southern people and
the privates in their army almost
exclusively desire peace. As they
fail we gain strength. There never
was an army more confident than
Sherman's. I believe that when
he leaves here he will have an army
sufficient to cope with the whole
confederate army of Lee, Johnston
combined.

As regards the money
I have sent home I am willing that
Henry shall have it to use for to stock
his farm or any thing other good use. It
is as good lent to him as to any other
man.

I have several other
letters to write. I suppose that
I will write to Joseph Wood if
he desires it. I received a letter
from Clemmy and also from
Samuel Brown. You never sent
me any newspapers as you said
you would. They would be
very acceptable.