In Camp near Woodstock Va.
April 7th 1862
My own dear Addie:
I know you must be very
anxious to know the reason why I do not
oftener write to you, but much as I would
love to have constant correspondence with
you, even daily, yet it seems as if the
“fortunes of War,” or something else are against
nel Every day since I wrote last–(the last
of March) I have inquired if letters could
be sent, and invariably recieved a
negative answer. But I have grown
impatient at the delay, so write, hoping
to see some one I know, going to Win=
[page 2]
chester, with whom I can send this
and then “run the Blockade.”
I can see no reason why we should
be cut ff from mail facilities, as I am sure
there is nothing of special importance
transpiring in this department that should
be kept so profoundly secret, and if it
would do any good, I would “enter my
protest” against it.
Every day since I wrote, we have
had skirmishes with the enemy, but
two or three men have been killed on our
side, and it is known that many of
the rebels have fallen victims to the
unerring aim of our gunners. Even while
I write, skirmishing, and pretty sharp
too, is going on about two and a half
miles from here.
How full of horrors is this unholy
unnatural war! No one can fully com=
prehend the horrors of war, unless brought
into direct contact with it, But it
must be repugnant to you, so I will
[page 3]
change the subject–
As for “my poor unworthy self,” I am
enjoying good health, and n spite of
my longing desire for some of those canned
“goodies” which the noble “aid Society” has
kindly sent to our sick soldiers, I can
not get sick. Yet, it is no great loss.
We have pleasant weather, and fine
times. Chaplain B–I would write Brown
if I could–Wright addresses us to-day
from Prov. 23 C, 32v. His remarks
were opportune and well made: if prop=
erly applied would benefit us very much
The application was like this–
“The cardinal sins of the army, are–
Intemperance; Profanity; Murmuring; and
Robbery. These, sooner or later, will bite
like a serpent, and sting like an adder”
The pieces sung, were “Happy Land; A charge
to keep I have,–Boylston; and Once on the
stormy seas I rode,–Bonny Doon.”
It was sublimity itself to hear those
old hymns sung in the woods, accom=
[page 4]
panied by our band. You should have
heard it.
Will Braden is sitting by me, talk=
ing with Moore,–subject cowardice.
Their talk reminds me of the Negro’s contro=
versy. “Me and Magee had a argument
to day I said corn would grow best on
sandy soil, and he said so too, And there
we sputed and sputed.” He, Will, just said
tell her “if I fall in battle I could not find
a better death” He had reference to him
self–I wonder why he does not write to
Laurie, I know he wants too bad enough.
I enclose you a “gem” of Southern literature, a verbatim
et literatim copy of a poem found by Sergt
Moor. Tis a genuine secession document.
My spare time now is employed in reading
“Pope’s translation of Homer’s Illiad.”” Did you
ever read it? By the way, I received a
Tribune from you, yesterday, for which I am
a thousand times obliged. Dont you
tink Carl Shurz’s speech was excellent?
I read it to the boys last night. My friend
[side margin of pate 4]
Bob Murray says “you benefited the mess as much as Charly” in sending me the
paper. Bob is a noble boy, and will some day make a great
man
or I
fail
to be a
prophet]
unsigned letter of Charles Tenney to Adelaide Case.
Carl Schurz, 1829-1906,German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army General. He was also an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and orator, who in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate; known for his statement: “My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right.”
MSS 11616
panied
