Cerro Gordo County Iowa
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In the summer of 1865, Charles was discharged and mustered out on July 14, near Louisville, Kentucky. From there he
was sent to Davenport, Iowa, and then returned home to a farm near Rock Falls, Iowa. He received a Civil War veteran
pension on July 31, 1890 (application #835.600, certificate 598.166).
Following are transcriptions from letters Charles wrote to his father during the Civil War.
Dubuque, Feb, 21 1864 Thinking that you might like
to hear from me I concluded to write a few lines
We started last Wednesday arrived at Charlescity
on the same day. Next day we took the stage
and got to Cedar Falls. Took the cars at Cedar
Falls next morning and arrived at Dubuque
in the afternoon on Friday. We have been
staying here since then but expect to leave
for Davenport tomorrow. We have got
our uniforms excepting overcoat & dresscoat
our knapsack haversack blanket & canteen we
have got. the rest of our uniform our arms &
our first installment of bounty we shall
receive at Davenport. We board at one of the hotels
here & report to roll call [ ... ] 9 & 2.
You will understand the nature of the
enclosed certificate. [unclear: we] are all in good
health & excellent spirits. Yesterday
Wahington's birthday was celebrated here
the home guards marched through the street
behind the fife & drum. [unclear: There] was target
shooting in the afternoon in the evening
there was a grand supper free for all
soldiers in the Union League Hall after
supper speaking, then dancing by the
young folks, 2 violins 1 clarinet-& one
double bass, were the instruments -- the
performers were all germans but they
were verry excellent players I am
in haste & have not any more time to
write at present. I shall write again from Davenport [ ... ]
to write to me
I remain Charles B. Senior
Nashville March 6, 1864 I am standing by
a window here in the soldiers' home
and the boys are just singing the
Star-Spangled Banner. Long may it wave'
You may be somewhat surprised at
my delay in writing to you. me reason
was that I couldn't give you the directions
to write tome until now. So far I
haveenjoyed the very best of health.
The boys are, I believe, all well, at
least in Co. B. The weather here
is quite warm. This southern sun
shines in at this window this morning
with the warmth of amid-summers sun
at the north, it looks to be at about the
same altitude. The water we have
here is not of the best quality, it is the
water of the Cumberland River and
is very nearly the color of clay.The
Cumberland river is quite a stream,
being navigable for the largest steamboats.
The railroad bridges [ ... ] [unclear: are]
on a swing, that is [ ... ] the boats
come to it, it is made to separate in
the middle and one-half swings to
the side. We had the opportunity of
seeing this on the evening of our
arrival here from Louisville, Ky.
A number of us boys went to a theatre,
last night, in this place, it was
the first that I have ever seen. I
thought that I was well paid for
my quarter. The principle play
was Shakespeare's "Macbeth." I am
of course no judge of theatres but I
was well satisfied with what I saw
and heard. The instrumental music
was good 3 violins, harp, one
clarinet, one brass instrument, I
think a bugle & Double Bass.
You talk about singing and such
like, but there was a girl here last
night that I think would beat
your Mrs. Sunderland decidedly.
I expect that you have received
by this time some money that I
sent [ ... ] American Express Co.
($60) [unclear: You] may send me word that
you receivedit, for if not, I have
a certificate that insures its
loss. I expect that we shall
leave here tomorrow, probably for
the front, Pulaski. We expected to
go today, but some accident or
another that happened yesterday
between here and Chattanooga pre
vented us. I am tiredof stand
ing and writing, so write to me as
soon as possible & direct to
me Co. B 7 Reg. Iowa Vol. Pulaski
Ten, care of Cap. Reiniger. . . .
Prospect Tennessee, April 13 1864 I Take my pen
& paper to write to you again. I am
still in the enjoyment of good health
& hope that this may find you all the
same. We are still here but it is probable
that we shall move in some direction before
long appearances at least indicate as
much. One thing our veteran soldiers have
been called out to drill the orders are that we
shall drill 6 hours a day so as to perfect us
in the drill immediately & target shooting
one hour each day for the recruits. Another
thing they are making fortifications here
One large block house here is nearly finished
& I understand that they are going to build
another one a short distance from here across
the river. So that one hundred men
with the aid of these fortifications can
withstand as much as one thousand without
them It is the prevailing opinion that
when they are completed that we shall
leave here for more active service. There
is also great activity commenced on the
railroad that runs through here. a short
time since there was not more than one train
each day Now there is as many as six
each way to carry provisions & stores ammunition
etc. to the army south it is likely that the
spring campaign will soon be opened vigorous[ly]
very soon. It is about time to do something
or the heat of the season will be stronger
than either of the contending parties &
compel them to lay inactive till another
fall. There are some days now that
were it as warm north you would
say this will make the corn grow. We
dont know as much here about the operations
of the army as you do where you get the
regular papers at the north, but we know
more about a soldiers life I am not
disappointed I have not had to suffer
half the inconvenience yet that I expected
to or may even have to do in future
but our worst enemy or the one that I
fear most is sickness & as long as I can
avoid that why all right. There has
been a noted rebel guerilla caught not far
from here called Moore he has played
about these parts considerable robbing army
wagons plundering killing etc. since we
came here he gobbled up two of our boys
who had got outside the picket line in
search of a cow that belonged to the
regimental hospital but they gave him
the slip & got back to camp here again
There has been some deserters come to our camp
from the rebel army they give a deplo
rable account of the condition of the rebel
army say that they were pressed into it
etc. but no reliance can be put upon them
I think that the government are too easy
upon those rebels that are not in arms against
them. I don't believe that there is one good
rebel or union citizen in Giles Co Ten but they
are allowed to come within the lines with
with passes which the got from the regimental officers
signed by the Colonel we have quiet achance
to find out their principal when we go on
picket truly many of them have lost their
last cow & pig & would just as soon shoot a
picket as not but they ought to swing too
it makes some of the boys curse & swear to
see them round with their butternut-colored
clothes & brass buttons as near rebel uniform
as they dare come & durst not pull a trigger
on them. I have had but one letter
from you & I dont know why I dont
get more I want to hear at least
once a week or oftener & another thing
I want some postage stamps I
have to borrow & it will soon run out
on that score. I must say that H. J. Smith is promoted
to first Lieutenant - I
conclude Direct the same
as before
Charles B Senior to all at Home
Prospect Tennessee, April 14, 1864 I received your
letter last night which is the second
one that I have had from you since
I left. If I had one each day
I should not get tired of opening
them & reading them if they are
from Iowa they are very welcome
visitors but like angels visits few &
far between I wrote a letter to you
yesterday but after I received this
I thought that I must write
again I have wrote quiet a number
to different persons in the country but
have received no answers We get
mail here every day It is then taken
to headquarters & each company's
mail given to that company's orderly
& then distributed by him. You
Perhaps remember Stewart the man
that went with Vanness when he
thrashed our grain some years ago
he stays in our shanty & is very sick
it is probably the measles that is
coming upon him if that proves to be
the case he will of course removed to
the hospital until he recovers James
Campbell & Uriah A Wilson have
both had them but they have got
about well again I received the
postage stamps that you sent me
but they were so stuck together that
I had to steam them to get them
separated they should be doubled face
to face to prevent them sticking.
You said something about Leonard
Parker having sold out did he ever
say anything to you about some money
that he owed to me for rail making
I made him 1880 rails & he only paid
me for 1500 when he counted them
There was a deep snow & he did not
find them all & he promised if he
found the rest he would hand the
balance of the money to you I know
that the rails are there & he should have
paid to you 3 dollars & 80 cents perhaps
he has but the next time you write
let me know I have got with a
good mess of boys 8 of us they are not a
swearing blackguarding set at all with
Stewart excepted They are quiet thereverse
more inclined to study & improve
their mental faculties we have had
several debating schools in our shanty
since we came here. & we study
grammar some & arithmetic one of our
mess sent to Fowler & Wells & got a
couple of Phonographic Books & we
are just beginning to see a dawn
of sense in that branch We have had
them only 4 or 5 days & were entirely
ignorant of it all of us so we are not
advanced in reading or writing it yet
Altogether we have received the name
of the literary squad which sounds
blackguarding shanty just below us
which is known by the name of
Gambling Saloon I have just been
down to the guard house & saw one
from the aforesaid place with his arms
tied & fastened in a standing position
&:I thought that I would sooner
be studying grammar or Frognogra[ phy]
by which they try to ridicule us
than to be in his place for running
the picket lines or some other
misdemeanor. I am perfectly
well & hope that this may find
you all the same
Charles B Senior
Co B7 Iowa Inf Via Nashville
Tennessee
Near Reseca, Georgia May 17, 1864 I take another
opportunity of writing to you the chances
that we have of sending letters is very
limited. The mails leave here now just
when it happens I am still in the enjoyment
of good health & strength & hope that all
of you at home can say the same Perhaps
you have received the last letter I wrote
if so you will see that we were then expecting
some hard fighting. Some of it we have had
I have not seen a part of what is called
the horrors of war luckily I have not been
called upon to suffer myself but alas
how many of our brave boys have. I
still have but very narrowly escaped
almost miraculously been spared my life
I have heard the hissing of bullets the shrieking
of shells & the loud bellowing of artillery
I think that the fighting has for some time
subsided The rebels as far as we know have
retreated all except a rear guard
of them which they have left to harass
us & prevent us from rapidly pursuing
them I heard our Lieutenant say that
it was believed that their main army has
left for Richmond but it is not surely
known for 8 days there has been more or
less fighting Our regiment has been principally
here at Calhoun Ferry the heavist fighting
has been at Resaca Last Saturday our
regiment was put to support a battery
that was planted to shell the rebels out of
their fort down here & we were very much
exposed to the replies of rebel shell
five of our regiment suffered [unclear: &] killed & 3
wounded with a shell one of the killed had
both of his legs ripped from his body We
were ordered to lay flat down face to the
ground & while we were in that position
a whole or large piece of shell struck the
ground about [four] [ 8] feet from my head in
a direct line plowed a ditch in the
ground on the top for 6 feet Then only four
feet from us it richocheted & just
marvelously glanced over our heads all
done of course with the quickness of lightning
the only harm that it did it almost drove
the dirt into the pores of our skin
making a sharp burning sensetion if
it had not glanced it must unavoid[ ably]
have struck[illeg.] my head or
shoulder on sunday morning we crossed
the river on pontoon bridges & found
the rebels close on the other side our
Company was sent out skirmishing & only
one man wounded while we were out
The rest of the regiment were engaged
& lost 54 killed & wounded They drove
the rebels however & killed & wounded
full as many of them we were skirmishing
by the flank & when the battle was going
on we were nearly in rear of the rebels the brush
was so thick where we was that we could
not see far ahead & we got too far round
to the right It is a wonder that when
The rebels retreated they did not happen
to come upon us & take us all prisoners
there was nothing in the world to
prevent them If they had known where
we were only one company of us we could
have offered but very little resistance
we were so much in the rear of them
that the bullets of our men came over
the rebels & whistled around us
we came out of the wood to an opening
& the rebels had retreated Then came
the scene of the killed & wounded I
can not describe it so I will not attempt
but if it may be called satisfaction I
saw many of the rebels in their death
agonies one poor fellow begged of us to
kill him he said he would rather be dead
than laying there Though they had been
fighting against us I thought it was enough
to soften the heart of the hardest man
to see even a rebel in such a condition.
Paper is very scarce I must stop I could fill
one volume nearly I shall not be able to
write home regular but you have the
chance of writing regular to me & I wish you
to do it C B Senior Direct as before
Near Atlanta July 31st 64 I take the
opportunity of writing to you again We
are here in sight of Atlanta's spires but
do not yet occupy the city it appears that
the rebs are going to stand a siege I
am well I think that all their railroad
are cut all except the Macon road is at
least & that is reported to be. So I
think that a successful campaign is
commencing on Atlanta We have got
very good breastworks & so have the
enemy. I think there will be a short
delay here until the completion of the railroad
bridge across the Chattahoochie & the [ arrival]
of heavy ordnance which is on the way
Our Corps has changed position since I
wrote last we evacuated our works on
the left & came here on the right &
on the west side of Atlanta You asked
me whose command I was under I am
in the 1st Brigade 2nd Div 16 Arm Corps
Gen Dodge Corps Commander Div Gen
Coarse Brigade Gen Rice. The
rebels have amused themselves by trying
to shell us with their siege guns but I
have not heard of their hurting anything
much with their 84 pound shell which
is occasionally thrown over us I think
it will not be long before they get some
pills of their own bigness & more than
they want. Gov Stone was here the
other day making stump speeches to
the boys I would have liked to have
heard him but we were on the
skirmish line We heard a good deal
of cheering & thought there must
be some good news so when we were relieved
at night we found out the cause. I
have seen the call for 500000 more men
& if they can be raised it is just
what we want to knock down the
staggering Confederacy It is time
for this thing to come to an end
& now is the time
The soldiers are getting exceeding
anxious if we have not men enough
let the country do its utmost to
furnish them & and help put on the
finishing touch to the rebellion
Write soon I can write no
more at present CB Senior
Camp 7th Iowa (Near East Point Ga) Sept 9th 64 It is some
time since I wrote but I have not
yet received any answer to my last letter
I should have wrote before but we couldnt
send away any mail & I was waiting for
the taking of Atlanta I still continue to
have the best of health & hope that you may
be all well I have passed safely through this
campaign for I suppose it is through now
as we have been down 10 miles below Janesboro
& have come back & taken our camp hero 6
miles from Atlanta You will see from the
papers the splendid movement of Gen Sherman
by which he so completely bamboosled the
rebs out of their stronghold cut their communica[tion]
& compelled them instead of their burying the
yankee army here as they boasted as they intende
to do to evacuate the town & make the best
of their way southward The whole 16th corps
worked on the Montgomery [ road] for one day quiet
faithful the 7th Iowa had a fine time
destroying that road out to Fairburn,
18 miles fron Atlanta. Itwas the first days
work that I ever did on the railway & I liked it first rate. In the morning we went
out without knapsacksalmost on the doublequick
for 8 or 9 miles to the town where we went
to work, and then went back at night.
Next day, the2nd, 7th Iowa was ordered
to report to Kilpatrick to go with the
cavalryas a support We did, and started
out with them when about noon we run
into some of the Johnnys. We captured a
negro that escaped from them &he said
there were 1600 of them. They had a rail bar
ricade in a largecornfield We fired a few
shots with the 10 lb. Rodmans belonging
to thecavalry, when the 2nd Iowa which
was in advance, immediately formed &
charged with a yell up tothe barricade &
took it, the rebs flying like the wind,
the 7th about40 rods behind as a support. The
2nd lost a numberof men but I never
knew how many.
In the afternoon we joined therest of ours
and the 15th Corps which came in on another
road,Then came the battle on the 31st
when the rebels got so awfullyflaxed
old Hood butting his brains out again upon
our works.Hardees Corps coming again
in front of the 16th which haswhipped
them 3 times now There was over 44 deserters
came inright in front of our regiment, or not
exactly deserters but men that incharging
across a field got into a ditch & did
not retreat back with their comrades.
Now all the soldiers want is tohave Old
Abe for our next president & this thing
will soon come to asuccessful end but
if the copperheads elect McClellan or
Freemont there will bedireful consequences
I am afraid. If we get 500,000 more
men the rebelscan be swept from the face
of the earthanyhow before the end of
Lincoln's Administration & I think
that it will be done. Sherman has done
his work well. I hope that Grant
yetaccomplish his object take
burg & Richmond & we get Mobile
A. J. Smith clean out Mississippi and Alabama
get our communication open fromthe
gulf, & the rebellion is then played
out, which I hope to God it
may for this thing has been going
on long enough. The report is here
that we are going to camp for a month
& prepare for a vigorous winter
campaign. As ever Affectionately Charles Berry Senior
Now I want you to write soon
and often for I don't know how soon
we may have to go on another campaign.
October 22, 1864
Synopsis of Contents of Letter:
Settled in quarters in Rome, Georgia, Charles now writes about the battle of Allatoona Pass (October 5, 1864) that his brigade missed participating in due to a railroad accident. However, Charles does witness the aftermath, describing the battlefield and the wounded in gruesome detail. He also complains of no pay and lack of paper and stamps.
Rome, Ga. Oct. 22nd, 1864 I have not
received a letter from you since we
left East Point but suppose it must
be from the stoppage of the mails.
[unclear: ] We have got good quarters
erected, we have a good house, good
roof, logs, floor and fireplace and all
fixed for winter but it is very doubt
ful whether we shall remain here or
not. We have been running round nearly
all the time since we have been here
and out into the country
about every other day scouting round.
You will see in the papers about the
Allatoona fight we should have been
in it but for a smash-up on the railroad
between Rome and Kingston A train of
cars that wascoming up to get our Brigade
smashed all to pieces and thrown in every
direction by the spreading of the track about
9 miles from Rome. Wearrived there
about 2 hours too late. The contest was
over, ending in a most bloody repulse
of a hole division of rebels by a force
not exceeding 2500 of our men; the Third
Brigade of our division which left Rome the
evening before us was in the battle and suffer
ed severely. It was well for the rebels that
our brigade that the accident happened,
or we would have come up in their rear
which to them would have been somewhat
unpleasant. The sight of the battleground
was shocking, worse than anything I ever saw before. It was not a greatbattle but
for the number of men engaged it was
as sharp as anything the present war
has seen. The ground was literally thick
with killed and wounded in many places,
so that a man could stepfrom one to another.
We got there at dark. It rained awfully &
the groaning of the wounded could be heard
all around us. I went to a springfor water
to make coffee and nearly tumbled many
times over the bodiesof men in the dark.
I took a stroll next morning as soon as
day and thesight was horrid. But enough
of this. I would like to get letters from home
if possible. We have had no pay yet and I
am out of paper and stamps, If you could send
me a little I would like it. There is some
reason for our not getting paid but I do
not know it. Probably theunsettled state
of things makes it dangerous for paymasters
to travel. You said you could send me
the Tribune if I wanted it. Well, Iwould
like to have it first rate. All the news we
get about Grantis from the papers, &
nearly all other news, and it would be a good
thing to while away the hours of camp life
if we are going to have any.Many of the
boys get papers sent. Reading matter of
any kind nearly isa comfort in the army. It appears as if Hood intended to open
another campaign, or they say Beauregard
is in command now. There has several times
expectations of his coming here. This place
is strongly fortified and he has not yetmade
us a visit. The report is that he is
away up to Blue mountains inAlabama.
But I think that he had better have
staid on the other side of the Chatta
hoochie. They havesucceeded by this
unexpected move tore up a long strip
of our railroad but they have not
accomplished their object in driving
Sherman back from Atlanta.
3 months now is fraught with very
exciting, momentousevents. Hurrah for
Lincoln is the unanimous cry of the
army as far as I have seen. A man
dare not open his mouth for McClellan.
I hope the endis not distant. Watchword
God Grant Victory I remain, your son Charles Berry Senior
Those flowers I got in Jonesboro in a garden and kept them ever since inmy testament.
Camp 7th, Iowa
Louisville, Ky.June 27th 65 (about two months after the surrender at Appomattox)
I will
write a few lines to let you
know I am well, and I
hope you may all be in the
enjoyment of good health. We
are still at the same camp
ground about 6 miles east of
Louisville. I don't know how
long we shall remain here but
I hope we shall soon be permitted
to go home. Six men of our
company are gone home on furlough.
The orders are to furlough 12 per
cent of the army. I see that some
of this army are to be mustered
out. I don't venture to say who
it may be, nor dont make any
calculations. disappointment
has already been deep enough
but still I hope that we might
be once lucky I hope that I
shall get home sometime this
summer. It is the general
impression that our regiment
stands a good chance as they
are one of the oldest veteran organ
izations, only one regiment from
Iowa being older, the 2nd
I had made calculations of
spending the 4th of July somewhere in Iowa but that
cannot be. They are making
quiet extensive preparations
at the Louisville fair grounds
for celebrating the 4th I
presume we will be nearer
Louisville than Iowa
I remember how we spent the
last 4th down on the Chattahoochie, exposed to shell and
bullets while we were throwing up
breastworks we made remarks, and wondered
where we would be next 4th. Well
things are much changed for
the better since then and I
can spend this 4th more pleas
antly probably than the last
yet I think the next 4th will
be better yet The weather
is very warm here but here
we have a good camp with
splendid beech shade trees
to lounge under on the grass, I
have not heard from you since
leaving Washington I have
wrote a number of letters
I suppose you were expecting
me home, but never stop writing
till I get there. There has
happened quiet a slip between
the cup and the lip.
We are camped near the
Woodlawn race courses, where
trotting matches are going on
I have not been since the running
races closed which was 2 weeks
ago, trotting only commenced
yesterday. I had the [unclear: luck]
of seeing the fastest horses
in America run, one Asteroid
that has never been beat, but
I must close, as I know of
nothing more at present
I ever remain
Charles B. Senior
Co. B 7th Iowa Inf.
SOURCES:
First Person Collection of the University of Virginia: Civil War Letter and Diary of Charles Berry Senior
|
Charles Berry SENIOR was born in England in 1845, and moved to the United States, near Rock Falls, Iowa, when he was
12-years-old. At the age of 19, he enlisted in Company B of the Seventh Iowa Infantry, at Plymouth, Iowa, in February of 1864.
Charles remained in service for a year and a half, participating in General SHERMAN'Ss four-month campaign against
Atlanta in the summer of 1864. As part of the Western Army, Charles fought in a total of twelve battles, including
engagements at Reseca, Lays Ferry, Rome Crossroads, Kenesaw Mountain, Dallas, Knick Jack Gap, one battle near Atlanta,
plus a five week siege of Atlanta, Jonesboro, Allatoona, Marietta, Savannah, Columbia and Bentonville.
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