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Lost to Battle, but Not to the Ages
LIEUTENANT CHARLES E. DENOON
Confederate States Army, 1861-1864
Lineage
- James J. Denoon (b. ca. 1775) & Elizabeth Forsyth (1784-1860)
of Richmond, VA
- James Johnson "John" Denoon (b. 1795) & Mary A. Taylor (ca. 1804-1860)
of Powhatan Co., VA
- John Jefferson Denoon (1820-1897)
- Caroline E. Denoon (b. 1822)
- Darwin Denoon (b. 1826)
- Jane S. Denoon (b. 1828)
- Martha Denoon (b. 1830)
- Charles E. Denoon (b. 1832-1864)
*
- Mary D. Denoon (b. 1834?)
- James J. Denoon (b. 1838)
* Editor's note: The U.S. Census of 1850 records 8
individuals in the household of James J. Denoon, age 56, of Powhatan
County, Virginia (Page 4, Line 35, Dwelling No. 35, Family No. 35). These are
the head of household himself, whose occupation is listed as "painter";
wife Mary A., also age 56, is there, along with son John J., 30 (painter);
daughter Darwin, 24; daughter Jane S., 22; daughter Martha, 20;
son Charles E., 18 (painter); and daughter Mary D., 16. It is this
information which was used to compose the Lineage, above. This places in doubt
the age of Lt. C. E. Denoon reported by Mr. Couture in his annotations and observations
about the soldier's letters home during his military service from 1861 to 1864.
That this is so does not diminish at all the appreciable reverence and devotion
shown this brave young man's memory by his family and neighbors at that time
and since.
Immediately below is the text of the introduction (with footnotes) to a collection
of the letters home by . The collection of letters was edited by Mr. Richard T. Couture.
(See Bibliography, below the Sketch of Charlie
Denoon's life by Ray Ryan.
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INTRODUCTION
No one can edit a body of letters without a clear picture emerging. In the
case of the Civil War letters of Charles E. Denoon, a picture of a life unfolds
in special terms.
Charlie Denoon was born in 1840 on the family farm in Powhatan County,
Virginia, the son of James and Mary Denoon (1). He had
two brothers: the younger of them, James, named for his father, and the elder,
John Jefferson, often favored in the letters with the adjective "poor," perhaps
because he had eleven children (2). There were four sisters,
Martha, Mary, Jane and Caroline. Martha was married by 1862 to Jerman (or German)
Stratton of Powhatan, who was often mentioned in the letters. Sister Jane
married James Marsh and moved to Richmond. Mary married George Lane and Caroline
married Dr. William Seay and lived at Cartersville.
Charlie was born into a family that farmed and he knew a lot about farming,
or at least about the prices that crops commanded on the market. The Virginia
of his day was in an agricultural decline. The old tobacco aristocracy was
almost gone and despite attempts at agricultural revival the land was worn
out. Few Virginia farmers attempted rotation of crops. A neighbor of the
Denoons', Philip St. George Cocke, made money at farming and was a great
agricultural revivalist, as was his father, John Hartwell Cocke of Bremo
in Fluvanna County, but their exampled did not have much impact on their
neighbors. Charlie was raised in an atmosphere of genteel poverty, in a family of
several children and a few slaves. There was no great mansion belonging to the
Denoon family, but there were many Denoon homesteads. The home that
Charlie loved and fought for was hardly better than average, with worn and
familiar pieces of country furniture.
Just where Charlie got his education is unknown. His family could not afford
a tutor to educate the children, but they received an education nonetheless.
Father James Denoon could write a good letter. Mother Mary Denoon was not able
to write, but Charlie was always eager to hear from her. His letters were
most often addressed to Father and Mother, but mostly consisted of telling Father
what was going on and sending messages to Mother. Since Sister Martha and both brothers
could write a good letter, it may be assumed that reading and writing were
important to the Denoon family. Charlie may have attended one of those
regional schools in Powhatan that came into existence sometime around 1843
(3). perhaps Charlie was educated with the Cocke family children
at nearby Belmead. There may be no classical allusions or literary references
in his letters, but Charlie received a good education for the time and was a
decent speller. Sometimes he wrote phonetically, but most of the time his spelling
reflected a good schooling.
As Charlie grew, Virginia changed. By the time he was nine [sic] years old, Virginia
had a new 1851 Constitution and was finally coming into the reform movement of
Andrew Jackson. Charlie could have been little impressed with that, but in
the last decade before the coming of the war, Virginia was emerging from the
economic depression of the 1840's. The value of farm products was on the rise.
The Denoon family grew wheat, a staple crop in Powhatan. Charlie knew about wheat
and honey and apples.
By the beginning of the war, Charlie was a young "buck" in the County who
enjoyed hunting, fishing and racing his horse and who had many friends. The early
letters and rolls of the 102nd Powhatan Regiment show Charlie's efforts to
form his own company. He emerged, in any case, as a leader of the local boys,
nor was he shy about this popularity. In the early letters he seemed to want
authority and had a great amount of ambition.
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Maybe one of the reasons Charlie was so popular was that he was so good looking.
His picture, taken in uniform like so many of the boys who went off to war, was
of a handsome man with a small moustache and clear, piercing eyes. He must
have been one of the best looking boys in the County. How many girlfriends
Charlie had is unknown. There was at least one. He wrote about his "old
sweetheart" to his parents, asking them to write to him about her and to ask
her to write to him, but there was very little more on that score. One
wonders about Charlie's trips to Richmond, to which he alluded without giving
details. He only hinted about parties and good times. But then, he was writing
to his parents. Had there been no war, Charlie might well have settled down in
Powhatan County, married one of the local girls, perhaps even "old
sweetheart," and sired a "passel" of children like brother John Jefferson. He
always wanted to be remembered by his nieces and nephews and constantly asked his
family to kiss the little ones for him. |
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Charlie was kind without maudlin sentimentality. He always signed himself
with "devoted" or "affectionate" to his parents, and we can believe that he
meant it sincerely. He felt the same affection for the slave and Black population
with whom he came in contact, and more than once asked his father to shake
the hand of some elderly Black. He had a respect for his parents and for other
people of the older generation. He spoke respectfully of Mr. lane and of General
Charles Scott of Powhatan, who wrote him a good letter of recommendation.
On this latter score there was an interesting sideplay. Ben Nash, a fellow
soldier whom Charlie did not consider a close friend, made a disparaging
remark about the Scott letter of recommendation. Nash, who had become a
politician, said that old General Scott would recommend anyone, if asked.
That kept Charlie from getting a post in the volunteer army that he wanted.
Then Nash appeared in the regiment with Charlie, after an absence from the
Army serving as a state senator, and seemed not to know that Charlie did not
care for him. Charlie often mentioned Nash's attachment for him, commenting
in one letter that the two shared a tent, which much galled Charlie. As time
wore on and Charlie no longer yearned for higher rank, he seemed to forget
Ben's faux pas and Nash became Charlie's almost constant companion. It
was Nash who wrote to James Denoon the letter of regret and remembrance after
Charlie's death.
In the last years of his life, Charlie changed. In the letters of 1863 and 1864,
he craved news from home and was irritated when no one wrote to him. He could
not judge the outcome of a battle or engagement in which he had fought and
so asked that his brother-in-law, Jerman Stratton, write all the news to him
from the Richmond papers. When Charlie did get a paper to read, he read it
avidly and reminded the family that the details of any battle were better covered
in the dailies. By 1863 he no longer wanted to be a high-ranking officer and
was happy to be a lieutenant. When he did have to do the job of the man with
the rank next above him, he was irritated by the paperwork. By 1864, all
Charlie wanted was to go home.
In the last year, he was harder, less sentimental, more serious. Before
Petersburg there were many desertions from the 41st. Charlie made no comment
on the deserters, but did his own duty, hoping the war would be over soon.
The days of eating watermelon on Jermon Stratton's back porch were gone and
Charlie seemed to know it.
Charlie Denoon died at the Battle of the Crater on Saturday morning, July
30, 1864. He was 23 years old [sic]. He died a hero's death, but then
everyone died a hero's death.
So why write about Charlie? The South was filled with diaries and batches of letters
from soldiers about their positions and conditions, their sox and tents,
their food and friends. Charlie could b no different from the others.
But perhaps there was something different. Charlie was honest and forthright
in his letters. He told us what was going on with the soldiers and the
officers and how life was in the Confederate Army for a junior officer.
He helps us understand the war experiences of an ordinary young man from
Virginia.
Charlie's letters also serve to illuminate some of the practical aspects of
a soldier's life and death. We learn about the volunteer regiments and
about the regular army, and about the substitute system. Letters included
here from his friends and family discuss shipping Charlie's body home to
Powhatan after his death in Petersburg.
When I first read the letters, I was saddened by the blunt announcement of
Charlie's death, but not only for the Denoon family. I felt a distinctly
personal loss. That makes Uncle Sam Denoon's overly religious letters with
their gaudy sentiment seem even more ridiculous than they are. Uncle Sam does
not need to remind me of the value of Charlie's life or to dwell on how sad and
short life can be. I have read Charlie's letters, and as well as Uncle Sam,
I know Charlie Denoon.
NOTES
(1) James Denoon married Mary Taylor, daughter of John
Taylor, on August 21, 1817. Their seven children were:
- John Jefferson, born August 7, 1820. Married Judith Frances England on
May 18, 1853. He died August 5, 1897. She died December 11, 1874. . .
- Caroline, birthdate unknown, married Dr. William Seay on January 28,
1841.
- James, birthdate unknown.
- Martha, birthdate unknown, married Jerman Stratton. One child died in
1854 at age 2 months; the second died in 1856 at age 5 months. There were
more children later, to whom Charlie refers in his letters.
- Jane married James L. Marsh on March 24, 1850.
- Mary, born 1834, married George Lane on January 28, 1858.
- Charles Edward, born 1840, died July 30, 1864. There is disagreement
about whether Charlie's middle name is Edward or Edwin. In the letter of
November 16, 1863, Charlie signs himself "C. Edward," but the nephew who is
supposed to have been named after him, the son of John Jefferson Denoon, is
Charles Edwin.
(2) Brother John married Judith Francis England on May 18,
1853. Judity, whom Charlie calls both Fannie and Judy, was born September 14,
1833. At the time of [Charlie's service], the John Jefferson Denoons have four
children: Esten S., born April 1, 1854; Luther Cary, born January 18, 1857;
Sarah Elizabeth, born march 25, 1859; and John, born September 4, 1861. The
next child, named for Charlie, was Charles Edwin, born September 11, 1865;
Edith S. was born November 29, 1867; Mary Eliza was born April 8, 1870,
and finally Dicey Demetra was born October 18, 1872. The other three children,
whose names are not known, must have died in infancy.
(3) See Couture, Powhatan: A Bicentennial History
(Richmond, 1980).
Back to top.
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The following sketch of Lieut. Charles E. DeNoon was written by Raymond W. Ryan, Jr., and was delivered by Stephen A. Mann at the "Charter Signing Ceremony" of the Skipwith Dance DeNoon Chapter, Military Order of the Stars and Bars, held on 17 February 2001 at the County Seat Restaurant, Powhatan, Virginia.
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LIEUTENANT CHARLES E. DeNOON
There is some disagreement as to whether Charles DeNoon's middle name was Edward or Edwin. But, today, we will speak of him as simply "Charlie", a young man who had his life taken at a very tender age. One very excellent publication used in composing this sketch is titled "Charlie's Letters." It includes letters exchanged between Charlie and his family as well as other correspondence concerning him and his movements within the Theater of Operations during the [War Between the States].
Charlie was born 1840 in Powhatan County, Va., the son of a farming family. His military service began in 1861 when, as a Captain, he formed a militia unit within Powhatan County, probably Company C. As the numbers within the militia unit increased, the additional responsibility resulted in Charlie gaining the rank, in early 1862, of Lieutenant Colonel and Commander, 102nd Regiment (militia).
In March of 1862, Charlie received a letter of reference from Gen. W. C. Scott, also of Powhatan County. This was a document that would, hopefully, assist him in gaining a more favorable position as an officer with the Regular Army. Archival records show that Charlie enlisted on 15 March 1862 at Norfolk, Va. with the rank of Private. The official records (Box 382, ext. 0015, Record 00001964) show his induction was as a Sergeant and his discharge as a Lieutenant.
In May 1862, Charlie was elected to the Regular Army as a Junior 2nd Lieutenant in the South Quay Guards, 41st Regiment. Of 108 votes cast, he received over 90% of them which attested to his popularity and overall acceptance among his peers. He was at Sewell's Point (opposite Old Point Comfort, Va.) during that time.
On 1 June 1862, Charlie was taken prisoner at Seven Pines, Va. and held at Fort Delaware until 8 September 1862, when a prisoner exchange took place at Aiken's Landing, with Charlie being exchanged for 2nd Lieutenant Fred Mosebach of the 7thNew York Volunteers. By 30 September 1862, Charlie was on his way to Winchester, Va. and wrote his brother that his unit was named the "41st Regt. Va. Vols."
From battles at Winchester to Culpeper and on to the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville, Charlie marched and fought. In May 1863, Lieut. Charles E. DeNoon is in command of Co. G, 41st Regiment and, on 27 June 1863, he arrives in Chambersburg, Pa. But, by 13 July 1863, Charlie is back in Virginia, near Martinsburg, Va. On 17 July 1863, Charlie wrote his sister, Martha, while at a Camp near Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, Va. After some time in the Rapidan River area, Charlie's unit moved, in 1864, from the "Wilderness" to "Petersburg", unfortunately, to his demise.
Lieutenant Charles E. DeNoon was killed on Saturday, 30 July 1864, during the battles that were staged to push back the Union Army that broke out of the Crater at Petersburg, Va. He was buried close by and, later, his body was disinterred, placed in a "metal-lined" coffin, and transported to Powhatan, Va. by James River packet boat. Charlie's final resting place was in his native Powhatan County, Va.
Epilogue
In closing, I would like for each of you to keep one thing in mind concerning the name of our Chapter — Skipwith Dance DeNoon No. 260. There were no descendents of those three officers. In respect to them, WE, the compatriots of the Skipwith Dance DeNoon Chapter, Military Order of the Stars & Bars, have named our chapter in their honor. They will most certainly be remembered!
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Sketch Bibliography
Couture, Richard T., ed. Charlie's Letters — The Civil War Correspondence of Charles E. Denoon, 2nd edition (Collingswood, NJ: C. W. Historicals, 1989).
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