The Battlefield Trance

Today's entry is a letter from Charles N. Tenney to Adelaide E Case and comes from the University of Virginia library ( Manuscript letter from the Corinne Carr Nettleton Civil War Collection).  Tenney was from the 7th Ohio Regiment. 
 
A battlefield is a place all it's own, to which Tenney attests in this excerpt.

I had no idea of the feelings produced by being engaged in a battle until the fight at Cross Lanes. These feelings were indescribable. I had no thoughts of dodging the balls nor did I think of getting killed.  All I did was to take one thought of friends (including you, my dear Addie) then watch for an opportunity to send some [unclear:"Secesh"] to "Kingdom Come" but although we saw them on our front, right, and left, I thought I would reserve my fire till I was sure of my man, or at least till the order was given to fire so lost a chance to discharge my piece. . .

Unidentified soldier in Union uniform and Ohio Volunteer Militia belt buckle
with bayoneted musket, from the Library of Congress Collection