Charles H Mason lived in Anoka at the time the war broke out. He was 25 years old when he was mustered into Company D. Over time, he was promoted to corporal and then sergeant. He was then discharged to receive a commission as Company D's 2nd lieutenant. He was transferred to Company C on Sept 27, 1862, as its 1st lieutenant. Charles applied for a leave of absence on Feb 13, 1863, to buy the appropriate "uniform of an officer", as he stated in his request. The above picture was probably taken at that time in New York City. Just five months later, Charles was wounded three times at the battle of Gettysburg. One wound was in his hand. He was sent to the hospital in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The following parts of a letter were written by a nurse, Marian Verbeke, who met him while he was in the hospital. It was addressed to DeWitt Smith (the captain of Company D) and his family. DeWitt had been seriously wounded in the hip at Antietam. He was sent to a hospital in Harrisburg, where his wife, Melissa, and son, Eugene, came from Minnesota to nurse him back to good health. It seems safe to say that she became acquainted with the Clinton family when they were in Harrisburg. My dear friend, I went to Chestnut Street last Saturday and found a Lieut there very ill and asked him what Regt. he belonged to, he replied the 1st Minnesota. I then spoke of Capt Smith, he said he was Capt of the same Company. Yesterday he sent me word he would like to see me. When I went down he asked me to write you. His name is Charles A. Mason. He is wounded in the left hand the thumb is off and the hand very much shattered. It commenced festering some days ago and he asked to have it lanced. Dr. Dick refused so to do. He made the request several times and still was refused. Finally he asked to see Dr Wilson our Surgeon General. When he came he expressed surprise that it had not been opened. He immediately lanced it in several places, now it seems to be better and he thinks he will recover speedily. He has rheumatism also. Yesterday he was better than two days before. He said he was a Corporal while you was with the Company and he was under the impression that you thought that he thought that you promoted others when you might have promoted him. He says such was not the case and asked me to tell you so. He sends his love to yourself and family and asked me to tell you to write to him soon. When you write direct to Chestnut Street Hospital or in my care and he will receive it. I think the Lieut is a good deal worse than he thinks he is but he told me he did not want me to say that he would die for he would not... I am very busy all of the time in one of the hospitals. We have twenty five men in my ward who are badly wounded and I have them all under my care at present. One man died. He was the first and only man who died since our hospital opened and he was in a dying condition when he was brought in. He lived but a very few hours after he came. [Eugene] please tell your father to write to Lieut Mason as soon as he can for I know he will be expecting a letter every day until he gets one. I will close with love to all. Your true friend, Marian Verbeke This letter was written on July 28, 1863. Charles died on August 18th, six weeks after being wounded at Gettysburg and just 3 weeks after the letter was written. We do not know if he ever received a letter from his captain before he died, but would like to believe that he did. Sources: Letter from Marian Verbeke to the DeWitt Clinton family, From Harrisburg, PA, July 28, 1863. History of Minnesota, Edward Neill, 1878, p 744. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
