Letter from Augusta Bruen, Dayton, OH to Luther Bruen, 1863-10-11
Dayton O. October 11th. 1863
Dear Husband,
My sheet is too large perhaps, but I was afraid Baby would be aroused if I tried to get a smaller one.
Your letter containing the picture, came last Friday. I felt like sitting down immediately to tell you how glad I (indeed all were) was to get it; rather rougher looking it is, than we often see you, but life-like and, Howard says soldier-like. Lib says it resembles all your pictures taken since you went away, but they do not look as you used to when at home.
Afternoon - A long pause you see, from about-eleven to half past four. - some few marks on this page too, of which I am not guilty; but suspect that Robby is.
have had a good walk, (out to Jere's), this fine Autumn day; the first I have had since our walks by the Bay at Fort Hamilton. Howard and Mary were going to take Henrietta home after church, and as Mother offered to keep Baby, I was only too glad to go with them.
Sella and Frank went with us, but poor little Rob was sick with a cold; just such as Sella has had, and we promised to bring him some grapes if he would stay quietly with Grandma and sister Mary.
Just after my return Patia Brady came in; she says her Mother is just the same, and that she received a letter from you Friday morning. - I took your picture for her to see; she had a candle brought to her bedside, took a good look and was much pleased with it. She was then looking better and was quite cheerful; her medicine was acting as was intended, and she said she had some hopes.
I have two newspapers in my drawer that I wish to send you by tomorrow's mail. One contains Col. Strong's obituary Harriet came home yesterday, and must bury her Husband tomorrow! It makes me bitter against traitors north and south, when I see such happy households as was theirs, desolated by this sad, sad War!
Election day is very near, may Union men give those traitors a heavy blow at the polls. - I never knew such anxiety as now, about election results.
The other paper has an account of the Union demonstration on Friday. The day was exceedingly fine, and the procession the finest I have seen for many a day. I did not expect to see it at all; for Mother felt obliged to stay with Lib that day and I thought Betty out to see, so I let her take the three children to Uncle John's office. Mary wanted to help me up town with the Baby but I had no wish to take little ones into such a crowd. Father and Howard went to the meeting, so Baby and I were entirely alone. - After she was dressed I took her to the gate and seeing some wagons and carriages down the street, I walked on till I came to Mr Phillips', went in and saw the family besides Egbert Schenck & wife.
Pretty soon the town delegation came from Wilkinson through First and turned down Ludlow ;here the county delegations met it, coming from Main. I looked some time till I supposed all had passed and started for home, pretty nearly there when I found more were coming, so I turned back and stood with Mr Odlien at his gate. He has been quite ill, and was just getting out a little, several times he went into the house and was on the point of laying aside his coat when more noise would call him out; finally he said "I wish they would stop coming!" - Father counted over six hundred vehicles, and thinks there were fully eight hundred. It was a tremendous success.
The next day (Saturday) the Butternuts had their turnout and it seemed quite large; but father counted only 276 vehicles; which he says were all that were in town others may have come in afterwards; but you see it fell far short of ours. - You know that party has never been in the habit of keeping open house; but now Mrs. Val. throws open her house to all. I have heard of several Irish servant girls boasting of having been in "Mrs. Vallandigham's parlor." One said she was there Friday night, and was introduced to one of the speakers! Mrs. Val's aristocratic nerves must suffer!
Mother and Betty wouldn't look at the 'Coppernuts', and turned up their noses at the rest of us for looking out our gate. The poor children really suffered because Grandfather and I would not allow them to shout for Brough. I told them that their Brough badges were enough. - The children all over the town, however hurrahed for Brough, and by evening grown people were at it too, and Howard says the voices for Brough were in the ascendant. There were reports of quarrels among even the women over in Oregon, but I don't know how true they were. #No trunk yet.# Some weeks ago, a butternut woman near Uncle *C's* said that no Union women should walk by her house, and undertook to enforce her word, but got pretty well beaten. It is bad enough to see men fight, but looks like dreadful times when the women also try it.
Robby asked yesterday whether the horses in the procession were "butternuts. Fielding *Lavry* has come home to vote, going back to Pittsburg immediately after election. I did wish you could be here too, but am almost glad you will not be, as I fear there will be trouble. To change the subject entirely, I must tell you how angry Robby got at Mr. Miller. He took your photograph to show Mary how to color it. Now it's the practice (a secret) to lick the pictures before layering in the colors. This he did several times; whereat Rob shook his head and muttered to himself, Mary asked him what he said, when out he came with "he shouldn't lick my Papa".
Howard received your letter last night and I suppose will answer it as soon as he can. He and Mary go to Columbus on Wednesday for a day or two. They are at church now, listening to Mr Lyman I suppose, who preached a good sermon this morning H. says.
I am really glad dear Husband to see you entering into your duties so heartily, both on account of the good of the country and your own happiness. We should enter heart and soul into the performance of any known duty; and I hope you will miss home comforts less, while thus engaged. Nevertheless, you will not be astonished if I say, nay rather marvel if I do not say "come out of the military life when the war is ended", if indeed God spares us to each other. You are seldom out of my thoughts dearest; always #anxious for you, yet not hopeless, nor always unhappy; I think sometimes that this Baby has kept me from giving way to sadness, for more than I might have done, I do not wish to be answerable for such another sickly baby as was poor Frank. Then if you return well, you will be happier with a healthy wife; or if ill befall you, a healthy nurse will be far better than a feeble one.
Keeping these things in view I am able to keep up the greater part of the time, but occasionally get over fatigued and am then apt to be sad enough. Your letters are dearly prized comforts. Give them to me as often as possible.
See how a woman will cover every inch, with her gift of "gab." pity isn't it? Never mind, I think I am you poring over it, sitting there in sight of many tents, with that great high crowned hat on your head. Yes sir, every word of it you'll read and wish for more too.
A loving good bye from your saucy little woman,
Augusta#
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October 11, 1863
Bruen, Augusta Forrer
Dayton, OH
4 pages
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Bruen, Augusta Forrer -- Correspondence
Catharine Mitchill '31 Collection of Family Letters, Wellesley College Library, Special Collections
MSS.6.87
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/129
