Letter from Augusta Bruen, Dayton, OH to Luther Bruen, 1864-05-12
May 12th 1864 never received Dayton O. May 12th 1864 Dear Luther Robert and Eliza have been here this evening, and although they could bring me no tidings of you, I yet feel cheered up by their visit. Robert has telegraphed to Mr More, his nephew, in Washington, to find out whether Luther and Mr Walton have gone to the front - and whether nothing has been heard from you. Such terrific fighting I never heard of, and the 5th Corps seems to be in every encounter. *Ayres'* Regulars too are frequently mentioned. Oh! it is terrible to know that you are in the midst of such horrors, day after day it still goes on yet nothing is known of you; do not even know whether you escaped the first day. If Luther Brady has done as he promised it seems as if he ought to hear something by this time, yet the communications must be much interrupted, and as the army is advancing instead of retreating as formerly, that may account for the difference in time in which we used to get the particulars. - I hope and will hope till certain news shall decide the matter for me. We get up in the morning and first read the Journal, there is the office for letters from either you or Howard; Then get the Cincinnati papers; - Extra at noon and again at four - Post Office at 6 o'clock, and wait till ten or eleven for Uncle John to come in with the latest dispatches. This is the excitement in which we have lived for the past week. - This is Mary, and besides it is near 12 o'clock. - Good night Dearest. Morning - We had one of the members of the Board of Public Works with us last night, he lost his left hand at Harper's Ferry just before the Battle at Antietam. Our boys and girls are well; little Mary is on the floor by me as I write, she is a great mimic, at this early age, and makes us laugh in spite of our troubles; Mother said the other day that if was not for Baby, there would be no sunshine in the house. Yesterday and the day before I drove out with Mother and the children, Fern having lent us 'blind Charley', and taken 'John" who has been kept up too long to be quite safe for women of little practice to drive. - It is better for us all to be in the open air as much as possible; anxiety about you and Howard is too much for us in the house. - Mrs. *Fenner* came in last evening to say that she had had a letter from her Husband dated May 6th. when the regiment was at Chattanooga, which is our latest news from Howard. From you my last was dated the 3rd. A precious letter, distressing as it was to me, if you should fall, it would be doubly precious as being your last dear words! So many brave officers have fallen, and you seem to be in the thickest of the fight. That my fears are great, almost too great to bear at times. if this had come upon me in the beginning of the War, I don't believe I could have lived through it, but I have learned by sad experience to endure more than I once thought possible. God grant that you may pass through the whole of these wonderful battles! A whole week of fighting! You are having your full share, if you did go to the field late. Mary sends love; and love unutterable, deep and abiding from your wife, Augusta
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May 12, 1864
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.6.122
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/120
