Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1861-07-10
Ft Hamilton July 10th
Wednesday evening
I received yours of the 7th this evening, my dear wife, and was rejoiced to find ourselves so near each other again. To make us a little bit nearer, I will just let you know that do you do not gain anything by putting your letter in the office in the evening. The mail leaves at eleven o'clock in the morning, so that if you put your letter in by half past nine, you can give me the latest news, and I will get it just as soon.
I don't intend to finish this letter tonight, because I am going across to the city tomorrow, and expect to buy some furniture for our rooms, if I can get any bargains, and also for our mess. That is I shall buy if if there is any prospect of remaining here as long as I suppose I shall.
I was in N.Y. yesterday_ went with Capt Gilman & wife to Church's study but could not get in. Whittrege, Beard & all the other artists were away & we did not get to see anything.
Afterwards I went into a picture store where I saw an engraving of Church's last piece. Perhaps I can give you the design *schetch of a flag with Blue written in upper left of flag*
There is a dead tree which an** for the flag staff, a patch of blue sky (marked blue) an** for the field & streaks of white & red clouds make out the picture. The *cencoit* is pretty & the picture no doubt, a gem, but the prints look rather cheap & daudy.
Capt. G & *J* went to see Derby's gallery and *speak* a very pleasant home there while Mr G was at the dentist.
There are a good many officers here and I find that as Commanding officer of the port I am expected to be hospitable. And as hospitality generally means having something to drink, I wish you would ask John Howard to buy a couple of two gallon demi-johns, which you can have filled one with whiskey & the other with rum, put in a box and sent on by express, packed so strongly as to be in no danger of breaking.
The officers in the camp adjoining the fort will probably leave soon, but as a good deal is expected of an officer in my position I should like to be in a condition to maintain it's dignity.
I am very glad that I have made a good impression on my fellow officers of the army. I learn that they speak very highly of me, principally on account of my not putting on any airs. In fact, I have gone about here pretty much as if I had been born a major, and as they expected to see me ignorant fellow full of conceit and insufferably offensive, they are very well pleased with me. I am very glad of this for it would have been very unpleasant to live on bad terms with your neighbors.
I believe, I told you in a letter I wrote on Sunday how well I am pleased with the officers of our regiment. They are all gentlemanly & agreeable & bid fair to make good officers. I think our regiment will be a first rate one when we get it *reired*. We intend that it shall not be behind any of them._ I want you to get ready to come on as soon as you can; buy what dresses you think you will need and come on. _ I wrote an order to H & G to honor your drafts but forgto to put it in my letter.
I will try not to forget to put one in this. _ Your account of the children interested me very much, _ I hope they will keep well. _ Don't fail to keep Sella at her lessons, and Frank ought to begin to learn something. Robby will hardly be docile enough to learn; but he must unlearn his foiled habit of swearing immediately.
I was sorry to learn that your Aund Lib was getting along so poorly. She is quite old however and could not be expected to escape serious illness much longer.
You can go on and read as many of my letters as you please. There is nothign there any worse than what you have already found.
As I have written so much tonight, I will take this to the city with me tomorrow & mail it. The mail arrives at 2 1/2 P.M., so you ought to get this about Saturday afternoon at farthest.
Love & kisses to all from Husband
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July 10, 1861
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Fort Hamilton, NY
5 pages
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Bruen, Luther Barnett -- Correspondence
Catharine Mitchill '31 Collection of Family Letters, Wellesley College Library, Special Collections
MSS.6.156
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/156
