Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1861-07-24
Ft Hamilton July 24th 1861
My dear Augusta:
I saw Sam Craighead today. He spent several days in Washington & has got the run of things pretty well. He tells me that our regiment will be raised, but that all the nominations will not be confirmed. Sherman & Wade he says will vote for me; if they do, I will be confirmed; if they don't I wont. In this state of uncertainty, my majority will remain until the Senate has passed upon it. I want you to go on & get everything in readiness for a move & leave home as soon after you hear the result, as possible; that is, of course, if the result should prove favorable. The late affair at Bull's Run may destroy my chances, which now seem good & send me home a plain civilian with an unprofitable investment in military traps. So far I have bought nothing which I could avoid, that is in the military live, no shall I buy any thing more, if I can help it. For, if I fail I shall be a good deal out of pocket any way.
Sam C. is getting his portrait painted by Mr. Fisher. I saw the commencement this morning & think he will get a good picture. Charley Soula is here, but the artists do not estimate him very highly. I have not seen him & hope I shall not, unless he is sober.
Didn't the news of the retreat from Bull's Run make you sick? I have not felt so badly for a long time. When the news was worst Maj. Smith said he felt "heart-broken" & I suppose the word expresses my feelings too. _ Schenck appears destined to suffer further mortification. First his men almost mutinied rather than go into battle with him and after they did go in they cursed him more bitterly than ever. He was courageous enough, in fact rather reckless, but he was continually going to a *knot* of Congressmen and newspaper reporters, consulting with them & acting upon their advice. A good deal of their censure of Schenck, however, grows out of their desire to screen themselves.
I hoped to receive a letter last night, and as I was disappointed then, I hope I shall not be today. I have my mind fixed much more strongly on receiving one. You do not know how much pleasure your letters give me. Although I cannot in reason ask you to write any more than you do, I am sorry my dearest one, that I cannot hear from you every day. Soon I hope we shall be together again not to be separated for several months at least.
I stopped writing to read your dear good letter of the 21st. I feel better all over since reading it, the pleasure being allowed only by the recollection that it must be two or three, days before I can hear from you again. You will receive a letter from me before you get this, which will mollify you to some [acteuh] and induce you to answer that one this comes to hand. I hope this will furnish you some Sunday reading_ we have no mail on that day, so if we miss on Saturday we must wait till Monday for our letters. This is provoking; you have a chance of getting one and I generally try to send one that will reach you about Sunday as well as write one to start on its affectionate errand the next day.
I should have written you a longer letter than this, if I had not been interrupted by a fair which has been held in the fort yesterday and today. It was a poor thing but as I was in the City last night I had to report myself tonight & fool away some of my money. they didn't get much out of me, tho.
Col. Burke has come here and cut all the officers of our Regiment out of the Command. He comes to take charge of certain state prisoners who are to be sent here. Two have already arrived and I believe are an attempt will be made to release them on habeas corpus. So we are likely to have an excitement. Tell the children that papa is very sorry to hear that they are not as good as they ought to be. _ You see I have answered yr questions._ Kisses & good bye
thine only Luther
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July 24, 1861
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Fort Hamilton, NY
4 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.6.160
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/160
