Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1861-08-14
Fort Hamilton
August 14th 1861
I was delighted to receive and read your excellent letter of Sunday. It is the best one you have sent me, my darling, since I have been away. I hope you have got mine informing you of my contemplated change of programme. If you have not now, as I write, you certainly will have tomorrow, unless you turn your face the other ward today, which I do not think you contemplate doing. You say you think of starting on Wednesday or Thursday of next week; this, I fancy was not meant for today or tomorrow. If you should leave before my letter reached Dayton, I should welcome you as you wd wish to be, of course; but I guess that won't happen as you evidently expected to receive a letter from me, before starting, in reply to yours, and you're getting it without delay
I received a letter from Gen. Shouler this evening, accompanied by the genealogy of the Bruen family and all the history it has, I suppose. It is quite long & very interesting to me. Most of it, however, is devoted to the Life of John Bruen which we already have. The General thinks he will come this way next month & proposes to give me a call. He sends his regards to you & Mr Forrer.
I shall go over to Newark tomorrow with my life insurance policy, to make some arrangement with the officers, in reference to my going into service; if I can accomplish any thing satisfactory, I shall feel less anxiety about the future.
Our legal troubles are about ended, in my opinion. The sheriff came down this morning to serve a writ of attachment on the Col (Burke) but we wouldn't let him in. He then wanted to go over Fort LaFayette to get the prisoners but Major Clitz ordered up a file of soldiers and told him he shouldn't go there. Where upon the Sheriff shook hands with him & departed to make his return. In the mean time we have placed ourselves on a war footing and are ready for a *boush* with the Sheriff and his posse comitatus. They will never come tho! We received five companies of a Lower Island regiment tonight as an addition to our garrison. They are of no manner of use, but they will do as well as veterans to make a show with.
We are all saddened by the gallant death of Gen Lyon. I hoped that we should have him to fight for us until Secession is was thoroughly wiped out of Missouri. It will be done speedily, I believe, but other hands will gather the laurels.
I rec'd a letter from Staff Young today. He had scratched Hook's name off of the card on its back, from which I infer they have dissolved. Is it so?
It appears from the papers that the people are cleaning out the secession *souroals* in the North. When will the Empire's time come?
Poor Priscilla will have a hard time if you and Eliza both leave her. I don't think it likely that E. will leave very soon, not at any rate while the rebel army is at *Manaster*. When it has been dispersed or driven out of Virginia Robert may begin to feel like taking his family to Washington, not before; Priscilla may rest assured of that. I hope I shall see them all again soon and in improving health.
How did Jere get along with the Schenck girls? Had a pleasant time I spose, of course, naturally would.
Now that it seems we are soon to see each other, I am more anxious than ever to meet you. I hope I shall hear by Saturday at farthest, so I can leave on Monday if at all. Love to all.
Faithfully thine, Luther
Please fill out
this form to alert us to any suspected errors in our transcriptions. We value your input.
August 14, 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.6.169
This image is provided for educational purposes only, and may be protected by copyright. The permission of the copyright holder is required for the reuse of this image.
http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/169
