Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1862-11-23
Fort Hamilton
Nov 23 1862
My Dear Wife:
When you left me at the depot I left for home immediately, but I didn't get there till the next day. When I came to the bridge, I found it turned and two canal boats sticking fast in the mud! They had been there since five o'clock and as it seemed likely they would remain there all night, I went back to Brooklyn and stayed all night, desiring to be "handy" to the C.M. next day. It turned out that the obstruction was removed and the cars made their trips through as usual, an hour or so, after I left. Emma tells me she didn't get home till nine o'clock. I looked thro' the car for her before I went back, but did not see her. I intended to advise her to go back to B. and stay all night and go on in the morning.
When I returned, I found everything as neat as a pin. Most, if not all the "improvements" I have no doubt were made before you left so that I need not describe them. Emma is as good as she can be and does everything she can to make me comfortable. She leaves me nothing to complain of, except the absence of my wife and bairns. -
When I got back I found Col. B. on a great old tight. I filled my pipe and went into have a quiet smoke with him, but he was so boozy, it was no use and I soon came away. He declared, over and over again that he would telegraph *Bobus*, but whether he has done so, I have not heard, as I have not spoken to him for two or three days. Since I sat down to write he has "paraded" past my windows two or three times with two or three dressing gowns & one coat caper on, as usual.
I have scarcely seen the people of the *?* since you left - I mean more particularly the *crinoline* community. Mrs. L. was uncommonly (verbally) polite to me, two or three times, - and that is all I have seen of them.
Capt. Arnold has been ordered to report with his battery to Gen Banks. The order came directly to Capt. A. and when he showed the telegram to Gen Brown, you may imagine *neh* what a fury if through his distinguished military cussedness. Coates says he grew pale, and his ould gray mustache, worked up and also down, his lips quivered & so on. You may suppose that I wasn't, so to speak particularly discomforted by this indignity put upon my commanding officer, on the contrary, quite the reverse, I rather enjoyed it. -
By the way, since you left I believe, but aren't sure, I met Miss *Anif* in the fort. I bowed to her but she "didn't see it". What a pity! -
Mary's box shall leave to-morrow. It has rained all the time since you left until yesterday. Consequently I have left in the morning without doing anything & reached home so late that I was not able to transact business. It shall leave to-morrow without fail. -
The Court meets here to-morrow & will probably sit here all week, we shall then have to spend at least a couple more weeks at Fort. C. My fees in that case will come to about $70. - A very soothing consolation. Don't I wish I had 'em! - It's no use, I suppose, to ask you to tell all about your trip, because you will do that anyhow. -
Will you ask John Howard if he has done anything about my life insurance If not; see if I have money enough with Mother & him to pay the balance of the ** that remains owed & write to me immediately. The letter from *Raesled* was upon that subject & it seems he hasn't received my letter. I wrote to your Uncle John some time ago. If it is any inconvenience to J.H. to advance the $50. Tell him he *mustn't* do it & write to me & I'll forward a check by return mail to K. Ask J.H. if he has got the costs in Fowle vs. Sutton Case.
Give my love to all friends & kiss the bairns twenty times a day for me.
Ever thine dearest, L.B.B.
# I send a newspaper article to you because you won't see the Post. It appears to me a thousand times more than to you, but I thought it might do even you some good. #
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November 23, 1862
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.6.172
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/172
