Letter from Luther Bruen, [Fort Hamilton, NY] to Augusta Bruen, 1862-12-15
Sunday Dec 15th
/62
My dear wife:
I dont think you can complain of my not writing often enough; but I believe you will gladly take the trouble to read & I do to write them. So here goes for another! The other day Mrs G. sent a beef-steak, enclosed in a note, I believe to Col B. and asked him to send to Dr *Owens* in the *Inf*. He wrote back that he would cheerfully forward him every thing she sent from a beef steak to a bullock. However he consented afterwards to modify the expression so as to make it not quite so rough. This little incident led to my finding out the cause of the *suffering* between them. She was in the habit of coming to the fort with her daughters, & leaving them *onboard*, to spend an hour or so with him. The old fellow's vanity, probably, made him misconstrue there delicate little attention; so happening to call upon him one day, when he was pretty tight, he took some little liberties which offended her *propriety* and she has never been back since. I hear he also tried the same game on a *Mrs. Connors* which she at once departed at the "Brown Stone" house; causing immense indignation in *check on from* quarter of the world. What he did to Mrs. C I have not heard, but in professing to admire Mrs G. new silk dress he *hasted* his hand over her bosom somewhat more *demonstrating * than the laws allow.
2) We are having some excitement about the *Bush connsignment* on a proposed change of the *leaders*. *Thimmacher* and I are going to the Navy Yards on Tuesday to hear the Band of the North Carolina play, the leader of which wants to take Lew Nigro's place, if he is discharged. We had another candidate who was given *Kathleen Macom* seen to arrange for the band. The piece was very very beautifully arranged, be we have pretty well satisfied ourselves that somebody else arranged it. So, we consider him pretty well out of the *org.* __The boys are beating tattoo, wouldn't you like to hear it again? __ I hope when you read this we shall all be rejoicing over a great victory; but I confess I feel very anxious about it now. Gen. Bayard who was killed yesterday I have heard was to have married a daughter of Col. Bowman of West Point, next week. If we should be defeated, I shall be bluer than ever; and I think we may then well nigh despair. If we are successful I look for a speedy quelling of the rebellion. __ *Teneador* was ordered to join his Battery in Tenn. to-day and left this afternoon. This is pretty hard on him, as he wanted to g with Capt Arnold who applied for him but the General would not allow him to go. Now when *Battery G*has just sailed, he is ordered away to join his own battery in the west. He was very much provoked, but he obeyed the order promptly.
3) Have you the Atlantic for December? If not, let me recommend a pretty good story, called "A Woman." I have read a part of Dickens' Christmas Story in Harper's Weekly, date Dec 20, but do not think much of it. It appears to me to be the poorest he has written. He is a secesh rascal , anyhow, & I wonder that he ever wrote anything fit to read. Please ascertain when my taxes must be paid and how much they are, as I must be trying to send the money, if John H. cant collect those costs. __ I was lucky in getting my money of the Paymaster, as he ran out the next day and has not had any since. If I am as lucky at the end of this month as I was back there will be no difficulty about the taxes. Please ask J. H. if he ever sent Ogden's notes to me, as I never received them. If he has not let him keep them & collect when due. You will be home by that time & will need the money. I must write to B. G. *Pearson* in a few days about my *service* note, of which I have heard nothing since I left home in *called* since Robert came to see and talk. __ 1h I have just got your letter of the 10th, it was a good while coming but notwithstanding the blur very welcome. I am sorry you are not in better spirits & you must make an "effort" and achieve cheerfulness. There is nothing like keeping a stiff upper lip (you will think I have
4) one when you see me next) and taking things as they come. We can't see very far into the future, just farther than the end of our nose, and appears to our vision now, a dark and terrible trial, may in the brighter light of five years hence mean the sunny advance of a glorious blessing. All we should be concerned about is to faithfully do the work that is manly in our path, and take no concern for the future. It is very hard to put this philosophy in practice, but if we earnestly try we shall acquire more or less of its spirit. – Dont I pray give way to your despondency, you have too many who will unaviodably be affected by it, to allow you to do so without a strong
5) fight against it. __ I wrote "tinted" paper. I read along with this the N. Y. Times of yesterday to M. F. It contains an excellent article on Intervention which I think he will like to read. __ *Simoner* is doing as well as I could wish & I have had no occasion to find fault with him. I am very sorry the children have taken sick while you are away. I am afraid it will defeat the object of your trip, besides bringing a shadow upon this holiday season in your family circle. It is a pity ##6) the children didn't wait till they came home before they "broke out" so. There are many inquiries after Robby. Every one who comes to the tent seems to miss him *find* one. I hope he will have the measles lightly. __ Dont fret about me; I shall try to get along & I want you to have as good time at home after the children get well. I have stayed *and done* pretty clearly and try to make up for part laziness of study. It serves to occupy my mind whether fits me for service if I should suddenly be called into the field in the great battles & not yet decided & today may be determining the history of our country. I shall feel restless and sweaty until I know the best or the worst. If Burnside is successful we may look for a triumphant crushing of the rebellion; if otherwise, the prospect is anything but encouraging and I hate to contemplate it. Tell Sella to be careful to mind you in everything you say & she will get well all the sooner for it. Tell Francis I am very glad he is well again & hope he will keep so & soon grow to be a big boy. By the way if you leave him behind, had you not better buy him a hobby horse, tell Robby not to take the measles if he doesn't want them. Kiss them all many times for me. Love to all, especially to thee,
LBB
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December 15, 1862
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Fort Hamilton, NY
6 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.6.179
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/179
