Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1863-06-25
Written one year before Luther's funeral. No. 13 Fort Hamilton June 25th. 1863 My dear Augusta: You need not distress yourself about the length of your letters. I have never rec'd one yet which was half long enough. The controversy between the *Trigadier Brindle* and me has not been settled yet. I went to New York on Tuesday and called at Gen. Wool's Hd Qrs. I saw some of his staff and we talked the matter over. They all appeared to be on my side, but whether that will amount to anything or not I can't say. If they can decide the matter, it will certainly be against H.B., but I don't think they have much influence with the Gen., but as I think I am right I think I shall get the better of my *Comdg Off.* There is a rumor that Gen. *Brown* has been ordered to the field. I don't think there is any truth in it, but there may be. When in *town* the other day, I met two Cincinnatians, both of them well acquainted with Gran *Williams*. What they told me about him surprised me very much, but I am afraid there is too much truth in it. They say, he drank himself to death! The gentlemen I met *were* Mr. *McAlpin* whose son married Mess Spinning. You have called with me on the latter once or twice. The other was Joe *Torrence*, son of Judge T. and a member of the Board of Public Works. He was an intimate friend of Granville's. T. says he used to keep liquor in the *store* and go up stairs to drink by himself. Also, that Dr. Jesse Judkins told him that Gran had two or three such attacks before, and that he had told him that another would kill him. When he was sick he had liquor by his bedside and drank every few minutes. All this is very sad, but I think his mother is much to blame. I don't think he was ever in love but once and then his mother interfered to prevent his marriage, through pure selfishness, as I believe. And, altho' he was engaged afterwards, I don't think he cared much for the 'party'. Perhaps, if he had married *Emily Ruth*, who no doubt once thought she would catch me, he might have been a different person. As there is crepe on Mr. *Sears* house to-day, I suppose Mrs. S. is dead, tho' I have not heard it. She has been sick a good while but when I heard from her last she was considered much better and not in immediate danger. -- We had a visit from Gen. Stemmer and wife. You may remember that I relieved him when I came here. She is quite pretty although I can not detect any resemblance between her and the lithograph he used to have. She is good looking however and quite chatty. -- It is 20 min past 11 P.M., don't you think I had better go to bed. So good night. Kiss the bairns on my account. L.B.B.
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June 25, 1863
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.6.204
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/204
