Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1863-06-28
No 13. Fort Hamilton June 28. My Dear One: You can scarcely imagine what pleasure your Uncle John's telegram on Friday gave me. I had been feeling very anxious about you for more than a week, and to hear that you had gone safely through your terrible trial gave me more satisfaction than I am able to express. I do not know that I had any preference as to sex, although I do not think we could have too many such boys as Robbie. How it would delight me to see the dear little thing, but the way affairs are going on now, I can not hope to enjoy that pleasure very soon. The prospect is very gloomy, but if we escape any great disaster, we shall probably soon have a decided change for the better. It now looks very much like the Rebs might soon be able to dictate a peace in Independence Square Philadelphia. If they are defeated in their present enterprise they will probably be utterly ruined and we may soon hope for peace. Such being happily the case is it not strange that the Pennsylvanian should behave so shamefully! Nobody will be inclined to admit for the next hundred years that he was born in the state. *Muhlenberg* has gone to Harrisburg, but nothing has been heard from him since he left here. Gen. *Franklin* wrote a very *bitter* letter to his brother denouncing the pusillanimity of his people. The New York papers are pitching into them daily and I suppose they are catching it all around. I hope they may never hear the *end* of it. -- I saw Mr. *Vanderpal* this morning and told him about our daughter, and called this evening but the house was dark and the girl at the gate told me the ladies had gone to church. Nothing has ye been heard of my appeal to Gen. Wool. I saw Capt. *Clinton* of Gen. Wool's staff yesterday, but he was not able to tell me any more than that *L. Col.* Crane was to come down to investigate it. I wish he would hurry along. I have only been on once as Officer of the *day*. In *Muhlenberg's* absence, Stacy acts as Port Adjutant, and I do not think he will detail me unless he is especially ordered to do it by Gen. *Brown*. Besides there are more officers here now, so there is no apparent necessity. There will be two away however, after to-morrow, and the old *Gigadier* may take it into his head to annoy me again while he has the power. It seems to be pretty well understood that Piper is to marry Miss Ross. If he isn't he acts queerly. Sometime since he went to see her after taking some medicine, was taken sick there and obliged to stay all night. The next, he went up to *shop* because there had been no fire in her quarters for three days and they were very damp! I have heard nothing lately of the Harrison-Stamper arrangement. Now you have a girl what are you going to name her? If she had been a boy, I think we should have differed about my name. As it isn't I suppose I must let you have your own way. You know I have always had a weakness for fancy names. The other day I came across that of *Alianore* which struck me as being very pretty, and if I had the naming of a girl I should call it that. You are too matter of fact for such things, so I expect you will *prefer* some much more common, so go *your ways*. That last letter, received the day after the dispatch is about the best love letter you have ever written me. And it did me a great deal of good. I think all things considered our married life has been a very happy one; the only cloud that rests upon it now is that which darkens so many other households in the country, the absence of dear ones in the army. "When this cruel war is over" there will still be a fearful number on which the cloud will rest and rest forever. Heaven grant that ours may not be one of them. #You see I have a monogram. What do you think of it. Love to all the family and kisses, especially for the little one I have not seen. I suppose I shall hear all about it from mother in a day or two. Good bye, Dearest and best. L.B.B.# #I enclose $20-#
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June 28, 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.6.205
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/205
