Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1863-07-02
Fort Hamilton July 2. 1863 My Dear Wife: Your precious letter of the 28th reached me yesterday. I was overjoyed to learn that you were doing so well. I hope you will be careful of yourself so as to avoid backsets. Make haste slowly in getting well, and you will be all the better for it. Mrs McE. left yesterday for Pennsylvania where she will spend a month. She has not been well for some time. When she returns she will go to their new house, where *Mr Banson* lived. Capt. Putnam with his company is ordered to Sandy Hook. Lieut Stacey goes with him, so I shall be left all alone. Capt P desired me to send his remembrance to you. The *Gigadier* Brindle has concluded to back down, and has ordered my name to be take from the roster, so I am not to go on as officer of the day anymore.. Maj. Christianson of Gen Wood's staff was here this morning. He told me that it had been intimated to them that I should not be detailed as officer of the day again, and as this intimation was understood to come from the Gigadier himself, they had not acted on my communication. I think I have got the better of the old cuss this time too. From what I learn, *Nerblerberg* was more to blame than he, though he had been in the service long enough to know better. I shall try to get the head quarters moved to Fort Richmond soon, if I remain away from the regiment. I have but two recruiting officers now, and if I have not some officers placed at my *disposal* soon, the recruiting service might as well be broken up. I shall fall in my duty to write to that effect to the Adjutant General soon, if I can get no more recruiting officer. The news yesterday elevated my spirits a good deal: that of to-day has elevated up still more. I hope Lee will not only be driven out of Pennsylvania, but annihilated. This, however, is hoping quite too much, for it seems to be the policy of the govt to court defect with the men who are doing nothing in N Carolina, & *about Fort Monroe to-night*. have captured all of Lee's army; but as it is, I think the greater part of them will get away & carry with them a *unclear* deed of *plunder*. It is said that *Hocker* has been drunk for the past two weeks. I don't know whether it is so, but think it was. If it was so he ought to have been that rather than *relieved*. A man who can not contain his appetite when he has the of so many men and the safety of his country depending on him is not fit to take the command of a company much less of a hundred thousand men. What the men Gen needs, will do I cannot say. I hope he will do all that can be done. To-morrow we shall be able to *judge* what *smudged ground?* he is. There was a fight at Gettysburg yesterday. To-night news is coming *out* we shall not know what it is till we get the papers to-morrow. I hope it may be good news Lee ought not to escape this time. - We have concerts in the Fort now on Tuesdays & Fridays from 8 to 9 1/2 P.M. *Mary* Vanderpool was at the last one. She said she had written to you, but I inferred from what she said that it was but a few days ago. I sent you $20 in my last please mention its receipt as also of the $20 enclosed herein. Kisses for our dear little ones and love to all. "Yours till death" LB. Bruen
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July 2, 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.6.206
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/206
