Letter from Luther Bruen, Fort Hamilton, NY to Augusta Bruen, 1863-08-02
Fort Hamilton Aug. 2. 63 My Dear Wife: There is no telling what is to be the fate of an Officer of the army. Yesterday, by virtue of *Sar. B's* retirement, I had full command of this fort: today, there comes a volunteer Col. with authority to take command of F.H. and its dependencies, and so my *name* is completely *out of joint*. What kind of a *chap* the new Col. is, I don't know but I mean to go to the *sick* report to-morrow, and let him run the machine the best way he can. It will be two or three weeks before I *will* be fit for duty, in the meantime, we shall see how he will run the machine. If this was a regular officer I wouldn't care a fig, but it *grieves* me prodigiously to be put under an officer who does not know half as much as I do in all probability. But we shall have to let her rip. To-day I *went up* to my boarding-house to dinner. As luck would have it, we took Mr Elrath's establishment so went off in high style. We didn't find out our *new cafe* until we had got to the boarding house. Coming back we took in *hand a two horse* carriage we found at the gate + learned after we had got well on our way that it belonged to a gentleman who was visiting two ladies at the *house* Nevertheless, we rode to the fort in it. I don't think it made any difference to the gentleman *or lady*, as I think they were not ready to march when the carriage got back and the driver made a half dollar by driving us to the fort. - Mrs. *Harrison* has been quite sick since her liege lord left so suddenly. But she will probably leave to-morrow with DuPont for Hagerstown Maryland where H. is. - S.P. came here on Saturday and is *collecting* his company property + settling his accounts. He looks very thin and it is quite *evident* that compaigning over *yet* again with him* very well. By the way, the other day I got a dispatch from *Piper* to his lassie. *Chanch* had rec'd one for me + one for her, but *these* in the wrong envelopes. - Capt *Oppley* is getting along very *well* + will leave his *cane* if *it* is *tolerably prudent*. I am sorry to say he is not, however, for he has been tight as a brick twice this week. The doctor had advised him to eat and drink freely, but *rudant* had no *chance* of his getting tight. - I have not seen the Vanderpools for some time though they have been in the fort several times. Once they came to see me, but other *times* they have kept aloof, probably because there were several other ladies and gentlemen whom they did not know about my quarters. As no responsibility will devolve upon me after to-day I shall have more *leisure* + *shall* write to Howard in a day or two. I have long intended to do so, but *?* and *?* have hitherto *prevented*. I am very much pleased by *the* complimentary notices which he has received. - I enjoyed your good long letter very much. I hope you will write me many such. - The other day the *picket brought* me a son of Capt. *Chily* who *had* run away and *enlisted* in a N.Y. Cavalry regiment. Of course, I didn't put him in *the guard house*, as I have some others of his regiment, but set him at liberty. The next morning he came to me with a letter from his mother requesting that he might h get out of the vol Cavalry regiment + enlisted in mine. In the *Evening* Charley *Lean* came to me to consult on his case. His mother wanted him to get out of the Vol. Service + enlist in my regt. Of course I don't want him, + when she gets him released from the *Vols* I shall try to throw some obstacle in the way of his getting into the 12th DuPont has just told me that Mrs Harrison is not well enough to join her husband at Hagerstown Md., so he will be obliged to leave her behind much to the *Lieut's* disgust, no doubt. You don't know how much I would like to be with you on such a day as this, when there is not much to do and *?* not very agreeable. - There is no news to send you that I know of so I shall bid you good bye, with infinite love to the *bairns* + your darling Self, LBB
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August 2, 1863
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.6.215
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/215
