Letter from Luther Bruen, Tompkins Square, NY to Sarah "Sella" Bruen, 1863-08-30
Camp in Tompkins Square New York US August 30th 1863 My Dear Daughter: I am going to write to you again to-day, be-cause I hope my letter will reach you on your birth-day, although you have not yet answered my letter, written to you ever so long ago. I am afraid you are not trying very hard to learn to write. Your mother writes me you are not going to school now & that is part of the rea-son.I hope when you commence again you will apply yourself so closely that you will soon be able to write me a nice little letter. I bought a book for you some months since which I hoped I would be able to send you in time for your birth-day, but I had no opportunity. The first chance I get I will send it out to you & I think you will take a great deal of pleasure in reading it. I am now living in camp in one of the public squares. Our camp is a quiet place at one though the neighborhood is not a very good one. The people however do not give us much trouble, except the children who are running about the camp in spite of all we can do. I don't think I have seen so many ragged children in all my life before. Some of them carry little brothers & sisters almost as big as themselves & oh how *?* they all are. Their mothers are probably poor women who have to work hard all day & for them all they are able to do. It is not a pleasant sight to see those poor little things in their rags & filth, and it is frightful to hear them talk sometimes, -they use much naughty language. Papa would like very much to see you and Frank and Robbie, and dear little sister whom I have never seen, but I shall not be able to do so for some months perhaps. It will be a glad time, I hope, when we all meet again, and it will be, if dear mother can tell me that she has four good children. Good bye my dear daughter, Your Father.(On Envelope) Miss Sarah Bruen Care *of* Forrer *Sq.* Dayton Ohio
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August 30, 1863
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Tompkins Square, NY
4 pages; + envelope postmarked New York, August 31
United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865
Bruen, Luther Barnett -- Correspondence
Catharine Mitchill '31 Collection of Family Letters, Wellesley College Library, Special Collections
MSS.6.225
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/225
