Letter from Luther Bruen, Camp near Culpeper, VA to Augusta Bruen, 1863-09-23
Camp near Culpepper Sept 23, 1863 My Dear Wife: I have just rec'd your of the 13th and I assure you it has done me a deal of good, though it made me more homesick than your letters generally do. That you know is the usual effect of letters from home, but its never so greater when you are hoping soon to hear the dear *over* of your family. I wrote you on board the Baltic at New York; mailed another letter at Alexandria the day we landed there and the letter is going to Alexandria with a third. If you had reason to complain of the infrequency of my letters owing the latter part of my stay in New York I think I have done something towards making reparation since I left it. I got John Howard's letter today also and was much interested in his account of Brown's Trial. I am very glad he was acquitted, for I don't think he was guilty and Bollmeyer was a ruffian and no loss to the community though perhaps a greater loss to his family. For you wives have a way of loving us far more than we deserve. The preparations for a fight are going on very rapidly and the general opinion is that there will be a great battle between here and Richmond, unless the Rebs return to that famous town. If they have really sent Longstreet & Hill to Bragg, it is likely they will do the latter. The papers assert very confidently that they have gone but we have too often been deceived in this way. You must not expect much news from me or I shall probably confirm myself very closed to my own regiment & Brigade, which is now, and probably for some time will be commanded by Lieut. Col Greene of the 19th Infy. We heard yesterday that Rosecrans had lost 20 pieces of artillery and 2500 prisoners. He lost many guns & prisoners at Stony Creek & yes we considered that a victory. I hope we shall be able to look upon this last fight in the same way. Among those killed I see the name of Col. King commanding a Brigade. I am inclined to think this is our Col. King but hope not. Gen Lytle was killed. He has been wounded several times, and I had thought he was not in the field. The Col of the 93 Ohio was also slightly wounded, I suppose that is Hiram Strong. If the Rebels have got the advantage of us at Chattanooga it will make our job here in Virginia so much the bigger. In their view it is more deeply to be regretted as a reverse to the Union cause. We are having most charming fall weather. I could not have come into the field in a pleasanter season. The days are quite warm and the nights cold but so far without frost. Our baggage came up late last night, too late for me to derive any benefit from it. I managed to get through 'tho' I was quite cold before morning & could not get either warmth or sleep. I am very glad Luther Brady is at home. It will do his mother good to see him. Keep me advised as to her condition, and give her my love. I am very sorry I did not get out to see her, but I should still hope to do so, sometime during the winter. Tell John Howard I am much obliged to him for his letter & hope to receive more of them while I am in the wilderness. I will write to him in a few days if we are not marched a way from this place where we do not expect to stay very long. We shall not be surprised to hear the general any minute, but as we have no wagon I dont think it will sound before to-morrow. Then there will not be much time for writing. It is now nearly 4 o'clock PM of the 24th. An order has just come for us to hold ourselves in readiness to march but whether to the front or rear we do not know. We are all bustle & confusion of coming. Whether this will get away today or not I cannot say. I hoped to hear from you before I closed, but the mail has not yet come in. Good bye, God bless you, LBB
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September 23, 1863
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Culpeper, VA
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.6.233
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/233
