Letter from Luther Bruen, Camp near Culpeper, VA to Augusta Bruen, 1863-10-04
Camp Near Culpeper Va Sunday Morning Oct 4. 63 My dear Wife: Notwithstanding I have heard nothing from you since my last I have set down this morning to my old Sunday occupation. - First before I forget it again, I will answer your inquiry in regard to fuel. You cannot draw it at Dayton. Mrs. V. and others drew it for a while at F.H., but they were cut off long ago. It was a violation of regulation for them to get it at all, but the irregularity was winked at for a while, for what reason I do not know. - Yesterday I had my picture taken and as I happened to get a pretty good one I enclose it to you, partly because you will like to see the latest *counterfeit presentment* of my self, and partly as a memento of the camp near Culpeper C.H. Va. - I took my band over to Division Head Quarters to serenade Gen Ayers. He and I had a good long talk by ourselves in the course of which he told me I had the largest and best regiment in the Army of the Potomac. This is felt to be a very high compliment by all our officers, and as there was no apparent reason for his saying so, unless he really thought so, we all take it as honest and sincere. Good as it is, however, I think it can be improved a great deal better, and if I remain in command of it six months, it shall as much better than it is now, as it is now better than any other. I have got a good deal more military ardor now than I ever had before and intend to make myself a good officer if it is in my bones, and I am pretty sure it is. It seems a very great while since I came here, though it will only be two weeks on Tuesday. Why it is so, I do not exactly know. The life is quiet, with no incidents of an exciting nature so far, but yet it can not be called tedious. - I am President of a Genl. C. Martial which meets to-morrow. This will keep me from *duty* for a week I suspect, to my great request, as I write to get my hand in as soon as possible. I shall have plenty of time to "hone" my tactics while the court is in session, so that I shall not lose the time altogether, unless the *locath* as should prove to *watch for duty* after the court adjourns. I would like to hear from you in reference to the arrival of our goods and chattels. My trunk I left at the Albemarle Hotel, but I wrote a few days since to have it sent out to you by Adams Express. When I hear that the trunk has arrived I will send you the key. Capt. *Sergeant* joined the regt yesterday. I have now a pretty full compliment of officers and among them are some very excellent fellows who keep us from *rusting* out. *Mimmack* is a capital companion on a campaign. He sings some very *amusing* buffo songs and sings them *very* well. They are travesties of old stories, sentimental + *historical* and very funny. - I was much interested in your Uncle John's account of the Brown Trial. - I hope I shall hear from you by the next mail. It would be much pleasanter to get your letters one at a time than to receive them at once, as your last one come. I did hope after we had rec'd our mail that they would come regularly afterwards but have been disappointed so far. There is nothing to write concerning Army Movements. You will learn as much from the Telegraph as I *can* write + much earlier. I stay very close to my camp + hear nothing but camp *rumor*, in which I place no *reliance*. Gen Ayre, told me last night that Gen Meade #*?* assumed while in Washington last week that they *?* his army to be aggressive + that it should not be *induced* - He had hardly returned to his H-Q before an order came *transferring* his Corps to Rosecrans. Love + kisses to you & the family from Thine LBB#
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October 4, 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.6.235
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/235
