Letter from Luther Bruen, Camp near Peola Mills, VA to Augusta Bruen, 1863-11-18
Camp near Peola Mills Nov. 18th 1863 My Dear Wife: Yours of the 12th came to hand last night. I am sorry you are putting yourself to so much trouble to get those stockings finished. During the present pleasant weather I don't need them, and may not for some time, if we remain in camp. It is on the march that I need them most, so as to be able to take off my shoes or boots at night. I have been wearing the latter since we have been in the present camp, for the first time since I sprained my foot. -- I don't think much of my proposition about the Ad. Gen.ship and have written to no one about but you; nor do I intend to. I thought it quite likely there was some one at home who had got the promise of it. Your Uncle John I think is mistaken in saying the work is all done. There must be much to do under the last call for vols.; but I presume it would be better to keep one who was perfectly familiar with the business, if he has proved himself an efficient officer. -- You insinuate that some politicians are not in so good *odor* as formerly. You didn't mention names but I can very easily guess who you were alluding to, but why were you not more explicit. If there is any I can *put* afloat I should like to hear it. Of course, I should not pay any attention to idle stories, circulated against my friends. Still I should love dearly to hear them all. I wrote to Howard two or three days since, but I fear he will be gone before the letter reaches Dayton. In it I told him to tell you to cut the coupons from my 7.30 notes and 5.20 bonds, give them to your Uncle John and let him sell them. They are payable in gold you know and worth a premium. Some of the 7.30 notes are due in Oct. and the others in August. I have cut off the latter and sold them. I have thought of advising you to hand the 7.30 notes to John Howard and to get him to sell them to buy 5.20 notes instead. You may speak to him about it and see what he can do. The 7.30 notes can be exchanged for 6 per cent bonds. Please look over them and tell me what they amount to. I think the 6 per cent bonds are only issued in *series* of $1000 and others are not more than $1100 of 7.30 notes. The 6 per cents are 10 per cent premium, but perhaps the 5.20's will go up to that soon after they are all taken, as they will undoubtedly soon be. I think I should prefer to have all 5.20's as the interest would all come due at the same time. I have not got my pay for September or October yet, but expect to in a few days. I shall require most of the money for my expenses here. I have not bought Major *Prince's* horse and do not expect to now, although he has come down to $200. I expect to buy one for $175. The owner was to come here to-day, but was probably prevented by the Review. It will take $30. more to get my equipments. I shall send you my November pay-roll which I suppose you can have cashed in Cincinnati. It will be $147.97. I don't know whether this will be sufficient to *to* pay taxes, interest, extra life *pre insurance* or not. You will not pay the latter until you hear from me again on that subject. For if we go into winter quarters I shall write to the Co. and ask them whether it is necessary for me to pay under such circumstances. I am very glad to learn that Sella is doing so well. Tell her I hope her mother will always be able to give a good account of her. You ask me how I feel when going into danger. As I have never yet felt that I was going into any great danger I can hardly tell. We have been in line of battle twice, expecting every moment to be ordered forward to engage the enemy, but as I didn't see any enemy and wasn't at all certain that any *any* was about I took it very coolly. There seemed to be more prospect of a fight when we marched from Manassas to Bristow Station. We could see the shells bursting in front of us, and hear the cannon and *men* at work in the smoke, but it was so near dark that I was not very apprehensive of a fight over there. I was amused at the nervousness of a young doctor who had just come into the field and had never been within hearing of the enemy's guns before, but otherwise I wasn't near as much excited as I would be at the prospect of starting for home to-night. What I'll do when the bullets fly around me is a question to be settled hereafter; I don't know. #This is the third letter I have written since we crossed the Rappahannock. There has been another Lt. Col. retired. If my former advice was correct this makes me L. Col. of the 6th Inf. and would lead me back to Ft. Hamilton. Maj. Wallace is the *Col. of* that regt. Wouldn't it be funny to go back there in that way.# #In my last I sent two rebel relics.#
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November 18, 1863
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Peola Mills, 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.6.250
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/250
