Letter from Luther Bruen, Nokesville, VA to Augusta Bruen, 1864-02-29
Nokesville, Va. Feby 29th, 1864 My Dear Wife: Yours of the 21st and 24th reached me this evening. How one came to overtake the other I don't know, but it has been the cause of two or three disappointments to me. You see we have not moved yet. I thought it doubtful whether we should leave in the first place, and I am more confident now than ever, that we shall not be disturbed for some time. Something is evidently going on in front, what the nature of the movement is, we do not yet know; whether a reconnaissance on our side or a movement on Robert Lee's. Last night we were kept on the qui vive. Dallas wrote me early in the evening that guerrillas had been over his line of *property* and signal lights had been seen. It was very dark, windy night, in which little could be seen or heard. I had my pickets doubled and fancying I had seen lights in front of us, I sent out a patrol. They found nothing. *And* I went to bed. About 2.30 AM I was called by the sentry before my tent, who told me what the pickets just in front of the camp had found. I got up in time to see who of the companies of my guard go skirmishing into the black night, but hearing nothing further, I turned in and and slept reasonably well till morning. These night alarms are unpleasant, especially to one like myself whose eyes do not perform their duty very well in the dark. However, they give us something to talk about and enable us to devil our "Pills" who is a great coward. Indeed my staff manage to keep him half-scared to death nearly all the time. Some nights since, after I had gone to bed they got up a mock duel and took him out with all his implements to look after the wounded man. He is about to leave, however, and we are all sorry for his successor, Dr. *Winer*, is a better surgeon, and a more sensible man who will not brook being made the butt of a lot of young mad-caps. -- The pay master has been here and as the Washington papers are good enough to announce the movements of the officers, we expect to have some trouble with guerrillas untill the men have had time to spend their money. I am sorry I am where I can buy nothing to Frank for his birthday. I send him some pictures of the flags of our Corp. It is to be broken up and all the esprit belonging to it will vanish of course. I send you also a twenty dollar bill which I hope will prove acceptable. I would like to send more, but do not like to risk the mail. Yr Uncle John will have some money for me soon, so that this small amount will probably answer for the time. #I am afraid you are worrying yourself to death with Mary and think you had better get a nurse to relieve you. It will be a great deal cheaper to hire one than to pay doctor's bills and find yourself broken down. Do think of the *blessing* and don't fret about the expense. Love and kisses to all from Thine L.# #Send me some postage stamps in your next. Also# #send me that large map of the Southern States, which folds up in sections, without the cover.# #It began to rain last night which will probably put a stop to the intended movement.#
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February 29, 1864
Bruen, Luther Barnett
Nokesville, 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.6.281
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/281
