Letter from Luther Bruen, Nokesville, VA to Augusta Bruen, 1864-04-09
Nokesville April 9, 64 My Dear Wife, I am sorry you did not receive a letter from me on your birthday. I have been writing you a good many lately and did hope that one would arrive on that day so that you might receive some sort of an offering from me. It is pleasant to have such an occasion to kindly remembered by one's friends, and I hope it will ever be so in our little circle. _ I wrote Robert a letter to-night which I trust will reach him soon after he arrived in Washington. It was intended kindly to suggest to him that he had better not make a *Jury* of himself about me. It is to be hoped that it will answer the purpose, as I do not wish my name fruited around Washington in connection with the Bureau of Military Justice. Reduced in *camp* as the place is *it* is beneath the dignity of one occupying my position to make any great effort to get it. I hope I make Robert understand this. If Mr. Odlin had not written to Mr. Stanton, I hope he will not do so, directly. I would like to have a letter from him to Mr. S. in my own hands to be used at my on action. A letter to him unless it were a probate one would never reach him & he would probably never hear of it. Besides, it is too soon to use it now. It will be quite time enough when the bill was passed and we know what its provisions are, to approach Mr. Stanton in that way. If I could get the chance to speak to him and ascertain whether he was committed himself to anyone else, I should wish nothing more at present. After all I do not know whether I ought to accept the place or not, without having gone through a campaign and seeing home fighting. This will be the most *outing* wished one of the whole war and will result almost certainly in the capture of Richmond and possibly in breaking the back of the Rebellion, about which we have heard so much talk. If I were to consult my own wishes and had no dear one at home, I should certainly much prefer staying home. I know however, you would much rather have me out of harm's way and if I could get such a place as would enable me to render the government good service for good pay with a prospect of being able to hold it indefinitely, if no family interest intervened, I should not hesitate to re-accept it. But after all, the thing is so uncertain and the pay is so little more than I get now, that it is scarcely worth worrying over. It has rained heavily all day. It will please you to learn, no doubt, that I am living in a house, because you will think I am much drier and more comfortable. There however you would be mistaken, as I am not so dry and no more comfortable. My roof leaks, which my tent did not, and my room is warmed by a little stone, which I had a good large fire-place in my tent and always had a cheerful fire. However I had nothing very grievous to complain of and can certainly much better off than I would be in a shelter tent in this kind of weather. Gen. Warren is in a desperate way to get his cups together at Culpepper and it was *assured* that we would be moved up in two or three days. This rain of hope will stop the contemplated movement for some time. April here is a rainy month and I want the rain to be ended, if possible before we leave the pleasant places we now occupy. It would cause a great deal of sickness among the officers and men to be put into camp and the wet ground with shelter tents over them. It should be avoided, if possible, and should be deferred, till the least possible moment unless the weather becomes dry. We cannot very well be moved until other troops are tent here to take our places. There have not been designated yet, and all things considered I hope to be able to date my letter at Nokesville for three weeks yet. I am afraid the season is destined to interfere very materially with operations in this part of and cause them to be very much delayed, and when commenced they will probably be made very disagreeable by the mud and rains to say nothing of the rebel *bility*. You need have nothing but words to write you, you get the *heat* I have anyhow, so I suppose as a good wife might to #be you are entirely satisfied. I shall not close their letter till tomorrow, as something may occur to me in the mean time. Good night#
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April 9, 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.6.303
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http://repository.wellesley.edu/mitchill/303
