This letter was written by Edward Ruger, a twenty-five year old surveyor living in Rock, Wisconsin in 1860. Ruger was the son Rev. Thomas Jefferson Ruger and Maria Hutchins of Janesville, Rock county, Wisconsin. Rev. Thomas Ruger was not only an Episcopal Clergyman, he was the Principal of the Janesville Academy which opened in 1844.

Ruger joined the 13th Wisconsin Infantry in October 1861 and was elected Captain of Company A. He was assigned to the General’s staff shortly thereafter at which time he was appointed an engineer. He was discharged from the service on November 19, 1864. Although his military records don’t support it, Ruger may have stayed on government payroll as the superintendent of the topographical engineers for the Army of the Cumberland for as late as October 1867. He had returned to to Rock, Wisconsin before 1870 and went back to civilian surveying. His affiliation with the military and government were terminated at that point.

Aside from describing his map-making activities in and around Fort Donelson in the summer of 1863, Ruger informs his father that he is sending two—maybe three—male runaway slaves to Wisconsin along with one female. He explains further that he is sending them as indentured servants, expecting them to pay back their traveling expenses, at which time his father was expected to give it back to them and offer them employment if they wanted to stay on for $5 to $8 per month plus board.

Transcription

Fort Donelson
June 3rd 1863

Dear Father,

I shall send to you in a few days two or three nigger men and perhaps a wench to Ma. They will pay their own expense home and after they have worked for you long enough to earn the amount, I tell them that you will pay it back to them, and after that, pay them so much a month or year. One of them has been my servant for a long time. He is very faithful. The other has cooked in my company. I have my eye on another man whom I think some of sending. I would give them from five to eight dollars per month and board. I only pay four here. There is a man of my company going home soon. If he does not go until Monday the 6th, I shall send them by him. I shall send them particularly to work in harvest as I have thought help will be scarce. You must make them mind and do everything just as they are told.

We are having a great deal of rain here and the Cumberland is very high. I am acting topographical engineer and am engaged most of the time in work pertaining to my profession. I have just sent to headquarters two plots accompanied by a report showing the obstructions placed in the river by the rebels. They consist of sunken stone barges. I shall not take the job of removing them if I can help it for I have all on my hands that I can do for four or five months. I am making a map showing the range of the guns mounted in the fort, together with the topography of the surrounding country. I have three of these to make. Then I have got to survey all of this country for thirty miles around and make a military map of it. This will take me a long time. I am in hopes to get through by fall for I don’t want much to do if Sarah comes down this winter.

Col. Lyon had a telegraph from Col. Lowe from Murfreesboro yesterday to the effect that he could come to the front if he would like to. I am in hopes that he will not say go for we are so nicely situated here. Bill and I are well. He is down at the fort most all of the time but I see him at meals. I expect to go out the first of the week on a a surveying trip.

Affectionately, — Edward