LL-L "What does it mean?" 2002.04.04 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 04.APR.2002 (05) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Resources

Folks,

Someone I know got hold of some letters written by an ancestor, from the
state of Georgia, who for a time served as a soldier in the American
Civil War.  One of the letters, written to his wife from a hospital in
1863, contains a word that puzzles us: "busoned."  I may have come
across something like that before, but I am not sure.  Within the given
context it seems to denote something like "done for."  Using this word
may have been a temporary fad, and the lax orthographic standards
probably do not help.  Is any of you familiar with the word?  If so,
what does it mean, and what might be its etymology?

Please find a copy of the letter below.  The capitalization of the word
in question is mine.  I am sure quite a few of you will enjoy this
corpus of a Southern dialect of times gone by.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

***

  Dear Wife, I take the plesure of riting you a few lines whitch leaves
  me well all to the rheumitisms. They are a hurting me very bad, but I
  hope they will leave me a gain soon. I have nothing worth a riting to
  you at this time. I hope this little letter may reach your hands and
  inform you that the riter of it is still a live and wonts to see you
  and the deare little children all a gain, and I hope this may find you
  all.

  I will say to you that I have not heard from you sins the battle of
  Jackson, tho I think there is letters at the regement for me, but I
  don't know where it is. I have not heard from it sins I left it, thoug
  I am a going to start to night at three o clock this eavening.

  This is the 31 of July. I reached the regment last night. I have the
  chill and fever every other day. I am in a bad fix, my deare. I
  almost as live be dead as to be in the fix I am in. I hate to tell
  you what alds me, but I can't help it. I am BUSONED. I come so to day
  and if it get any worse I can't walk a step, but I will quit this
  subject. Furloes is started and too of the boys and Lieutenant O. I.
  Bowen starts in a few minuts, so I must be short as possible. I will
  say to you that I got too letters yesterday from you and was sory to
  heare you was sick, but the letter had bin roat so long that it did
  not do any good.

  There was one man shot in our regment the other day for deserting.
  I want to see you so bad I don't know what to doo, but there is no
  chance for me to come yet. I wont you to doo the best you can and I
  will doo the same.
  Farewell.

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