1861 June 21 Belmead

My Dear Father

Your messenger with
letters arrived while we were at dinner
and we were greatly cheered and
gratified to secure so many kind
letters & also hear all were well at Bremo.
As Brother returns in the morning
I shall devote the afternoon to replying
to the letters received by him. And as
yours is the most highly valued and
appreciated coming as it does from the
oldest & most honored Head of the
family the first replied to must be
yours--And I must begin by saying
the family reading of the Bible has
been regularly kept up by all of us
& the morning after you left in compliance
with your wishes as well as from a
sense of duty I commenced reading
Family Prayers which I have found a
pleasant duty & I trust the example as well as
the [work?] may be blessed to us all for I really

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feel better satisfied & happier now
that we have a Religious observance in
our Family. We all assemble precisely
at 7, the girls rising at 6 & I myself at
5 reciting first in my chamber
We then read two chapters alternately
as you suggested. And then I read
a Psalm or some other portion of
scripture when we have prayers
I thought it best & most convenient
to have the family gathering all at one
time not for the girls to assemble
& read at an earlier hour & then
have a second assembling. I find
the present plan acts well & we are
all very punctual & systematic &
conscientious in the discharge of this
duty the performance of which I
trust God will bless. If you would
prefer any other course or rather the
girls reading should be separate &
distinct from mine you have
only to indicate your wishes on the
subject & our present arrangement
can be altered. We breakfast at 7 1/2 & then
the girls take a walk when not too
warm & then they devote the balance of the

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day to reading & working. They spend
but little of any in lolling or idling
And I never hear them complain
of having nothing to do. Home
seems to be the centre of attraction
for them all they never desire to leave
& if could be only cheered by
the presence of their Father & Brother
all would be well. But the war movements
keep us of course anxious all the
time & the breaking up of social
ties & associations is indeed a sad
thing to us all. Yet our country
demands the service of its gallant
sons & I must cheerfully make every
sacrifice that our rights & justice may
be redressed & vindicated.

Sally & Lucy spent last friday & Sat
with the Misses Harrison in Amelia
Mrs Harrison had gone to Manassas
on a visit to her son & did not
return until last Tuesday I hear
he was highly delighted with her visit
& all the arrangements at Manassas
Genl Beauregard has made the Powhatan
Troop of which Hartwell Harrison is
a member his

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Body Guard, this great General
we hear is dong all he can to promote
the comfort of his Forces as well as to
urge them on in the Defence and
protection of their country. I had a
short letter from Mr Cocke from Ric[hmond]
but he did not enter into a details of
his plans or movements. But said
he thought we might go up to Cul
peper after Harvest & that he was hastening
back expecting a visit from you
this week.

We commenced our wheat Harvest
yesterday. It is a very heavy one we
have had four Machines running
to day. We shall be greatly pressed
to secure it in proper crates[?] as our
crop unfortunately ripens all at
once. Our corn is very forward & has
been laid by. It is excessively warm
to day. Ther. 94 on Northern Porch at
dinner. A good rain would be very
acceptable. Willie has replied by mail
to your letter. He will probably go up to
your house by next Tuesday mornings
packet. He is deeply interested in the
Harvest as well as his water melon crop
which is very promising.

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As I have several other letters to write
with love to
Cousin Judy & Sally I remain yrs very truly
C.B.C.

[Sally Elizabeth] Courtney Bowdoin Cocke had been the ward of General John Hartwell Cocke and married his son General Philip St. George Cocke. Her "Brother" was Lieut. Col. Charles Cary Cocke and the girls' Brother was John Bowdoin Cocke.]

MSS 640