1861 August 25 Centerville [Virginia]

My dearest Wife:

My heart was made glad last evening by your
letter which came wit two others from home dated the 20th & 22nd.
I am glad you continue well my dearest and I look upon it as one
of the many blessings our Good Lord heaps upon us at tall times and
especially now when there is so much sickness & suffering all around.
I have some good news for you. Uncle Philip has some business
to be transacted in Richmond and some papers & other things to be
went home & he is going to send me--So you may look out for me
some day this week or the first of the next. I wish to go home
also before I return & shall expect you to go up with me if possible
Or we may stop at Bremo as sister & mother somewhat ex-
pect to pay a visit there soon. How happy I am dear Pink
that I will see you so soon. Then you wont toss about so much
on your sleepless bed--I shall probably not write again before I
see you.

We had an alarm here evening before last, learning that the enemy
was making quite a formidable demonstration near our outer line--
The whole Brigade started off about sundown & marched nearly
six miles in the direction of Fairfax C.H. when an aid of Genl Jackson's
met our staff telling us it was a false alarm & then all the
poor fellows had to march back to quarters in the night. I certain
-ly congratulated myself then on being on horseback. Uncle P. said
he was more fatigued than he was the day of the battle.
If the enemy moves at all in this direction I do not believe he
will be ready in two weeks more, And I strongly suspect he will

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not come at all, but will probably attack some weaker point.
I have a great deal to tell you about which I cannot put
on paper now, and as I may reach you as soon as this
will close now. I am acting as Provost Marshall of this
post and as fast as I begin a sentence some one comes
in for a pass and all my ideas are scattered to the winds.
Writing passes for white people is rather a novel idea at least to the
darkey population.

I thought at one time of surprising you with my little visit
but was afraid of the effects of it. I hope this may reach you
before I come--Good bye my precious my loved wife
take good care of yourself & always love as you do now
Your devoted Husband
P[hilip] B[arraud] C[abell]

My love to Alex. & Jennie & the chldren. Try and be ready to go
up wit me when I come as I shall not remain with your father
longer than I am obliged to


Philip Barraud Cabell, 1836-1904, nephew of General Philip St. George Cocke (to whom he refers in the letter) and grandson of University of Virginia founder General John Harwell Cocke, was one of the few antebellum students at the University of Virginia to obtain a master's degree. After the war he was a professor at Urbana University in Ohio, and later a minister of a Swedenborgian church in Wilmington Delaware. His wife Julia Calvert Bolling Cabell known as "Pinkie", had been a popular Virginia belle before her marriage six months previously.


MSS 38-111