1861 Sept. 10 Fairfax C[ourt] H[ouse] [Virginia]

My dearest:

I arrived here safely last eveg
& found all well I might have stayed
a little longer with you without incon-
venience. Uncle P [General Philip St. George Cocke] had sent me a message
to that effect which I did not receive. How
ever I hope you may get yourself & Richard
safely thro' your present difficulties safely

Dear Pink I cannot too often impress upon
you the necessity of not overworking yourself
in your anxiety for your brother, but I will
trust implicity in your judgment & good
sense--If Richard gets worse or anything
else happens send for me at once by telegraph
to Fairfax C.H.

John Bowdoin [Cocke] is going down to-morrow
& will either hand or send this to you. He
will tell you how things are going on here

I see no prospect of an advance just
now. In fact Uncle P. learned as much from
head quarters yesterday. One of our Regiments

[page 2]
is now advanced to Munson's Hill near
Arlington heights, but that will be alter-
nated with the others at that post.

Our own Brigade is the only one ad-
vanced since I left here & probably our
head Quars will remain here some time.

We are very comfortably fixed--more so
than at Centerville & have all the "luxuries
of the season."

As the staff is quite full now, I shall
not have a great deal to do & any time
that you have the least need of my
presence, send for me at once. It would be
better for me to stay some weeks before
going & if they dont do something in that
time I think I shall quit altogether
for this fall at least. There is another
reason which renders this possible of which
I shall speak in some future letter, but
as there may not be anything in it you
mustnt mention it. It is just possible
that Uncle P. may resign soon, for he has
been very badly treated & then I shall go
home at once to stay. By that time the

[page 3]
militia wil be disbanded & all will be
right. Any way you must cheer up &
trust all the Providence of the Good Lord--

John was waiting for me at Manassas
with my horse & was very glad to see me.

Write to me as often as convenient how
Richard is & how you are & give my best
love to Richard --No one more anxiously
hopes for his recovery than I--I suppose
you saw Mr. Heath; he has gone home
for a few weeks on sick leave--

Be sure & get the things you want before
you leave Richmond--Mr. Price or any one
will cash the check I gave you. If I could
have done it while in town I should have
gotten the money myself for you. Write
me about this.

Remember me to Alex & V. & all at Mr.
H's & believe me to be
ever your devoted
Husband--

P. B. Cabell

Philip Barraud Cabell, 1836-1904, nephew of General Philip St. George Cocke and grandson of University of Virginia founder General John Hartwell 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 Urbanna University in Ohio, and later a minister of a Swedenborgian church in Wilmngton, Delaware. His wife Julia Calvert Bolling Cabell, known as "Pinkie" had been a popular Virginia belle before her marriage.
MSS 38-111