1861 December 16

My darling wife

i hope to get a long sweet
letter from you this evening telling me that
you have recovered from your fit of the
blues and that you had rather come down
here than go home, if it were possible to
come down here at least you will tell
me I hope that you love me with all
your heart--as soon as you go home
I want especially another blanket & bed
comfort; ma, I believe has plenty of the
later-I also want you to send me a
black french tricot vest which I ought
to have--Your mother may object to your
sending such a dilapitated [sic] concern
but I am sure it is much better than
the majority down here--to fill up the
box you may send four or five candles,
a couple of pounds of coffee and any-
thing else you may have--dont be
extravagant though--direct the box to
Yorktown care of Mr. Blair Richmond and
the Quarter Master West Point--I dont want
you to send any great amount of any-
thing, because there is some danger that
I may never see the box or its contents--
Paul & Henry Edmunds' companies arrived in
Yorktown this morning--Henry looks very
well indeed--Paul is not along.

[page 2]
Nearly all the forces below here have
been ordered up --nobody knows what
it means--not even General Magruder
himself--a great many of the companies
had just finished their winter quarters
and are duly put out at being ordered
to leave them.

Write soon and frequently
give my love to Sister Virginia and
our Mother and believe me as
ever your devoted
Husband
God bless my darling wife!

Howe Peyton Cochran, Sergeant, Co. H, 1st Virginia Artillery

MSS 9380