1861 December 30 Fort Griffin

My darling wifey,
I wrote you a note enclosed in a letter to
Mittie which I hope you have received as I wrote sev-
eral things which I want yo to read--I also wrote
to you on Christmas day; the letter preceeding that you
have received--It is so quiet and uninteresting down
here that I h ave nothing worth the dignity of being
written, but were I with you I could talk until twelve
I have scolded you once or twice about being harried
and allowing yourself to be interrupted when writing
to me. I am half inclined to think that you are
anxious to round off you periods, but see the
excuses, "Breakfast summons me"' "Dark, so good
night"' "cousin Louisa Blair calls me" &c--when I
write to you, I like to do so at night, when every
thing is quiet and I can think of you without
being disturbed.

I came across a piece in the Spectator which made
me think of you and which I will transcribe:
"I am married, and have no other concern but to
please the man I love; he is the end of every care
I have; if I dress, it is for him; if I read a poem,
or a play, it is to qualify myself for a conversation
agreeable to his taste; he almost the end of my

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devotion; half my prayers are for his happiness,
I love to talk of him, and never hear him
named but with pleasure and emotion." Tell me
this in you next and I will give you ten dollars.
Recollect that , as it is with you so it is with me
a great pleasure to be assured, again and again

that you love me.

If you get any letters from the VMI professors,
send me copies of them--I feel so anxious about
the election--I will be so happy in being with you.
When you see Ma, thank her for the nice
things she sent me in the box which I received
this evening--Every thing was very acceptable and
very nice--such a compliment she will value
as they are very rare. I expected a letter from
you to-night and have been disappointed, but
have received a long and interesting one from
Ma--tell her that I have fared a great deal
better during the last five months than I ever
expected and as for wanting to leave the service
I never wanted to enter it--thank Mittie for the visor
and you can afford to give me that much
time--Love to all at both places
and believe me as ever
your devoted
Husband

Mrs. Nannie L. Cochran

from Howe Peyton Cochran, Sergeant, 1st Virginia Artillery,

MSS 9380