1861 Dec[ember] 6 Yorktown

My darling wifey
I wrote to you by yesterday's
mail enclosing a letter from Mr Stanley, in
which he makes pretty much the same
statement as Mr Godwin did to your
Mother. I hope you will get my letter
in due course of mail--I requested you
in that letter to write to Lexington and
find out the addresses of my Tutors
Capt Hardin, Capt Morgan and Major Ross
If you should'nt be able to get the in-
formation and transmit it to me in
time for the election, I reckon you had
better write to them yourself--Major Preston
to be sure was acting principle of the
Institute when I was there, but he never
saw me on the Institute grounds and
never took the trouble I suppose to
inquire about my progress--altho' he
has given recommendations in favor
of young men of whom he knew
as little as he did of me--I shall
get the recommendations of the officers
of my company and will be able to
get a complimentary letter from
Major Goode chief of Artillery, under
whose command I am now under

[page 2]
Major Goode is a native of Mecklen-
burg and is acquainted with Dr Smith
and intends spending this Christmas
at home--he told me that he would
see Dr Smith and talk with him.
I am in great hopes that we will
succeed yet. The fact that the place
had been virtually offered to Mr
Blankenship and that they could make
no election is quite encouraging--
Yorktown is quite a dull place--
Miss Matty Page came over a few
days ago to see her brother and
I had the pleasure of meeting her.
Ladies are remarkably scarce in
this town, nothing but white men
and negroes. I hope to get a long
letter from you to night--your two
last letters were very short and
in the last you complained of being
tired--I hope you have recovered
and that your fatigue was only
temporary--
with much love to your Mother
and Sister Virginia
I am as ever your devoted husband.

[page 3]
Now for a little private chat with
my wifey. How is my darling, both
physically and mentally? Does she
miss her husband? I know she do.
I do want to see you very much
indeed--I am going to camp today
and will sound Capt Southall as to
the possibility of getting a furlough
about Christmas--I want to see you
and see about that Professorship
The latter will be the reason assigned
but I do want to be near the sweetest
woman and greatest blessing in the
Confederate States--If I can get with
her once more, the Devil himself
shant separate us.
I hope my darling keeps up her
spirits and sleeps well--or is it
that she cant sleep unless in the
arms of Morpheus (her husband).

If you love me like I love you
No knife can cut our love in two
My pen is bad my ink is pail
My love for you shall never fail

Believe me my own darling wifey, as
ever your attached and devoted
Lover and Husband

Howe Peyton Cochran
Mrs H. P. Cochran
Charlottsville Va.

MSS 9380