1861 Dec[embe]r 2

My dear John

I have recd your late letter--It affords me
pleasure on many accounts--especially as it was correctly written as
to orthography- & style, but above all informs you that you read
regularly the Book of Gods Word- The only Book from which you can
gain the most precious & valuable of all knowledge--the knowledge to
secure the salvation of our Souls in that Eternal World to which
we are all so rapidly journeying--Continue to read & study this
precious Book-and you will sooner or later be made to understand many
parts of its it now, perhaps, incomprehensible--but ultimately will prove
in its own words--the savour of life unto life--
Tell Lente[?] I have not recd from him the letter he speaks of having
written me, or I should have answered it--Ruffin owes me a letter
unless his since my last has miscarri[e]d also--

Your Mother & little Sister are both well--and so are all the ser-
-vants here--Your Uncle Brent & Aunt Sally returned from Richmond by
the last Boat--brought nothing new from the Scene of the War--except
the old story of an intended "forward movement of the Enemy at the proper
time"--The Lord has laid bare his Almighty arm on our side--and
without the instrumentality of man has reduced our Enemy to the most awful
difficulties--by sending his Flood to destroy the Canal shutting off the supply
of coal,& involving[?] the Federal City in darkness for want of gas--& His storm

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to scatter & destroy the Naval Armament with which our Enemy threatened
to overwhelm the Southern Coast--& the Waves of the Ocean which have
driven the Enemy away from their late boasted conquest of Fort Hatteras--
by washing it away--These Providential Movements together with the
cooperating movements of our Noble Army-in blockading the Potomac-& the
breaking up of the Baltimore & Ohio R.R. all cutting of supplies-have reduced
the Head Quarters of the Enemy at Washington to the greatest straights--We hear
this [from?] your Uncle Brent that Wood in Washington is selling at $2. a cord &
Hay at $50. a ton--and the fine pleasure horses of the private Citizens
have been sold at $5. a piece--this is a state of things, if true, that
must soon put an end to this cruel War--

You must excuse the shortness of this letter--as I have many letters
of necessary business to write--altho --I have many more things I would
gladly say to you--your affectionate Grand Father John H. Cocke

Master John H Cocke Jr.


General John Hartwell Cocke, 1780-1866, the surviving founder of the University of Virginia and noted 19th century reformer.
MSS 640