1862 March 6 Fort Grafton

Fort Grafton
March 6, 1862

My darling wife
We came back
from Lion church Tuesday
evening and today we
start for Wmsburg---at least
the order to do so has been
seen though it has not
reached us officially--Capt
Southall left yesterday for
Richmond or home--This
will be carried up by Mr
Burnly a very fine man
and besides the pet of the
Captain--this is the third
time he has been home
while many in the company
have'nt been at all--but
the Capt always manages
to get him off--such
partiality is disgusting

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on this occasion the Capt
has sent him up to recomit[sic]
for the company--he sees
that none of his men
will reenlist under him
and he is anxious to have
a nucleus of three year
men upon which to reorg-
anize the company. I have
no idea how long we will
be in Wmsburg--we may
be sent to Norfolk--six
of our regiments have
been ordered to the South
side of James River. I
am inclined to think that
we are a part of the
reserve which is to decide
the fate of any battle on
the peninsula--of course
if we are in Wmsburg
any length of time I

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shall try and have you
down--I thought of you
a great deal yesterday
and would have given any
thing to have been with
you--I would have got
a letter from you yesterday
but the cars did'nt connect
with the boat--I shall get
one to day---God bless my
precious darling is the
earnest prayer of her
devoted Husband
Love to all at

Mrs Howe P Cochran
Charlottesville
Va

Howe Peyton Cochran, Sgt., 1st Virginia Artillery

Captain William H. Southall will fail re-election as Captain in April

MSS 9380