1862 April 4

My darling wife
I received a letter from
you on yesterday evening and from it
judged that you were bordering on
a fit of the blues--no wonder! see-
ing so many handsome young officers
dressed in uniforms at nine dollars
and a half a yard and turned
up with red,while your husband
is almost in his shirt tail sweeping
up camp--well! never mind--none
of those officers have as sweet &
loving wife as I have and though
they have succeeded with men, they
will find that women are more
discerning and more infallible in
their judgments--I am glad to
hear that Jimmy has succeeded so
well thus far with his company--I
hope he will manage it judiciously
and that at the end of their service
they will be willing to reenlist under
him--I am sure that if I were with
him I could make some suggestions

[page 2]
from observation and experience that
would be beneficial to him--I made
application to be detailed as drill
-master for Jimmy's company and
as I told you, the General commanding
has informed me "that an officer
or private can be detailed for
such service to be sent out of
this department." General Magruder
has no right to transfer a man
from his department to another
and if Jimmy really wants my
assistance he must have me
detailed by order of the War
Department--I wish he would do
this and I think he might be
able with my recommendations as
a drill-master and Mr Hughes'
assistance, do it. The position would
suit me a great deal better than
the present and then I could see you.
That's it! I could see you. No news
on the Peninsula--no news of the
enemy's advancing--though we will
be ready to meet them when they do.

[page 3]
I finished the[del]y[/del] new testament some
time ago and commenced with
Hebrews--I left my testament at
fort Magruder and have not been
reading very regularly since I
read this morning the 8th chap.
of Hebrews.

You have asked me several times
what were my prospects for a
lieutenancy in this company--0--
We elected a fourth lieutenant
the other day--Mr Has Wyatt got
75 votes--Mr Frederick Page 26.
I have announced myself as a
candidate for the next vacancy
and expect that I will get about
20 votes, not enough quite to
elect me--
Give my love to Ma & Pa and
all at home and believe me
as ever your devoted
Husband
there is no concealing the fact
that I want to see my wife
and that I love her with all my

[page 4]
precious wife--I want to see my
darling wife--I want to see
my darling precious wife--I
want to see my wife--I want
to see my wife--I want to see
my darling wife--I want to see
my darling sweet precious
amiable lovely loveing wife
I want to see my wife--I
do want to see my wife
I want to see my love--I
want to see her

I want to see my
wife!!!!!!!

I want to see my
darling wife!!!!!!!!

Unsigned letter from Howe Peyton Cochran, Sgt, 1st Va. Artillery

MSS 9380-a