1862 May 23 near Richmond

Near Richmond,  May 23rd

My darling wife--
We have again changed
our location and are now attached to
Genl Pendleton's corp and located near
a soldiers' burying ground on Church Hill
I have been so anxious to bet out of
this company and you having failed
in all your endeavors to effect the
same object, I have determined to
employ a substitute. I sent to Joseph
N. Davis as you directed, the certificate
of the willingness of Capt Wyatt and
my brigade commander to my trans-
-fer but have not heard a word
from him--I have not been able
to get permission to visit Richmond
to see about it myself and rather
than be troubled any more I have
determined on the course mentioned
above.
I send you enclosed the regulations of
the War Department with regard to
substitutes--The only difficulty in the
way is to get a substitute soon

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enough as only one a month is allowed
Get Pa to procure one as soon as
possible and as cheap as possible.
if he cant procure one, get him
to let me draw upon him for
five hundred dollars and I will
try to get one in Richmond.
Notice, that the substitute is entitled
to all due the person for whom
he is a substitute,which in my
case with the bounty amounts to
one hundred and one dollars and
must be taken into consideration
Notice also, that I will be exempt
only so long as the substitute is
legally exempt and of course this
will have some effect upon the
price of a substitute--for instance,
a man who is over thirty five may
yet me called upon for military
service and consequently the man
for whom he is a substitute in
that case would have to serve.
on the other hand a foreigner who has
not acquired domicil in the C. S.

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probably never be called upon.
With regard to the Capt's pass to bring
the substitute to camp I suppose the
pass of any other official will do
as well--The substitute is to receive
the amount agreed upon, only when
I am discharged the service by reason
of his becoming my substitute.
Attend to this immediately and
let me hear from you
Your devoted Husband

Mrs. H. P. Cochran
Charlottesville
Va.

Genl Pendleton was here this morning
and said he intended to recommend
to Genl Johnston to place our company
in a stationary battery--if this is
done & I believe it will be, a substitute
might afford to come cheap as it is
the easiest service in every respects.

unsigned letter of Howe Peyton Cochran of the 1st Virginia Artillery


MSS 9380