1862 May 5 Richmond, Va.

Richmond, May 5th 1862

Dear Phil  [Phillip Barraud Cabell]

Your last letter is duly to hand
and I write to say that I will send up for the horse
as quickly as possible; and would do so today but
my uncle Mr Poindexter is absent at the farm and so
he has all my available funds in his hands I have to
write to him to send me dosn the amount; I will
send it (the cheque) up by the servant who will go up for the
horse either Friday or Monday next, I have no doubt
that she will suit me exactly and am much obliged
for her.  Our little baby is now out of all danger I am
truly thankful to say, for I thought at one time there
was no hope for her she suffered very much
and is still looking very badly.  In spite of the govern-
ment we have succeeded in completing our Company
which I had begun to believe was a failure as soon
as it was certain we must lose all re-enlisting men
Richard however will have to be Junior 2nd Lieut,
instead of Senior 2nd as we were obliged to give the
Senior 2nd to a man from Surrey who brought us 35
men; still am very happy to have succeeded in getting
a commission for him--I am sorely afraid we shall
not be ready for the field in time for the great fight

[page 2]
for the possession of Richmond which it is now
evident must take place at no very distant date;
we are very much concerned at all points and I
apprehend that this city will fall as New Orleans
has done.  my only trust is in the justice of our
cause and the righteous Providence of God who
can destroy armies as he will; my despair is
simply because neither our selves nor armies
have deserved by their own conduct and purity
the Divine Blessing--the enemy succeeded in reaching
West Point with several gunboats yesterday and
fired on the last train leaving for Richmond;; our
line of defense will be about the arc of a circle de-
scribed by the Chicahominy river, beginning at its
mouth and resting along its bank up to about 15 or so
miles from Richmond or nearer towards Hanover or
New Kent--I hope if nothing happens to have the pleasure
of seeing you and Miss Pink in a fortnight or so; as
soon as it is perfectly safe to take Miss Pink Jr out
for so long a trip--Heaven knows only what may be
[?] [?] then--with best love to Miss Pink I am as ever
Yours affectionately
Alexander Q. Holladay

Jennie encloses a letter to [her sister?] but [?] no sample
[?] as would suit; she has searched all over town.

Alexander Q. Holladay, Sr. 1st Lieutenant, 12 Battalion. Virginia Light Artillery


MSS 38-111