Wednesday, August 15, 2012

1862 August 16 Virginia Military Institute

                       Va Military Institute
                              Aug 16, 1862

My dear John
Sainty arrived this morning,
and has handed me your letter.  As
it is Saturday, I have made him
come down & take a bed with my
boys, until Monday, that he may
look around & see about his
roommates.  In the mean time,
seeing that Dick Cunningham had
room for him on one of the tower
rooms, I sent for him & he takes
him in, & retains also a place
for Willie.  Sainty is looking well
& is much grown.  You know
my dear John, that on their
own account, as well as on acct of
my love and regard for their lamented

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father, my highest pleasure shall be
to promote the well being of both of
the boys, & to do for them, as I
would believe their father would
desire to have done.  I agree with
you that military education is the
great demand of the age, & our
boys must be made ready for the
issues of the times.
By the by I have not told you, that
the Board of Visitors at their last
meeting unanimously resolved
to have so much of our January
report as refers to the death of'
your father to be incorporated
in their July report as the
expression of their sentiments; &

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to be printed with the report.  I
will send you copies for all the
family when it is published.
I intended to have gone down to
Powhatan three weeks ago.  But fear
I must put it off to the Sept Court,
as I have to qualify as Guardian &
Trustee.  The actions of the Treasr
caused me to postpone this.  Suppose
you were up  the last of Augt & I
will go down with you. The canal
now comes to Lexn.  I want to talk
with you about many things.
               truly I am ever
               [?] & sincere friend
                            F. H. Smith
J. B. Cocke Esq
Belmead


Francis Henney Smith, 1812-1890, 1st Superintendent of the Virginia Military Institute.
Sainty:  Philip St. George Cocke, 1844-1931, son of C.S.A. General Philip St. George Cocke, 1809-1861.
Willie: William Ruffin Coleman Cocke, 1846-1883, son of C.S.A. General Philip St.. George Cocke.
John: John Bowdoin Cocke, 1836-1889, older brother of Sainty and Willie, and a V.M.I. alumnus.
Dick Cunningham: Richard Hoope Cunningham, 1845-1904.

Both Willie and Dick would be among the V.M.I. cadets in the battle of New Market in 1864.

MSS 640

















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