1862 January 14 Green County Ala

to Genrl. J. H. Cocke

I wish I was competant my
dear Friend to offer you that consolation
that you need in this your time of
distress--we have heard of your bereave=
ment in the death of your son-
Phillip and we truly symppathise[sic]--
with you and put our trust in
God who we are taught in his word
does all things well, we cannot see
through the mysterious ways of providence
therefore we must submit to his
decrees: From all that I have ever
heard of your son he has ever been
look upon as a model gentleman and
our human reason would say how
can we spare such men in the prime
of manhood and when their Country
so much need their services, but we
are taught inscutable[sic] are the ways
of God and we must bow and
trust; my family are all well that
are at home--we have lately got letters
from our sons in the army. Joseph and
Ruffin report themselves well--
my son Thomas at Bowling-Green Kentucky
has been sick but was much better when
he wrote home eight days since
I passed your plantation yesterday--
Lucy said they were all well; we
keep up our meeting three times a
month Nd I feel that it has been
attended with good results to all
our people, they seem to be orderly
and attentive to preaching and I
am persuaided[sic] we should continue
to afford them religious instruction--
Your planting interest here is con-
ducted with judgment and you[r] place
has made a good crop of corn and
cotton. I have also made a good crop
but since there is no market for cotton
we will be hard pressed to meet our
current expenses, and until cotton is
sold have no means of paying debts
I think that the planting interest will
hereafter make more meat in this part
of Alabama and of course be more
independant--we have had and [sic] uncom
=mon warm winter but few days that it
was at all suitable to kill hogs and
I fear that some will be lost
My wife Joins me in Kind regard
Your Friend Benjn Borden

[Lucy and our people are references to the slave Lucy Skipwith and her fellow slaves. See Lucy's own letter to Cocke on January 13.]

MSS 640