My darling wife

i hope to get a long sweet
letter from you this evening telling me that
you have recovered from your fit of the
blues and that you had rather come down
here than go home, if it were possible to
come down here at least you will tell
me I hope that you love me with all
your heart–as soon as you go home
I want especially another blanket & bed
comfort; ma, I believe has plenty of the
later-I also want you to send me a
black french tricot vest which I ought
to have–Your mother may object to your
sending such a dilapitated [sic] concern
but I am sure it is much better than
the majority down here–to fill up the
box you may send four or five candles,
a couple of pounds of coffee and any-
thing else you may have–dont be
extravagant though–direct the box to
Yorktown care of Mr. Blair Richmond and
the Quarter Master West Point–I dont want
you to send any great amount of any-
thing, because there is some danger that
I may never see the box or its contents–
Paul & Henry Edmunds’ companies arrived in
Yorktown this morning–Henry looks very
well indeed–Paul is not along.

[page 2]
Nearly all the forces below here have
been ordered up –nobody knows what
it means–not even General Magruder
himself–a great many of the companies
had just finished their winter quarters
and are duly put out at being ordered
to leave them.

Write soon and frequently
give my love to Sister Virginia and
our Mother and believe me as
ever your devoted
Husband
God bless my darling wife!

Howe Peyton Cochran, Sergeant, Co. H, 1st Virginia Artillery

MSS 9380

Dear Richard
Mr Fox goes down in the mor-
ning and your Ma sends by him your
fatigue jacket under Shirt & Socks–
She will send your other clothing
when you require them; & will send her
word–She was gratified at the
receipt of your note by Willie Jackson.

You ought write home almost
daily–I fear you will almost
forget how to read or write if
you do not practice more than you
probably do–

You ought practice reading also
daily–
When you go into winter quar
ters you will have fine opportunitiy
for improvement and I hope you will
avail yourself of it.
Cous Mount is probably a little better
The rest of the family well–Cous Eve[?]
has left this morning for Cous Sam’s

[page 2]
Tell Amos all well at his house
Be sure to send back by Mr Fox
Boxes Bags Baskets Buckets &c

Nothing late from Walter–

We are machining and I am tired
and sleepy–

Remember me to Alvin, Irving, Cous
Willie, Charlie, Amos and indeed all
the boys–

How do you get on in your
new domicile Sleepily but
Affectionately
M. B. Buck

PS. Be sure to see Mr Huffman
for me and report by Mr Fox
of if you can not get Mr F or
Amos to do so–

I send you a “Vipo” and a
budget of newspapers

M.B. B[uck]

MSS 3064

[from the diary of James Dinsmore Templeton of the 23rd Ohio]

Played as usual
Thad & Alex went down to
where our mess chest was left
toward Gauley. Wrote letter
to Ella E Dinsmore. Payments
came in to night

MSS 10317

[from the diary of Francis G. Hale of the 34th Ohio Zouaves]

I was today promoted
to orderly sergeant
for the Adjutant I carryed
around the details
for guardes I had
a good time we received
lots of thinges from home
to day we had a bully
dinner to day of things
from good old home we
have a large store
box full of eatebles
left we had an oyster
supper Mr & Mrs Rogers
ate with us we had
lots of fun and all
of the boys had a
different smile on
their face to day they
got blankets from Waynes

MSS 13405

[from the diary of Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts]

Cold and raw to day. Had a
brigade drill this forenoon.

MSS 11293

private Monday Evening

My dear Sir
Providence has
at last opened the
door for the onward
movement of the
Ind[ependen]t I have always
told you that the right
time would come
and that we must
wait for that time
and not take a single
step in the dark
Our Editorial Corps
have resigned! this
evening I have rec’d
from Drs Bacon
Thompson & Storrs a
letter which settles
the question. Full
particulars when

[page 2]
I see you

Early in the AM
Now will you please call on Mr Tappan ^
and have him make
an early appointment
at our store for
consultation as we
must plan matters
for this weeks paper
although the Edts very
kindly say they will
assist to get out
this weeks papers if
we desire. I have
seen Mr Beecher this
eve & made a
provisional arrangement
with him for the two
next issues–to give
us time for consultation
and to arrange with
him if desirable as

[page3]
I now think it will be.
If you can see Mr
Tappan and be at
my house by 8 1/2 oclk
I will be glad to
walk over with you
–if not call at once
at my office. Mr
Beecher will be
there at 12 oclk.
Make no mention
of the foregoing
to any one
Truly yrs
H C Bowen

Mr T Tilton

Henry Chandler Bowen, 1813-1896, established the Independent, a Congregationalist newspaper with a strong abolitionist bent, in 1848.

In 1861 and the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher was named editor of the paper and Theodore Tilton, 1835-1907, who had left a previous newspaper over the slavery issue, was promoted to assistant editor.

Lewis Tappan, 1788-1873, Bowen’s father-in-law, was a wealthy merchant, philanthropist and abolitionist, most noted for financing the defense of the Amistad mutineers.

MSS 10967

Camp near Centreville
Dec 16th 1861.
My darling Jennie
I have not time this (Monday)
morning to write you a letter. I in-
tended yesterday to write you a long
leter, but Col Hill called to see me
very early & Remained until two
& not then left with my promise
to dine with him which operation
filled out the day. A Rumour in
camp says there are 425 pris-
oners at Centreville taken at Lees-
burg where we have had another
bloody fight. The impression on
our minds just now is that if there
has been a hard fight then our
side has fared badly although of
it seems that we still hold the
ground. The whole thing is a Rumor
& I vouch for no part of it. Genl
E K Smith said on Saturday that
we would move into Winter Qurs
to day or Rather that to day was
the day fixed. but we have as yet
Received no orders on the subject.

[page 2]
we may however be on the look
out for it cant be many days be-
fore we will move. beyond these
items we have no news of any
sort. I am crazy to get off to see
you and am in daily hope
of something occurring to give me
Relief for a few days. I got along
with sufficient comfort in camp
I no longer suffer from cold having
got entirely used to it.
Affectionately
ETHWarren

This letter has a note above the heading which reads: 12/15/61. However, this is NOT correct. Warren writes in the first line “I have not time this (Monday). . .” The Mondays in December 1861 were 2, 9, 16, 23, and 30. This letter was definitely written on 16 December. Warren also writes in his other 16 December letter: “I sent you an apology for a letter this morning”.

“Col. Hill”, line 4 – ‘Colonel A. P. Hill, commander, 13th VA Infantry’.

“E K Smith”, line 19 – ‘Edmund Kirby Smith’

“Qurs”, line 20 – ‘Quarters’

[transcription and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]

MSS 7786-g

Camp near Centreville
Dec 16” 1861.
My own darling wife
I sent you an apology for a letter
this morning again and to be certain
that I will not have to do the same
thing again in the morning I commence
operations now. This morning Capt Jack
Miller M Moffett Moreson & myself took
a big Ride at full gallop around the
fortifications near centreville [sic] which we
all enjoyed vastly & I doubt not were
all impressed by it – and now will you
believe it that Ride is everything I have
to day had to Relieve the monotony of
military life. You sometimes in your
letters intimate that I am indifferent
about you. No one was ever more
mistaken. If I were constantly en-
gaged in things of interest I might some-
times not think of you for the moment
but as it is You are in my mind all
the time My favorite entertainment is
to set down & Review our past history
from the moment we first met down
to the morning we last parted at Manas-
sa. [sic] I go over the whole of it & then
I take up particular parts of most interest
to me & which make the strongest im-
pressions on my mind and Really
have more enjoyment in that than
anything else. And now suppose as
a matter of interest to both I commence
& Record the whole by letter and men-
tioning & [noting?] each pleasant incident

[page 2]
as it occurred leaving you to supply all omis-
sions. You Remember well the moment we
met at Mrs Sheffirs. You were then only 16
years old and made faces at me as Rather an
old codger – afterwards when bordering on
17 you came to H B on a visit and you
& Mag Sheffir got jealous of each other. You
made no more faces but on the contrary
many a tender look. And well do I Re
member how you used to steal on me
& John Mag too by being up early & Ready
for a long nice chat before breakfast
I Remember the trip to Lexington but
owing to the number of brass butons [sic] I think
I was only about second or third best
at any Rate from some cause I have
no very distinct Recolections [sic] of this trip
except that Mag Remembering probably
that we were to Return to Staunton to-
gether – bid me good bye in a very
tender & Rather [?] style – differing
materially from our parting the next night
in Staunton which somehow I never forgot
up to this time I dont know what
impressions we had made on each oth
er. For myself all I know is that
I could not forget our parting and was
determined to meet you again. that I went
to Richmond for that purpose & Run myself
down to effect it and finally that we met
on the Fair grounds. that you were sur-
passingly beautiful and that when we met
your eyes (the sweetest & prettiest ever set in
womans head) fairly danced with pleasure
and that we were happy in each other

[remainder of letter currently missing]

“Capt Jack Miller Moffett Moreson”, lines 5 & 6 – ‘Captain William Andrew Jackson Miller, Assistant Commissary for Subsistence, Surgeon Samuel Harvey Moffett, Assistant-Surgeon J. A. Morson, all members 10th VA Infantry.’

“H B”, page 2, line 6 – ‘Harrisonburg’

“owing to the number of brass butons”, page 2, line 14 – ‘This is an obvious reference to the Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, due to the large number of ball-buttons worn on their dress uniforms.’

[transcription and annotations by John P. Mann IV]

MSS 7786-g

My dear Creek,

You do not know how I am longing
to hear from you I have been here since tuesday last and
have not got a letter from you yet, but I know there is
letters for me at the camp which has not been
forwarded to me and you have not had more than
time to send me one here since I wrote you.
I am getting quite stout again and will go back
to camp about the end of the week. I was very aggreeably[sic]
surprised to see William walk into my room a short
time since, he came from Camp Saturday but did
not find me out till now, he is almost well
but we got him advised to come here and stay
till he got clear of a very bad cold which he has
had some time he is now improving very fast
and will go back to camp when I do
I have just heard that old Dr Broyles is in town
As soon as I mail this I must hunt him up
and get all the news from him, it does us all so
much good to see any one from home

[page 2]
I have been trying my hardest to get home and
spend christmas with you but I am very much
afraid I will be disapointed they always tell me
after awhile they will let me go and I am afraid
it will be the same thing till Christmas is over
but I will come home just as soon as I can get off,
Christmas or no Christmas.
If I can get Dr Broyles to cary a small box home for
me I will send some pretties for Maggies Christmas
by him. how I do wish I could bring them myself.
I believe if ever I get home I will never leave it again
I am getting so tired of staying away from you.
When I get to a place like this it makes me feel right
sad to see all of the people enjoying the company of
Wives and Families and mine so far off and as lonely
as myself, but this will not last always, their is a
bright side to every picture and we must try and look
at it. I will give you all the news of the city in my next
write one letter to me here, adress Capt W. Anderson, Richmond, Va
and I will get it at the office. Send all after that to Manassas
as usual. Kiss my little darling for me and say I will
soon be home to see her and Mama. Remember me to all
Your affectionate William.

William Anderson, Captain, Co. J, 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

MSS 10366

[from the diary of Wesley Hammond, of the Dixie Greys, Co. E of the 42nd Virginia]

Resoom march very early
this morning. Travel 19 miles.
Received orders to march to
Strasburg. Heard of the fight
in the Alleghany Mts.

[see December 14 letter from Charles McCoy of the 25th Virginia from Camp Allegheny on the above battle]

MSS 5526