Cochran Family Letters,
Scope and Content
The Cochran family letters consist of fourteen letters written in 1860 and 1861 by brothers John H. and Benjamin Franklin ("Frank") Cochran of Augusta County, Virginia.
The letters from John H. Cochran, written primarily during the period between the election of Abraham Lincoln to the attack on Fort Sumter, show his intense interest in and gives a clear picture of the events that happened immediately before the start of the Civil War. All of his and Frank's letters were written to their mother in Augusta County, Virginia. The collection also includes one letter from a cousin, A.G. Gastins of South Carolina, to John and Benjamin Cochran's father.
Dates
- Creation: 1860 - 1861
Creator
- Cochran family (Family)
Access Restrictions
Collection is open to research.
Use Restrictions
Permission to publish from the Cochran Family Letters must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.
Biographical Information
Before the war John H. Cochran was involved in the tobacco business in Richmond, Virginia. When the war began he served as a private in Company A of the Wise Legion and later in the 46th Regiment Virginia Infantry. He was captured with most of his legion at Roanoke Island, North Carolina, on February 8, 1862. After parole he continued to serve throughout the war until he was killed in action on July 21, 1864.
Benjamin Franklin Cochran ("Frank") was a private in Company E of the 1st Virginia Cavalry. He enlisted in Waynesboro on May 2, 1861, and was discharged for ill health on December 6, 1861. He died in Bosque County, Texas, in 1893.
Full Extent
0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Cochran family letters consist of fourteen letters written in 1860 and 1861 by brothers John H. and Benjamin Franklin ("Frank") Cochran of Augusta County, Virginia.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged chronologically.
Acquisition Information
The Cochran Family Letters were purchased by Special Collections in May 1992.
Alternate Form Available
Transcripts of the letters are available.
General Physical Description note
1 folder; 0.1 cu. ft.
Processing Information
The processing, arrangement, and description of the Cochran Family Letters commenced and was completed in 1992.
- Title
- Cochran Family Letters, 1860-1861
- Status
- Completed
- Date
- © 2009 By Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. All rights reserved.
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu