5^th Av. Hotel & Paper

Sunday Jan 12^th 1862

 

Dear Major

                        It is eight o'clock P.M. Lizzie & myself have been luxuriating in this beautiful city all day, but could hardly have been in a worse place as far as the weather is concerned. It snowed here last night & today we have two inches of mingled snow & water under foot & a drizzling rain overhead. We went to the "Holy Communion" this morning & to Grace Ch this afternoon. They are both quite near us & I think I took no extra cold on my journeys to church & back. It is only an hour since we rose from the table d'hôte. I thought of you & our mutual sufferings in times past & probable distress in times / to come at the table d'hôte at Fort Warren & exercising the care I ate for us both. I thought too very tenderly of our friends Mr & Mrs Collins & wished very much that I could have seen them at one of the little tables in the grand "salon". I laughed when I imagined them there & am ready now to pay their expenses to New York & board bills at this house for a couple of days if you think it possible that their views might thereby be enlarged & stay so for a short time at the fort. It is worth thinking of. They may get many valuable hints by a short stay here, which would be of value to them in all their lives, now so happily begun.

 

            My letter from the Governor is to Col. E. D. Townsend Ass. Adj. Gen. It was with this officer that the Gov. arranged for the formation of this battalion. His letter / is a long one & contains a very fair statement of the case & I think will have the right effect if pushed. It is not free however from some very curious mistakes (as it seems to me) For instance, he introduces me as "Lieut-Col Cobb now acting adjutant of the 1^st Batt", & thereafter states my position clearly & leaves out the Col. I think I must take the liberty of drawing my pen through the word "Col". When I reached the State House on Saturday it was too late to see the Governor or any one else & I could not have the letter changed. He closes it as follows. "In view of the size of the command, more than six hundred men, after the company now organizing shall be added I could wish that Major Parker, having more than a Lieut. Col's command, should receive also at least a Lieut / Col's commission, particularly as he is a gentleman who in every quality of soldierly character does credit to the service" Certainly very complimentary! but I cannot see why the Gov. should apply to have your rank raised. I think he has the power to grant your commission without application at Washington, but I will try to find out about it there. I think if you do not suggest to the Gov or his military friends that he may appoint both Major & Lieut Col, he may not see it himself. He says of the QrMaster & myself that he has commissioned us & that the Comdg officer refuses to put our names on the muster although he employs us both & makes the QrMaster do post duty also. He speaks also of the necessity of a chaplain for the battⁿ. I will state what non-com staff you have & do all I can in every way. I hope Mr Knight will bring the photo-

 

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graphs tomorrow. I shall go to Phil Tuesday & a letter addressed simply to Washington should reach me.       

 

Sincerely Yours         

Cha^s K Cobb   Adj & invalid

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