Documents

Letters

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his mother, March 3, 1861 Cochran worries that VA won’t secede but will cowardly submit to union demands. He says he would then become a treasonist rebel, and he believes others would follow suit.

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his Mother, October 8, 1860 This letter, written by John H. Cochran to his Mother, October 8, 1860, outlines his positions on South Carolina’s rights, states’ rights in general, attempts to avoid the war, but with the assumption that South Carolina and others have the Constitutional right to continue with slavery. A complicated letter by someone who must have been educated.

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his Mother, December 11, 1860 Cochran praises SC, saying he wishes it was his home state, primarily because it is so ready to secede.

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his Mother, December 21, 1860 this letter briefly summarizes how wonderful it is that SC has seceded, and that the US has ceased just like the colonies ceased. Same guy as above.

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his mother, February 14, 1861 In this letter Cochran expresses the right to secede, the right to rebel if secession is not voted on by the state of VA, and he quotes Patrick Henry’s "give me liberty or give me death" line in expressing his desire for VA’s independence.

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his mother, March 3, 1861 Cochran worries that VA won’t secede but will cowardly submit to union demands. He says he would then become a treasonist rebel, and he believes others would follow suit.

Augusta County: John H. Cochran to his mother, April 14, 1861 In this letter Cochran says how important it is for their honor for VA to secede and brings up the idea that east and west VA might divide. He is critical of the western part- full of black Republicans.

Augusta County: A.G. Guskins to his Cousin, December 30, 1860 A.G. Guskins boldly declares SC’s courage in seceding. Says that if the president wants to hand over Fort Sumter that’d be great, but if he won’t, sc will get it, cost what it will. Says there’s never been a war where the back of a south carolinian’s been seen.

Newspaper article

The Spectator, January 22, 1861, p. 1, c. 3 Newspaper Info- subject- Should the Confederacy secede? In The Staunton Spectator, a Virginia newspaper, the poem "God Save Our Noble Union" gives a pro-union view, with a religious and nationalist context.