On 12 Dec 1860, a disagreement occured between Basil P Cobb and William A G Reed, which resulted in Cobb stabbing Reed, who died the following day. B. P. Cobb appeared in court with his father D. A. Cobb on 6 May 1862, and posted bond in the amount of $7000. The charges against B. P. Cobb were abated when his death was proven in open court.

Richard M. Fisher, V. George, W. Bridges, and David A. Cobb. Filed 4 May 1863. Debt. Bridges has absconded. Fisher asks attachment of Bridges' personal property and of a note due Bridges from Cobb. Cobb answers that in 1862 he hired Bridges as one cousel for his son B. P. who was indicted for homicide; the defendant died and case was abated before any trial was held. Boyd (or Basel as he is sometimes called) was apparently a troubled individual that had difficulty managing his affairs, as the following shows:

DAVID A. COBBS v. B. P. COBBS. Filed 5 Sept. 1859. B.P. is greatly indebted to D. A. who is his security on several notes. D. A. charges that B. P. is almost perpetually drunk, is incapable of transacting his own business, is squandering and wasting his property, and asks that B. P. be enjoined from selling or disposing of the land on which he now lives known as the property purchased from Emmet Cantrell at Cantrells Cross Roads, and that the proceeds of the land be applied to the debts due complainant. ("Chancery Court Records of McMinn County, Tennessee; Reba Bayless Boyer, 1980; pp 38, entry #63)

It is noted that at the time of the 1860 census, he had substantially less wealth than any of his brothers, with a Real Estate appraisal of$1300 and a Personal Estate valued at only $400. It is possible he died during military service. There is a record of an individual named Basil Cobb who enlisted in Company A, 19th Tennessee Infantry Regiment (Confederate).