Head Qrts, 1st Army corps
June 10th 1863
Dear sister
There has been a great stir
the last week we have been
called up at two oclock in the
morning there times the past
week after getting ready to
march all saddled and bridle
we have quietly pitched our
tents again and live on
as before expecting to hear
the call “Boots and Saddles”
at any time of day or night
One Division of the sixth
corps is across the river below
the city that is what is the
matter they fire a few shots
every day, what the movement
is to be I can only guess that
it is only for the purpose of
[page 2]
accertaing the the strenght
of the rebels and prevent their
sending away any of their force
to strenghten other places.
The weather is everything but
wet- dry , hot cold and windy ,
My health is very good but shall
be very glad when war is ended
Allow me to correct you about
cavalry horses no[w?]ing the sound
of pipe and drum; we dont have
any much slam bang instruments,
The Bugle is what we use
upon all occasions, get up eat,
sleep go to the stable, in fact
every thing is done by the
call of the Bugle . I for one
am entirely sick of the unearthly
toots that come from the old
fish horns
[page 3]
I dont hear from Em and Cate
or Aunt Rossanna, but I write
as often as convenient and more
too, when they are not answered
I shall not hurry about writing
The Officers at Hd Qts had
another grand drunk last night.
it is a disgrace to the country
and to the men in the ranks
who are obliged to be nosed about
by those in command
when there is nothing manly or
the least thing to recommend them
to places that aught to be filled with
men that have with all their
faultings a little common sense
You must keep up
a stiff upper lip in [ahoot?]
make them think you know
more than a College Professor
but above all assist the scholars
by explaning the whys and wherefores
[page 4]
and make them work their own problems
in mathematics, it will do a scholar
no good for you to work the hard
questions. But I am not the
school Committe so do as you
please. It is to warm to write
and to much noise for comforts
My Ideas are very good [confounded?] [1]
this morning there is so many
foolish orders issued for us poor
Devils to obey thatone cant take
any piece
Write soon
Aecept this with a brothers
love F. N. Holman
There is a man here with us [2]
that used to live on the common 
when a boy I used to know him
well but had not seen
him for sixteen years
his name is Richerson
his father used to work
Blacksmithing on the
Common
Father most likely
will remember [Otis?]
Richerson who was
one of the wildest boys ever
brought up in Dixfield
F. N. H.