I would pull your ears to day if I was [1]
in reach of you, Apr. 24, 

Camp first Me. Cavy, near Turkeyson
Va, Apr. 24th 1864.
My dear sister
I embrace the first opportunity, this fine
and most beautiful &c&c, to answer your kind
and interesting letter.
According to your account old winter
has been making himself more free than
agreable, most likely it will prove his
last kick for this season,
I have not heard from Temple but
once since I got back, and that was
not so much from Temple as somewhere
else, Some have the idea that I
was married while in Maine as every
body is supposed to know everything
it would not look well for me to
dispute them. hope they will inform
me who is my better half before long
and in my absense treat her in
a becoming manner,
[page 2]
That sugar party must been a sweet
affair wish I could been their to seen
the frogs Did they sing or was they
Dumb, Dumb, Dumb, By the way I heard
that song sang in the Theater at
Washington,
The weather is dry and pleasnt
mud is becoming beautifully less
every day, Gen, Grant is studying
strategy with “Massa Linkum”, and
and his wooly headed crew to help him,
Perhaps the above expression is disloyal
if so am sorry I dont wish to give
“aid and comfort to the enemy”,
as the truth will, it told about
Abrahams administration,
We that is the first Me. has moved
camp about a mile, the whole division
is concentrated near here, having left
Warrenton to the tender mercies
of “Mosbys”men” Our camp is
about half way from Warrenton
to the Junction
[page 3]
Chery, and Pech trees begin to
blossom, think May flowers will
be plenty by the first of May.
This Cavalry Division was reviewed
last Mondy at Warrenton by Maj
General Sheridon commanding Gvy “
Corps” I wish you could have seen
us the line would reach as far
as from fathers to Rand Whites
place, in two ranks, and there
is fifteen hundred dismounted
in the division besides
But I will not attempt to describe
the vastness of military preparation
on paper,
After the review was over about
one oclock, the second Brigade, the
first Me. and Co. l. in advance
started off to meet a Brigade of
rebels, we went about eight miles
to where they were reported to be
but failed to discover them it
was a wild goose chase like many
[page 4]
others we make but the only
way to find them is to go where they
are reported to be, or where you expect
them, We were tired and hungry
when we got back to camp, about
nine in the morning, not having
any rations with us, because
expecting to get into camp by two oclock
There I have got your comp[let?]
cant think of any more to write,
therefore dear madam will
bring this to a close by wishing
you to accept a brothers love and
besure and write often
From your brother F. N. Holman

Send your Photograph or
some other kind of Profile of yourself
soon as you can get one
[Serg?] F. N. H.