Bryan: I might have seen it early on --- and didn't grasp its significance then for my interest in them was different then.

Thanks again, for this explains Special Orders No 72, of Hq Army of the West, dated August 28th 1862, which;

"Detailed [Lt Gray] to take charge of horses and recurits"

In Sept - Oct 1862 Muster Roll states Gray "absent" "On detached service in Arks since Sept 1, 1862."

His wife's published dairy (1983 Spring & Summer, AHQ) entry 23 Nov 1863, mentions he was there a year ago gathering horses, and his records have him in Little Rock the 14th Nov buying forage, with J H Bartholomew having him in Camp Rogers, Lumpkin's Mill, 11th Dec returning from Ark.

Van Dorn and the 3rd Ark left for Holly Springs the 17th and the 19th Jeff Davis meet at Granada with his new head man Joesph Johnston discusing Vicksburg. (Oliver and Virginia, before adopting Arkansas summer 1860, spent 1859-60 school year, 6-mi northwest of Holly Springs, near where Solon Borland's brother, Euclid, had plantations starting 1836.)

This letter clarifes intials of William T M Holmes and Robert H Dedman for me.

Thank you Bryan.