Poolsville    March 2nd 1863

		Dear Mother  I
  take my pen in hand to let you
know that I have received your
welcome letter of the 5th it found
me well I have had the best of health
since I came in the army you must
not be uneasy about me for I like
soldiering firstrate but I must tell
you where we are we have been
here at Poolsville (it is some 40 miles
from Washington) about two weeks
and we have had real fun ever
since we came here we are doing
scouting duty that is one of the
Sergeants goes out with a squad of about
five or six miles men and
rides all over the country and
capture all the government
property in the [shape?] of [blankets?]

clothes [illegible in original] guns etc etc
I went out yesterday with
    Hiram Whalen in Command
we went direct to Edwards ferry
and thence up the Potomac on
the towpath of the canal which
runs into the river to Conrads ferry
and at tone of the picket stations
the guards were considerably excited
and said that a number of 
our troops had crossed the
River and a battle was expected
soon we passed on about one
mile and on the other side of the
river we saw the rebles about a
mile from the river on the
bluffs. it was reported that their
was three thousand rebel Cavalry
in Leesburg which is about two
miles from the river you perhaps
have heard pretty large stories about
the Potomac but is is not avery
large river I do not think it is over

      60 rods across it but
    there is a large Island in it
of about three thousand Acres
in it. there was a party of fifteen
men out on a scout last night
and they had a citizen who was
a union man and who had been
watching a rebel Captain who
was in these parts enlisting men
			           n
for the southern army this ma^
piloted them to the place and
they took the man and some others
				   ed
and scouted all night and return^
in the morning and our Captain
gave the rebel officer to the charge.
of a sergant and three men
but when they got within
a mile of this place I am sorry to
say the prisoner escaped by running
his horse in to the woods our
men shot at them but missed
him but that is enoughof
that for this time. [Mr Payne?]

well I got a letter from
Edgar Thrempes yesterday
I have not heard from 
Frank since I came to Washington
had aletter from Edwin not
long since and he was well
but I must stop for tonight
for it is time to go to bed so god 
night
		Augustus B Holmes
	Wednesday morning it is cold and
windy today I have just been out
watering my horse    there is a whole
Brigade of troops in and about
Poolsville and a battery of light artillery
I wrote you a letter the day
after we came here I am on cook
duty today and have to bring
water it is pretty hard work
you may think we live on 
hard tack and beef pork etc
but I must stop for this time so good bye
this from your dear son Augustus B. Hol
					      mes

Hannah  [Holmes?]