Douglas Hospital Washington DC
					       May 24th 1864
			
		Dear Mother 
			          I recieved your welcome
letter of the 18 [and?] now which I [illegible in original] you have
not recieved my letter which I wrote since
coming to this Hospital I wrote it the [13th?]
you must put off all anxiety on my account as my
wound is flourishing first rate although my leg is
broken I will not be able to go to the “front” in
5 or 6 months again it is rather tiresome to be
in bed so long because I was never confined to
my bed so long before in my life. I think I shall
be able to go out on crutches in a month or so than
I will be a happy boy. I thank God that it
is a well with me as it is I might have been shot
in the head instead of the leg then it would
be far different with me. I have plenty of good

religious reading furnished me by the Chaplin of
the Hospital and the citizens also bring in some
once in a while so the time passes off pretty well
but the best thing to pass away time is to get good
long Cheerfull letters from friends
    I think [illegible in original] you need not have any anxiety about
    Frank as he is at Corps. Head Quarters
in the Provost Guard and that Guard is
never engaged in battle but is kept in the
rear to keep up stragglers. so I think you can
be easy about him      Edwin has done things
as he thought best he has paid up nearly all
of the debts and as for taking Fred away I had nothing
to do with it  Mother I have no hard feelings
toward you but Id think it was wrong to
give that ten dollars ($10.00) to Alvah. I thought
you would have considered it sacred to the purpose
for which I left it to get Fathers Grave stones
but Edwin got them and so we will let it 

    I wrote a letter to Frank and sent it yesterday
I have also written one to Fred also to Edwin my
health is good and my appetite also is good and most
too good for I can  hardly get enough to satisfy it
the Dr gives me a glass of Ale at dinner time I
think I will get to be a great [illegible in original] some time
a [illegible in original] gave me a large palmleaf fan to keep me
cool on hot summer days I was visited by a Lady
the other day who is a member of the Michigan
Association she said I could get any thing I
want of it by asking for it but as I was pretty well
provided for I did not ask for anything well I must
close for the present so good bye from your son
			Augustus B Holmes
Mrs. [I?] H Holmes
(PS) direct to Douglas Hospital Ward No 2. Bed 89
			Washington. D.C. dont put 
			the Co & Regt on the envelope