U.S.S.C. Douglas Hospital
USSC		Washington DC
USSC  USSC            July 8th 1864

	Mr. B F Marsh
		          Dear Friend [Recd?]
your letters of the 2nd & 3rd [and?]
it found me in good health
as usual my wound is not
improving very fast although
I have little fear as to the 
result in the end but I
would like it to get well
sooner but it is a very tedious
kind of a wound you see
the ball went through the
bone perpendicularly the
Surgeon says it I was a
lucky boy but I do not think
I was so very lucky because

there is so large a
place to knit together
it will take a good while
to heal up
     I recd a letter from Fred
Ed a short time since
he was well and as fat
as a hog he said
    Now in regard to his
stopping the rent on the 
old house I have nothing to
say. I advised him to let
Mother have the use of both
houses and do not know
why he did not
    I do not know much about
the arrangements he made
only I know he paid nearly
$200.00 to off the debts on the
place he may have thought
that he ought to be com-
pensated for the money he

paid out
	Now let us not have
any thing more to say about
                                              about
it but let us have no hard feelings ^
	About the news there
is considerable here the
Rebels are in [Harpers Ferry?]
and vicinity and they have
crossed the river at various
places but they have not
got any farther than Hagers-
town and Middletown Md
there are a good many conj-
ectures as to the number of
them and their object
they are estimated at from 5
to 30,000 men and some
the papers think that
Baltimore and Washington
are the places aimed at
others think it only a plun
dering expedition

but whatever is their object
I am certain they can not
take either of these cities
it is very warm weather
here now but not as bad
as where you are
    it is very tedious to write
a long letter as I have to sit
upin bed and it makes my
[illegible in original] back ache and I will
close give my respects to all
the boys of my aquaintence
and write soon to your 
friend
	    August B Holmes

BF. Marsh
Co G Eighth Mich Infantry