Douglas Hospital
			Washington DC
			Nov 27th 1864

Dear Mother
	          I received
your letter with the photogra-
phs just before I started from
Jackson but was not able to
write before I left Mich
[Fred?] was well when [he?]
I left there I arrived here
safely on Wednesday but
I am not very well now
the Dr [illegible in original] my wound
the other day and since then
I have been confined to my
bed yesterday there was 
a constant stream of
cold water running onto
it conducted there by means

of a rubber [illegible in original] one end
of [which?] was in a basin
of water which sat on a
stand on the side of
the bed this morning then
put [illegible in original] flax seed poultice
on it. I do not think it is
any worse than it was except
the irritation caused by the 
probing the Dr took some
peices of bone and a small
peice of lead from the ball
with which I was wounded
I think the Dr will open
it and take the peices all
out it will be a very
painful operation but on the
whole it will best thing that
could be done for me as
it will not get well
a great while if it is
[allowed to run?]

    as it was.
There was a man met
with serious accident this 
morning just in front of
this Hospital he was riding
along at a gallop the horse
stumbled and the man
fell off the horse struck him
on the head with his
fore foot I think his skull
is broken he was brought
into this ward he is asleep 
now and I think he will
get well. I had a good
thanksgiving dinner the
24” we were paid off
on that day too
I had a good dinner today
also it was sent up by the
[cuter?] of our [illegible in original] (the
one who provided it) it consisted of
bread and butter sausage

beef catsup and pie one
of the sisters brought me 
a bowl of tea some sweet
potatoes a piece of beef and
when all together I made
good meal of it well I must
close for the present
please send me one of Franks
and Sarah’s pictures if they are
taken no [more?] at the present
time from your son A B Holmes
Mrs. H I Holmes