Washington    Dec 29th 1862
	Dear Mother   once more
I take my pen to write you
a few lines my health is pretty
good at present but have had
a bad cold for the past week
and have been so hoarse I could
not speak loud was on guard last
night we have “sabres” but do
not have our horses when on guard
we came to this camp day before
yesterday we have been encamped
about a mile from this place

and it is abot 3 miles from the
“Capitol” which is the most splendid
building I ever saw and is made of
marble the “Senate” room is also a
beautiful room. the road through
Pennsylvania is very crooked
and turns about among the mountains
very much in one place it
forms a perfect horse shoe in shape
the Mountains look first rate
the weather here is very nice and
warm while I suppose you have
cold weather and snowy. there is
some talk that we will stay
here and guard the City as
provost guards I bought some
straw the other day and paid
one shilling for a little armful
but that is better than to 
sleep on the ground. milk is
10 ct per quart half water at that
I wrote you a letter the day

and it is abot 3 miles from the
“Capitol” which is the most splendid
building I ever saw and is made of
marble the “Senate” room is also a
beautiful room. the road through
Pennsylvania is very crooked
and turns about among the mountains
very much in one place it
forms a perfect horse shoe in shape
the Mountains look first rate
the weather here is very nice and
warm while I suppose you have
cold weather and snowy. there is
some talk that we will stay
here and guard the City as
provost guards I bought some
straw the other day and paid
one shilling for a little armful
but that is better than to 
sleep on the ground. milk is
10 ct per quart half water at that
I wrote you a letter the day

I wrote to Frank the
other day but have not had
any answer yet his Reg was
in the fight at Fredricksbo
			  rg
but was not cut up much
I have no time to write more
present write soon from your
dear son Augustus Holmes
	   Co I 6th Mich Cav
Direct.   Washington DC
	      care capt Deane
Mrs Hannah [J?] Holmes
	Fentonville