Tuesday Apl 13/85
Prairie Camp.
South Saskatchewa
N. West Field Force
Battleford Column

Dear Mother

I wrote to you last from Qu’Appelle and was not able to write since as the mail is very irregular. Leaving Swift Current 180 miles past Quappelle only once a week.

We left Qu’Appelle on the cars at 4.P.M last Saturday and arrived about 2 am Sunday and stopped on the cars until 6 a.m when we got off and camped out with the Queens Own and C. Company from Torontoo We were kept busy all day getting our rifles set and ready for the march on Monday as we were to get up at 4am to march to Battleford a distance of nearly 200 miles. We got up at 4 But before everything was ready to start it was nearly 8 oclock. however we got off and marched until 4 P.M a distance of about 15 miles across the prairie the heat is nearly as bad here as it would be at home in July. I marched in the beefskins but found they blistered my feet and they were very sore when we halted.

We had dinner at 6 P.M (such as it was) and turned in early as we were all tired out and very glad to sleep. This morning we were up at 5a.m. and after breakfast we started for the balance of the march to the ferry 15 miles more. we formed the rear Guard of the column. we arrived at the ferry at 3.30 and pitched our tents. I wore mocassins on the march and my feet were too sore to stand the beefskins we turned in early.

Wednesday Apl 14/85
I am now sitting up in my bed or I should say my blanket and I think I will stay in bed all day and try to give my feet a chance and we are not going to march to day as it will take all day to cross the river. We have certainly the active column of the campaign and have with us 1 detachment of the N.W. Mounted Police under Col. Herchmer, B. Battery with two guns and just before we left Swift Current we were joined by Capt. Howard U.S.A with two Gatling Guns. We tried them on a flock of wild Geese in the lake and killed about ten.

We have not seen any enemy yet and bets are [lively?] circulated at even money that we never will.

The government has evidently fitted out the expedition in a very mean manner as the food is miserable and not a speck of fresh meat since we left Winnipeg. beef and hard tack and vary the monotony with hard tack and corned beef.

I must now close my letter dear Mother as the courier will start soon and I must drop a line to Katie

Your loving Son
Lewis

[cross-written:] P.S. I have not heard anything from you except the first letter I got from you from Katie at Winnipeg so if there is anything you think I should touch on that I do not you will understand the reason.
Lewis

[written at left side of final page, date/author unknown: “April 13^th/85”]