Fort Otter
Near Battleford
Apl 29/85

Dear Father

I wrote you by the mail yesterday and enclosed signed cheques on the Union Bank and at the same time told you that on account of the uncertainty of the mail service that I would send some more on by another mail. I would not have written to you so soon but that I have been ordered to go along with 19 more of our best shots, under Lieut Gray to proceed at once to Poundmakers reserve. The expedition will consist besides us of 45 men from C. School, 80 men from B. Battery, 60 from the Queens Own and 75 men of the Mounted Police under Col. Herchmer – the whole to be under the command of Col. Otter. The undertaking is no doubt a dangerous one but of course we are obliged to do what we are ordered, without regard to our private opinion. However you will have heard the result long before this reaches you. If it should not prove [several words unreadable due to damaged paper] I hope that you will bear up well and do your best to comfort Mother. I hope you have fixed up my insurance all right which no doubt I have done. So good bye for the present – lights out has sounded. Give my best love to Mother and the rest of the family and believe me

Your affectionate son
Lewis L. Brophy

[written along left margin of last page, date/author unknown: “April 29^th/85”]