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Jacksonville Ills. Aug 10th 1877 My Dear Alice After closing up a letter to you yesterday I received yours of Aug 2nd also one of the same date from Lieut. Smithers. there were notices in the "Globe Democrat" of yesterday or information to the effect that Capt. Nolan Lieut. Cooper and 26 enlisted men were either lost on the Staked Plains or killed by Indians - that the command had been 86 hours without water - that Capt. Smithers and Lieut ((Lear /)) had gone out with an additional force to hunt or search for the lost men or ((command?)) etc etc. I earnestly h ope that there is no truth in these reports - or