United States Land Office,
		Traverse City, Mich., June 24 1861

DM Bagley Esq.,
	Old Veteran:
		     I suppose you will [illegible in original] Proof
this year. I shall get [illegible in original] to print my lists.
and I wish you would see that they are done up
right. and got off at an early day. It is almost
impossible to get the proof sheets "back and [illegible in original]" from
this isolated point, and I thought it safer to have
them printed and [illegible in original] these.
     Will you please inform me what was done
with [illegible in original] lands? Were the [illegible in original], or
will they be advertised? What will my lists,
(Grand Traverse, Manistee, [Manitou?], Cheboygan and
Mackinac) probably amount to?
     I am [illegible in original] close with business.
and have hardly time to write a line
		Your old friend
			Morgan Bates


[Written on left hand side of Scan 2]

Morgan Bates
	Traverse City
June 24, 1861
ans July 24, 1862