BATCHELDER'S EXPRESS, MS. EXPRESS COMPANY MARKING, USED WITH 3C DULL RED (26) TIED BY BLUE GRID, MATCHING KEOKUK IOWA DATESTAMP, ALSO 'DUE 7' (OF SAN FRANCISCO CAL.), RE-RATED BY BATCHELDER'S '50 CTS' IN MS., ON MAY 16, 1861 COVER TO FT. OWENS, 'FLATHEAD COUNTRY' WASH. TERR., 'VIA WALLA-WALLA', ON A RED AND BLUE FLAG PATRIOTIC (WALCOTT 3025, GEN. DIX INSCRIPTION), SLIGHTLY REDUCED AT R., SOME EDGEWEAR BUT INTACT AND FINE, VERY SCARCE, ONE OF TWELVE COPIES RECORDED, ALL FROM THE SAME CORRESPONDENCE, AN UNUSUAL AND ATTRACTIVE COVER, ILLUSTRATED IN NATHAN