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Vicksburg Miss;
Aug. 30, 1865

Col Samuel Thomas
Asst. Com. Bureau of Freedmen TC, 

Col:

It is respectfully asked that the McDowell plantation be restored to the custody of Mrs. Jane M. McDowell, widow of James R. McDowell, deed. 

The facts are these; — Mr. McDowell died in 1857. In 1859 the place was sold to Dr Buckner & Mrs McDowell removed to New York to educate her children, eight in number; but the purchaser could not or would not make the payments and just as the rebellion broke out Mrs McDowell was compelled to take the place back, with great loss. She resided in the place, (which is situated on the Louisiana side of the river, in Madison Parrish, a few miles above Vicksburg) during the first seige of the city by our troops from New Orleans. She suffered so much from the army & navy that on the approach of Gen. Grant's fleet in 1863, she left the place and went to Texas where she had two brothers, in business