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Office Sub Comr B Freedmen
Washington Miss Oct 20" 1865

Maj Free }
Insp Genl B F }
State of Miss }

Sir. At your instance I make a report of the Condition of Colony for destitute Freedmen at Washington Miss.

The colony now contains (676) Six hundred and 
seventy-six Freedmen. of this number (476) Four hundred and seventy-six are dependants the remaining (200) Two hundred is made up of the Families of Govt Employees Soldiers wives and families and those sent in by Sub Comrs from the Surrounding Counties, who are fed and sheltered for a few days untill they can be sent onto other plantations to labor A portion of the employes get $10 per month and subsist their families others get less and their families are classed with the dependants.

The Colony proper is situated in the lowlands of St Catherine Creek. had it been located upon the high lands adjacent I trust the health of the people would have been better. I have had all of the houses whitewashed, and have kept the grounds & surrounding clean, yet there has been a good deal of ague in the colony.

The Officer in charge of Freedmen at Washington located the Colony upon the lands of a Mrs Branch. the location was made contrary to the wishes of the owner, as she was living upon her plantation, and it was

Transcription Notes:
ague= malaria or some other illness involving fever and shivering.