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Nov 26/64.
Lt E.M. Wheelock
Sir
Yesterday I visited Capt Powell in Algiers, who authorized me to Call in the aid of the military to eject the parties residing in the Contemplated School house in Gretna. I instructed the Colored Soldiers to eject one woman summarily, tomorrow, at 12 o'clock is to the other woman, who is a Soldier's widow with two small children, the Capt said we must exercise a little humanity, that she could not be tuned out on the streets, and that he knew; for the present, of no confiscated house to assign to her. I informed him that you would let her stay in the back Kitchen until he found a house. Henry, the janitor of Gretna talks of a confiscated house, but it may be all moonshine; however, I spoke of it to the Capt and I instructed Henry to call, with the widow, tomorrow at his office, and give him all the information he has acquired concurring the Said Confiscated house. The Soldiers will clear the house of both women tomorrow at 12; then the carpenter may pull down the partitions, thus leaving two large rooms for our use.
Out the river, desks and seats are still required, I have given a list of them to the Carpenter, today, with instructions to submit this list to you for your approval.
Today and perhaps tomorrow, I shall take John Davis through the city to show him where to put up the stores, and take a note of the small pieces still wanting. In Miss Olive's School on Louisiana Avenue, I shall effect a saving of about 12 or 15 dollars by passing a piece of pipe now in the school through a pane of sheet iron, instead of purchasing about 20 feet of pip of a large diameter to run up through the roof, as the congregation had done. The glazier & Stove work being nearly through, I shall, by Saturday, be able to attend to the privy business. Respectfully JH Ford.