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ever there is a prospect of its being useful. There are several counties which for those reasons I should be glad to have patrolled, and I am in hopes that (when) Major Miller returns, he will be able to suggest the proper persons to take it in hand. I need hardly say that Governor Parsons will do any thing he can, he may be relied on for any thing that can be shown to be right.

[[left margin]] Captain Crydenwise [[/left margin]]
Captain H. M. Crydenwise Seventy third U.S.C.T. was relieved from duty some time since and ordered to his regiment near New Orleans. He was about the best officer we had, and I wrote to him acknowledging his services and those of his wife who taught a good school. On Saturday I received his answer wishing to return if he could be transferred before muster out. I felt justified in telegraphing you to that affect and included the name of Chaplain S. S. Gardner of the same regiment now on duty at Selma. The want of officers continues to be pressing, and I renew my suggestion that such officers be sent me from the staff of returning Generals, as can be secured and are worthy of entire confidences.

[[left margin]] Families turned off [[/left margin]]
A good deal of trouble arises from cases of freedmen with large families of small children. Some of these women are widows. Some have had their husbands sold before we came here, and some were deserted by their husbands, their whole education giving them loose ideas of the marriage relation. Where the planter has a good crop, a solution can be found; but where he has little or none, there are practical difficulties which I shall make the subject of study and consultation.

[[left margin]] Educational interests [[/left margin]]
There begin to be some indications of interest in the education of the freedmen and here and there a practical effort in that way. If I had

some school books, they could be used by way of encouragement so as to produce a good effect. to new teachers have been sent here by the Aid Society since I came here and those they have complain of delay of remittances and re-inforcements, so that I feel the more anxious to work all auxiliary means.

[[left margin]] Circular No 15 [[/left margin]]
The newspapers have furnished me copies of Circular No Fifteen. From what I see I am satisfied that as there is in this State no property that in the sense of the Statute is "Abandoned" so also what is "confiscable" will amount to little or nothing. Indeed I apprehend a proclamation of General Amnesty, in respect to which however you are of course much better informed than I am.

[[left margin]] Property seized by Treasury Agents [[left margin]]
But there are in this State and particularly about Selma a large number of buildings, late the property of the rebel Government. So many eager hands are seizing these, particularly capacious Treasury Agents that in the absence of an officer who can make it his special business to hunt them out we have not been able to finally vindicate our claims. At Selma particularly I am advised that a man named Nott, acting under authority of one Montague Collector of Customs at Mobile has got an order endorsed by The Department Commander to seize all captured property, and is taking all this real estate as such. Selling the bricks from the burnt buildings, and in conjunction with a similar effort on the part of citizens, is laboring to drive the freedmen from the town. I have not been able to get a copy of Nott's orders, but am in hopes this week to settle the whole question by getting the U.S. Marshall to levy on all the property in question and turn it over to us. I however telegraphed you last week, because in the lower part of the State, where there is

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