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L. James' Landing, Ala
River, Aug 16. 1865

Brig. Genl Wager Swayne,

Genl,
On my return home a few days ago from Montgomery I found that two freedmen, Jim and Albert with whom I had contracted to remain with me during this year, had left my plantation without any provocation and are now in Mobile. I write, therefore, to request that you will telegraph the Provost Martial at Mobile on the receipt of this to arrest these two men on the spot, punish them severely for their conduct and send them back to me as an example to those remaining.
Albert is a dark mulatto about 27 yrs of age, six ft high and has a wife and three children dependent upon him for a support. Jim is a jet black, heavy set negro and has no family. There is every reason to believe that these two negroes were induced to leave by the other negroes, to test this question and see if any punishment could be inflicted upon them for a violation of their contract. If they

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