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Selma Ala Dec 20th 1865
Brev Maj Genl [[?]]
[[stamp]] The National Archive Of The United States [[/stamp]]
Sir, 
In the absence of Mr Gardner who is on a tour though the country I write you for information concerning the freemen. I am one of the company of which lieut McArthur is a member, and as the time is fast approaching when we shall a make contracts for labor for another year, we desire to know that disposition is to be made of the aged and infirm and such others as are not effective laborers. We are unanimous in the opinion that they should be removed from the plantation before the beginning of a new year, to enable us to make the contracted labor more active and efficient and to free us from the embarrassment of providing for them. I have conversed freely with the citizens in this part of the country and they almost unanimously manifest a desire to employ the freedmen in compliance with the instructions of