Viewing page 49 of 257

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

War Department, 
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, 
Washington, May 15. 1866.

Stated that he was mustered out of service some 8 months ago, since which time he has been living in Paducah and Smithland Ky. and engaged in collection of claims of widows of colored soldiers. He has had nothing to do with the running of plantations. About four months ago at Columbus Ky. he was introduced to Mr John Walters, formerly a rebel Captain, and now of the firm of Briggs, Walters & Co of Eastport Miss, but acting as police officer at Mobile Ala. where a few days after said Walters proposed to [[blank]] that he should join the firm of J. Bowzer & Co,, 64 Water St., Mobile. [[blank]] was to procure negroes from the Freedmen's Bureau for the ostensible purpose of giving them legitimate employment on a plantation called "Lyons Plantation, Escontia Co. Fla. 75 miles from the mouth of the river on the west side, a plantation leased for the avowed purpose of cotton raising, but not planted, and used as a depot for the collection of colored men, women and children who are brought to the plantation for the purpose of shipment to Cuba by the Agents of C.M. Godbolt, residing at Battle House, Mobile, of J. Bowzer & Co. and of one Foster of

Transcription Notes:
I think the county in Fla should be "Escambia" instead of "Escontia" (writer's error).