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[[stamp]] THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF THE UNITED STATES [[/stamp]]

La Fayette Ala Nov 10th 1866

Mr W.H. Barnes

Dear Sir
As you expect to leave for Montgomery tomorrow to attend the meeting of the Legislature as one of the Members of the Senate I take the liberty of asking you to attend to a matter there as soon as convenient after your arrival. It is this. You have a personal knowledge of Harry Reid (a colored man) and his family consisting of a wife & six children running from about 12 years old down to three years. He was brought here by his former owner Dr. Wm. S. Reid from Tennessee some 3 or 4 years since and you also know that when Dr. Reid left here with his White family for Tennessee about a year ago that he had great difficulty in raising the necessary means to pay the expenses of removing his White family and was with great reluctance compelld - not only to leave Harry & his family behind but also several other Negroes that formerly belonged to him.

You also know that Harry altho, a well disposed fellow is not very healthy or very thrifty and if he remains here with his helpless family will at least suffer if they do not starve.

He has relations in Tennessee who have written to him that if he can get back there they can & will support him & his family and at least keep them from suffering.