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0751

Union Springs Ala Oct 24th 1866

Genl:
Permit me to occupy a few moments of your time in making an enquiry; I have for nearly a year been engaged in the practice of medicine in this County, almost exclusively upon the Freedmen of this county, I have given them my whole attention faithfully, I have also furnished them with medicines until the crops could be gathered. Some days since I went among them and secured there orders upon there employers for the amounts due me for professional services & medicine furnished them, which on presenting in many instances I have been informed by them (The Planters.) that the Freedmen generally were in there debt, It seems that the employers are more or less interested in Stores and by giving Freedmen Orders for good, they bring him in debt, and our professional bills are entirely overlooked, I am a stranger in this country, It being my first years practice in the south, I therefore take this means of asking you for information on this subject, and for a letter from you giving your opinion & views on this subject, so that I might exhibit it to the parties concerned, It may be the means of securing my bills without litigation which would be very inconvenient to me at this time.
I am Genl very respectfully, your Obt. Sevt. 
Charles Nickerson, M. D.

To.
Wager Swayne
Majr. Genl. Commd [[8?]]
Dept. of Alabama 
Montg.