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Eufaula Ala May 3. 1866

To Genl. Swayne Chief of freedmans bureau,

D. Sir last fall a freedman named William Tennell Caught in the river near this place Two bales Cotton which was so badly damaged that no marks or letters could be found, he placed it in the Chattahoochie ware house took Rect for it and gave it to me, (I was acting as his agent) early in Jany a colored boy who assisted Wm. in the recovery of the cotton & whom Wm. had not, paid called on me for the receipt Saying that Wm Sent him for it. I gave it to him and he went with a Soldier who was Stationed here at the time and Sold the Cotton for Twelve dollars, to Mr. J.G.L Martin who is an Insurance officer of this place, So the boy Wm is deprived of his Cotton, I called on Gov. Shorter and Maj Butts Lawyers who say that Mr. Martin has no wrights to the Cotton unless he can identify it as Cotton Covered by his policy, and as their was no marks or letters he cannot identify it. I want the boy to have Justice and therefore appeal to you for assistance, I wrote you several days since and having recd no answer I write again hoping to hear from you.

Respectfully yours
T. D. Patterson for
Wm Tennill