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Office Supt. B.R.F & A.L.
Mobile Ala Jany 12th 1866

Bvt. Maj General
Wager Swayne
Asst. Com &c
Montgomery Ala

General
I send for your information the affidavit of Serg't Gilkeson who commanded the guard on the Steamer "Lilly" at the time of her capture by "Cotton thieves" on her way down to this city from Demopolis with Gov't Cotton.
This is the second affair of the kind that has occurred within a month at the same place (Gays Landing) in Marengo Co. on the Tombigbee River. The first was the case of the "Dove" but she escaped capture- not however until the marauders had fired 35 shots into & around her Pilot House. I send this to you as evidence of the almost total want of civil law and civil authority in that section of the State
I see it stated in the papers that Gov. Patton has been notified by Gen'l Thomas that the troops will