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Officer Assistant Commissioner
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen
and Abandoned Lands
Montgomery, Ala. Jany 19. 1866
Bvt Maj Gen C.R. Woods
Comd'r Dept. of Ala

General;
I have the honor to submit to you certain papers forwarded to me by M.S. Foote of Mobile relative to a claim of his for the Steamer "Mary". The Blockade Runners captured on the Tombighee River have been transferred by the Treasury Dept to this Bureau. Among them is this Steamer, "Mary". 
The claim of Mr Foote, as far as the papers enclosed and the conversation he had with Col Wright,  my disbursing officer tend to make his claim appear decidedly unjust. Mr Foote decidedly prejudiced his case in my opinion by indirect hints, which, however could not be mistaken, that he would pay handsomely for possession of the boat.
I desire to do justice to Mr Foote in this matter and do no wish to delay a decision by reference
(over)