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Naval Hospital Norfolk Va
Nov 24, 1869

Gen. O.O. Howard

Dr Sir
Please recognize in the writer an old chaplain in the Navy & a native of the "Pine Tree" state. This much by way of introduction.

My subject is, a school-house for the colored people in Portsmouth Va; to accommodate the "Excelsior school."

The colored people are mainly Baptists or Methodists & when they came out of the house of bondage they were more than penniless, because they had helpless children to feed, clothe & shelter.

Before the war, the Methodists had a good brick church of their own; but with that advantage they have as much as they can do to sustain a pastor & support their families.

But the Baptist portion of the colored people are not near as well off as