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Office of Asst. Supt. of freedmen
Demopolis Ala
July 26th /65
Brig. Gen. Wagner Swaine
Ass't Commissioner of Freedman S.C.

Sir:
In compliance with your telegram of July 24th 1865 I make the following General Statement or report of my action thus far as Asst Supt of Freedman for Demopolis Ala & vicinity.

In accordance with instruction from Mr Conway Gen. Supt. Dept of the Gulf I assumed charge of this District June 2nd /65.

My instructions were to establish a home Colony on such abandoned or confiscated Lands as the Command'g General should designate.  Finding a Large number Lying about the town when I arrived I at once applied to the Gen. Comd'g Post for Lands as a Colony.  He replied that this country had suffered Little from the war, that everyone was working his own plantation & that there were no abandoned or confiscated Lands in this section.  He also said that if there were such it was too late in the season to plant crops & make the Colony in any way self supporting. He [[expanding?]] advised me, to rent plantations with all the crops then Growing on them. Acting upon this advice & as the only thing that could be done I Leased two plantations for the remainder of the year with all crops then growing on

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