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(5) From St Stephens I sent you a brief report of my doings. On Tuesday at about 3 P.M. I reached Bladen Springs in Chochtaw Co. Our forage was here exhausted and Capt Schafer was obliged to get some fodder, a matter of some difficulty. In the morning I met at my tent some ten or twelve citizens and planters and explained to them the nature of my mission as it related to the Freedmen of the Country. They had heard of the existence of a Freedmen's Bureau but had a very imperfect idea of its operations. While his or there appeared to appreciate the existing status of the negro and manifested a decent inclination to make the best of circumstances, the majority were doubting and disbelieving. This I formed to be general- where I met one man who seemed inclined to appreciate the new order of things I met fifty who expressed perfect faithlessness in any other system than compulsory labor. I should exaggerate but little were I to say. I met many who hardly knew the war was ended, certainly many who are not half conquered. I distributed freely through my trips Gen Order No 12. On Wednesday morning I also met several citizens and conversed with them fully. Taking a squad of 10 men I then went out to investigate the case of the shooting of two colored soldiers by one Ware on the