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Columbus County North Carolina
Feby 5th 1868

Genl. Allan Rutherford
Sub Asst. Com. Wilmington

Dear Sir

I have this day received your letter of the 31st Ult. I must say I was not a little surprised at its contents, that Alfred Smith (Freedman) had reported me to you, for taking possession of 19 Bushels and 3 pecks of corn, belonging to him, and that I refused to give it up to him, there is not one word of truth in the statement, it is true that he is security for Barney Powell to me for $43 but I never held his corn on that account as you will see by the annexed statement of his own indebtedness to me. I have repeatedly offered Powell the opportunity of working for me to pay the rate, at as high rate of Labor as I pay any one, I am now paying these men each fifty cents a hundred for each and feeding them, they make from 150 to 250 rails cash a day or in other words from $20 to 25 dollars a month