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0508

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
HEADQUARTERS OF ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER,
Baltimore, Md. October 13th, 1866

Maj. Genl. O.O.Howard.
Commissioner, Bu. R.F. & A.L.
Washington D.C.

General:

In accordance with instructions, I have the honor to report that I have carefully examined into the cause and origin of the riot which occurred on the night of the 30th of August 1866, at the Camp Meeting of the M.E. Church in Shipleys woods, Ann Arundel County, Maryland.
More than forty witnesses have been examined at this office, including prominent ministers of the M.E. Church, many of the tent holders, many of the colored people themselves as well as strangers accidentally present.
By the evidence it appears, that for a long series of years the M.E. Church have been in the habit of holding Camp Meetings on the ground named above, at which it was the universal custom for the colored people to attend. That on this occasion, they, ie, the colored people were present as usual, and had their camping ground assigned to them by the proper officers appointed for the purpose of selecting camping ground for both whites and colored - that the camp meeting was more than usually quiet and orderly until the last night of the meeting;- that the meeting on the night of the 30th of August was one of more than usual solemnity and impressiveness, - that the riot