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[[newspaper clipping]] [[illegible]] BUREAU [[illegible]] day the agent of the Freedmen's Bureau at Powhatan Courthouse, Virginia, started for the hospital at Farmville, Virginia, in charge of an old negro, and two others - one a decrepid old man, deaf and dumb and paralytic; the other an aged negress, a lunatic. Under this sub-agent, whose transportation served only to bring them to this point, they came and were left here penniless and utterly ignorant of what course to pursue in their emergency. The sub-agent (negro) who had the patients in charge applied to one of our railroad agents for information as the what he should do. The agent took it upon himself to procure them from Farmville (their destination,) the necessary transportation, and telegraphed the representative of the Freedman's Bureau there stationed in regard to it - setting forth the facts above stated. No answer was vouchsafed. The negroes, for protection, lay during the night under one of the tanks at the station.

During the night the paralytic old man fell into the well under the tank and was killed. The agent, who had previously telegraphed the Major representing the Freedman's Bureau at Farmville, again telegraphed him, stating the above fact, and asked that the remaining two be supplied with transportation. To this request he received the curt reply from one whose duty, it seems to me, was to see these unfortunates cared for, and who should have made such application himself: This office has no transportation; apply to Captain Barnes, Peterburg - signed Major Jordan. Seeing the thanklessness on the part of their "guardian angels" that attended his efforts to aid these negroes, the agent in a short time raised the amount necessary to decently bury the remains of the dead, and furnish the others with the means of prosecuting their journey from the citizens in the neighborhood. [[/newspaper clipping]]


3d Vol 310

Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and [[Abandoned Lands,]]
HEAD QUARTERS SUPERINTENDENT [[2nd DISTRICT]]
Petersburg, Va., [[June 6. 1866]]

STUART BARNES,
Capt., A.Q.M. and Sup't.

Lieut. F A. Page
Asst Supt. Powhatan [[C. H. Va]]

Lieut:
Enclosed find paragraph cut from Petersburg Paper.

You will immediately make a full report on this case

Very Resp'ty
Your Obt Svt
Stuart Barnes
Capt and A.Q.M
Supt 2d Dist

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-07-28 15:19:23 Date of letter obtained from previous page.