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Staunton, Augusta County, Va.
May 20th, 1866.

Major General O Howard,
Commissioner Bureau
R F & A Lands,
Washington, D.C.

I have the honor to respectfully request your attention to the following statement and request: Since the first of January of this year I have been serving as agent, on the part of the Freedmen, in the Bureau R F & A Lands, in this town. I consented to serve, at the request of the Asst. Supt., when it was not at all probable that another person could have been induced to occupy the position, owing to the noted disloyalty of the Citizens, and the predudice existing against the existance of the Bureau.

I am a poor man and owing to the predudice against me, on account of my known loyalty to the Government, and my connection with the Bureau, I have but excedingly limited means to support myself.

Therefore I respectfully ask that you will use your influence and power, as Chief of the Bureau, with the view to accord some remuneration, however moderate, for the service I have rendered to the Freedmen; every one of whom would cheerfully endorse this application If it was deemed necessary: and I do further assure you I should not have made this application but for my pecuniary embarresment, as I served without expectation of pecuniary reward.

I am a Returned refugee, an [[strikethrough]] d [[/strikethrough]] unconditional loyal man, and a Virginian. With reference to this application, allow me to refer you to Mr F S. Tukey, Asst Supt. at this place.

I am Sir, Your obt srvt. Wm J. Dews