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It was a matter of great surprise to one to find that, only a few days after my assuming Command of this Sub-District, this Meeting was held, whereas so grave an object seemed to have been entirely neglected by Churchill, who has been here for many months, - I could only arrive at one conclusion, that while many of the Officers of the Bureau were laboring faithfully to carry out the objects of the Bureau, which I believe to be the improvement of the condition of the Freed-men. Wilder, with Churchill under him, evidently lost sight of this while keeping selfish interests in view. So long as the freedmen were congregated in masses they were an expense to the Bureau and the Government, whilst if distributed about the country, on the farms, earning an honest livelihood, they would add to their prosperity, the wealth of the State, and the Revenues of the Government.

It being a plain proposition that no man owning land, without money, would hesitate to improve his condition and increase his resources, if possible for him to make his land productive by labor. This State of affairs, it appeared to me indicated gross mismanagement somewhere, I gave it serious attention, and, after dilligent inquiry, was convinced, and still believe that the bad councils of Churchill have mainly caused this trouble in this vicinity.

I do not believe Churchill can tell the truth if he were desirous of doing so. I again assert that his letters are false in every particular so far as they relate to me, or any acts of mine. He stands, at the War Department Surgeon General's Office, as the maker of a report upon another officer which, upon investigation, proved to be an "infamous falsehood" — the United States Government taking occasion to send a detective