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Fort Monroe March 16 /66.

Col. O. Brown
Asst. Com

Colonel I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram asking if the colored people held my receipts for moneys advanced as security for horses &c.  - They do.

When the order to call in all the Q. Master's Horses loaned out to Cold. people, there was great excitement which it seemed impossible to allay

They did not want the horses & mules taken away even if the money was restored.  They had wintered them through at a large expense to themselves, & having rented lands most of them, & in the midst of Spring operations.

They hold my receipts pledging the return of the money if the horses were taken back.

Many of the horses had improved 50 to 500 pr. ct. so that the govt. will gain probably over $5000. by paying out about $1000.

As there was no time to spare, or receiving your telegram to make the best arrangement I could, and confering with Col. Blunt our Q.M. who seemed desirous to favor the Cold. people as far as he could consistently with getting the best prices

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---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-09-21 07:23:35