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BURNING NEGRO CHURCHES AT PETERSBURG, VA. — At Petersburg, Va. on Monday night last, two churches belonging to the colored people were set on fire and consumed, and during the conflagration another was discovered on fire, but in time to save the building. The event has caused much excitement in the community. The Index says:
From every quarter and from all classes we have heard an unbroken comment of regret and indignation that there could have been found within the limits of Petersburg one heart so profligate and abandoned as to inflict this outrage on our colored people, and there is a disposition equally widespread to take every possible means to hunt down the author or authors of the crime. If the guilty parties imaged that they would find the faintest shadow of approval of their villany in this community, they have been wofully deceived. In no part of Virginia, or of the South, does a better feeling exist between the whites and blacks.

War Department,
Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen and Abandoned Lands,
Washington, May 7th 1866.

Genl. O. Brown
Asst. Com. Va.

General.
I enclose a slip from the Nt. Intelligencer of this A.M. The people of Petersburg must hasten to make amends for the wicked burning of negro churches, else it will be hard to convince the country that the citizens do not sympathize with this vile work. It is being done all over the land and as sure as you live insurrection will, nay must follow such lawless conduct.

Respy yrs
O. O. Howard
Maj. Gen.

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