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Staunton Va. Feb 6th 1867

Having heard with regret that complaints have been made against Mr. F. S. Tukey, Asst. Supt. Freedmens Bureau at this place, it gives me much pleasure to say that I have been intimately acquainted with Mr. Tukey for the last twenty years.

I was at Portsmouth Va during the whole of the time that he was Asst. Supt. of Freedmen there which according to the best of my recollection was about twenty one months and during the whole of the time was in the service of the U. S. Government and had in my employ about fifty colored men nearly all of whom drew rations from Mr. Tukey, and being then as I am now and always have been an ardent friend of the oppressed colored people I was much among them and not only them but all their Teachers and consequently had a great opportunity to learn their sentiments with regard to Mr. Tukey, and can say that he was universally beloved and respected by all parties.

I left there soon after the