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send it by my orderly.
thereupon disliking to give further publicity to the matter and knowing that it was merely to annoy me I paid them no further attention, but addressed a note to you on the subject, so regards the "giving publicity to a confidential communication I did the best I could. I tried to get them quietly & privately for some six or eight days, for until I received a letter from you requesting a reply to "confidential letter") before I wrote or said in anything on the subject, and then as the editors of this paper have done every thing in thier power to annoy me personally misrepresent my official actions, and also tried to create an ill feeling against the Freedmen, and in Just all Union men, and as I had tried every other way to obtain the required information I thought I was not overstepping bounds to write them as I did, being certain that if I visited thier office personally I should be insulted. 

If I have betrayed confidence it was an error of judgment only, and through anxiety to follow instructions.
J.M. Hall
Lt. VRC Asst Supt.
M.62
M.198 R.F.& A.L. Va. 1st Vol 1867

Bureau R.F.& A.L.
Head Qrs 9' Dist. Va.
Respectfully returned to Bt. Brig. Genl. Brown. Asst. Comm'r with attention invited to endorsement of Lieut. Hall hereon - also to enclosed copy of the communication originally sent Lieut. Hall on the subject, by me -
John A. McDonnell
Capt & Supt.
E&M 196 V.1. 1867
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