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of the removal of the surplus population from this troublesome district, the rule should be to combine strong local pressure with free egress and assistance. It would be false economy to curtail the means of transportation here.

In York County, where a court is also in operation, two mounted orderlies are required for the same reason as above stated. In this county also the necessity for transportation in connection with the moving of the freedmen exists in a still greater degree than in Elizabeth City County, in consequence of the greater distances of the required moving. I recommend that besides the two orderlies' horses, there should be as now two teams of two horses each, and one of four mules in charge of the Assistant Superintendent, whose jurisdiction also extends to James City County.

The Assistant Superintendent at Accomac is now obliged to draw rations for eight(8) soldiers, and the forage for the animals, a distance of forty five(45) miles. It is cheaper to allow the two horses used for a team for this purposes to remain there while the military force is retained, than to hire transportation.

The Assistant Superintendent of Mathews and Gloucester Counties is obliged to draw rations [[strikethrough]] every [[/strikethrough]] seventeen miles every seven days for the destitutes there, now numbering nine. I recommend that a single horse team be allowed while this [[strikethrough]] remaining is [[/strikethrough]] remains necessary.

I have thus recommended the retention of thirty nine(39) animals out of the forty six(46) reported. But I cannot conclude this report without again directing attention to the miserable condition of the public animals in this District.

Transcription Notes:
---------- Reopened for Editing 2023-11-17 10:15:39