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Washington, April 23rd, 1867.

Major Genl. O. O. Howard,
Commissioner of Abandoned Lands, Refugees and Freedmen,
General;
At the request of Mr. Joseph Segar, I take leave to state to you, the facts within my personal knowledge in regard to the occupation of his lands near Hampton, Va. 
When I took command of Fortress Monroe, on the 22d May 1861, Mr. Segar was in possession and apparently the owner of a large tract of land and farm known, as Roseland, just beyond Mill Creek and between that and Hampton Creek. Requiring a place to encamp and discipline a large number of [[raw? new?]] troops then being sent to me, I took military possession of all the land except the house and garden.
Mr. Segar was at that time, a refugee from Hampton, and soon after claimed the protection of the United Sates at the Fortress. The land remained in possession of the United States, till I was relieved in August, 1861. Being again appointed to the Command, in