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The Commonwealth of Virginia,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Richmond, Novr 29th 1865.

Col Brown:
Dr Sir
In reply to your enquiry in regard to the number of freedmen in Virginia at this time, and the number exported to the South, annually, previous to the Rebellion, I regret to have to say that I have no certain data from which I can speak. From reccollection, I would say that the number of slaves & free colored persons in Virginia before the war was, in round numbers, about 500,000. A large number were taken to the South during the war that have not come back;- others have gone to the North Western & Middle States, and I think the mortality among them has been greater since, than before the revolution. My opinion is that there cannot be much error in placing the number now in the State, at what it was in 1860. I think there is a greater proportion of women & children now, than at that time owing to the fact [[strikethrough]] that [[/strikethrough]] of so large a proportion of the men having gone into the army & the [[strikethrough]] Norther [[/strikethrough]] other states. 
I am
Yrs &c.
F.H. Pierpoint