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Bureau of Refugees Freedmen & & &
Off Supt. 4th Dist. State of Va
Gordonsville Aug 31 1865

Col. O. Brown
Asst Commissioner
Richmond VA

Col-
In this district I find that in many instances the larger proportion of laborers have left plantations, leaving behind a large number of women & children & but few & in some cases no laborers. The men have followed the army away at different times during the war or have left since the Evacuation of Richmond. I have daily applications to know what is to be done in such cases - Military orders have hitherto forbidden planters to force or drive away the women & children on their plantations, and thus far I have [[?]] [[?]] the avoided all responsibility in the premises - But some plan of action should be adopted at once - Farmers say "If we are required to support all the helpless ones we cannot afford to pay those who are able to work." In many instances this is true. Hence able bodied men receive either very inadequate Compensation, or are under the necessity of working