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Office Supt. R.F. and A.L.
Dist. No. 9. State of Virginia.
Fort Monroe, Va. Sept. 19th 1865

Col. O. Brown.
Asst. Com'r Freedmen's Bureau, State of Virginia.
Richmond, Va.

Colonel.
I have the honor to state in reply to your communication of the 18th inst. that the horses in this District, have been worked so severely, and are so poor in flesh that they are totally unfit for the service required.

If the Government cannot furnish the horses necessary for our work, if it will give an order authorizing me to seize, and use horses and saddles, now in the hands of resident secesh. of which there are quite a number in several counties of this Dist. bearing the brand of, and clearly the property of the Government, our wants can be supplied.

Very respectfully your obdt servt.
C.B. Wilder
Capt. and A.Q.M. and Supt. R.F. and A.L.