Viewing page 188 of 239

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

transportation - and only ten were forwarded.

One man who had fallen into the fire in a fit, had one foot and both hands badly burned, - He was brought here the day before the wagon started for Farmville, in a most shocking condition - his hands and foot alive with maggots - yet when he heard that he was going to be sent to a hospital, he hobbled back to his home, Seven miles distant, to avoid being Sent away. 

I afterwards sent him to Farmville, and he is since dead.

Freedmen of both sexes have a strong aversion to the hospital, or poor houses, and will suffer any privation and misery in preference.

It was mainly on this anomalous characteristic of the race, and that the overseers of the poor, in response to the propositions of the Asst Commissr, contained in Circular No. 12 - dated March 21st, 1866, agreed to take charge of colored paupers from the 10th of June 1866.

The Opinion was expressed by the members of the board, that if there were one hundred paupers in the county, there would not be more than twenty five who could be got into the poor-house.

I tender such a system it is very easy to foresee great suffering among this class of freedmen.

The education of the freedmen is being provided for by the establishment of, Sabbath Schools, at the different churches in the county.

The prejudice against allowing the occupation of the churches for this purpose is fast dissolving, - Northern papers, and School books, are received with some suspicion, and scrutinized closely to make sure there is nothing incendiary in their contents.

For this reason, while the people are taking the matter actively in hand, I have refrained from any interference, - feeling that it would perhaps retard the progress of the Schools, altho', I think I am not personally obnoxious to the people.

There are no daily Schools yet established, but a freedman who has been lately teaching in Clarksville Va. is getting up a School in this village