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Smith is found to be just, will cause him to be paid from the funds in his possession
By order of
Maj Gen'l O. O. Howard
Sam'l L. Tuggart
A.A.G.

H'd Q'rs Bureau R. F &c. 
Richmond Va, 15th July 1865
Respty referred to Capt A.S. Flagg A.Q.M. & Supt &c, with regard to the endorsement of genl Howard
R'd 15 July & for'd 15 July 1865.


O.O. Howard 
Maj. Gen. &c &c.
7th July 1865

Refers the case of Mrs V. Duncan for investigation of claim for property in Norfolk Va.
R'd July 10th

Endorsed
H'd Q'rs R.F , A.L. 
Richmond Va July 16/65
Resp'y returned to Maj. Gen'l Howard with reference to accompanying report of Lieut. Keatley Ass't Sup't R.F. & A & L Sub Dist of Norfolk -
O Brown Col & Asst.Com'r
forwarded with report July 16 '65


Cooper G.C.V.
Washington D.C. June 30 1865

Submits claim of Freedmen for work on the fortifications at Suffolk Va. in 1863

Endorsed
War Department, Bureau R.F. &c
Washington July 14/65
Respectfully referred to Col. O. Brown, Asst. Com'r for Va. for such information as he may be able

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to obtain of the employment of these men. Please return these papers with report.
By order of Maj. Genl. O.O. Howard, Saml L. Taggart A.A.G.

Hd. Qrs. Asst. Com'r. Bureau &c &c Richmond Va. July 17/65 
Reply returned to Maj. Genl. O.O. Howard Com. &c &c - 
I think that nothing can be done with these claims. I have made several efforts to have these men paid but withought success. Lt. Mc Ardle acting in the Engineers Dept. claimed to have papers from which he could make out their rolls. I think he made out and paid the men on rolls as far as he could obtain reliable information. The trouble arose from negligence on the part of the officers of the Engineers Dept., and it was impossible to learn who the responsible person was. I at one, time had a commission appointed to investigate this class of claims, but the evidence of the freedmen was so conflicting that nothing [[strikethrough]] that nothing [[/strikethrough]] could be done with the rolls made out from the evidence.  Those that worked on Gov't farms, worked with the understanding that they were to receive on half the proceeds of the crop. This was the universal practice that year. The Gov't was to furnish them with rations, teams, tools, seeds &c &c  At the evacuation of Suffolk the Federal troops occupied these farms as a camp, completely destroying the crops. The people on the farms were subsisted a long time afterwards at the expense of the Gov't. They have no just claim against the Gov't
O.Brown Col. & Asst. Com'r.
Rec'd July 17 1865 Forwarded July 17 1865

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