| Engineer Bureau |
| Richmond, March 17th, 1863 |
| |
| To the Sheriff of King & Queen Co. Va |
| |
| Sir, |
| Captain Jno J. Clarke Corps of Engineers
at the White House is authorized to receive the negroes of your county impressed to work on the Govt Defences;
you will therefore please deliver them to him instead of to Alexr.
Dudley Esqr. It was proposed a few weeks since, to the Court of
K&Q to place the quota of their county at work on the {Richmond
&} York River
RRd instead of the fortifications near Richmond. The work required on
that Road, being of great importance to the public defence, it clearly
comes within the provision of the law under which the call for labor,
and unless the slaves recently designated by the court for that
purpose by the court be promptly delivered to Capt. Clarke, this
Bureau will be forced to take the necessary steps to enforce the
original call. |
| Very respy &c |
| J. F. Gilmer |
| Col. & Chf Engr Bu |
|