| Engineer Bureau |
| June 27th 1864 |
| |
| Col. W. H. Stevens |
| Chf of Constn &c D. N. V. |
| |
| Colonel, |
| I am instructed by
the Sec'y of War to ascertain from you whether you have a force of
free negroes which could be spared from the fortifications to assist
in harvesting the crops in the Pamunkey and other points in the
vicinity of Richmond. |
| The farmers have no
hands or facilities for getting in their wheat & their crops will
be lost without such assistance. |
| I informed him that
almost the whole available force of negroes, with the exception of
some ten or fifteen had (I thought) been turned over to assist in
repairing the {Richmond &} Danville
Road, but that the matter would be referred to you. The Sec'y does not
wish slaves to be employed nor does he wish the hands needed for the
Danville road to be taken from that works. |
| Please inform me
whether it will be in you power to furnish free negroes for the
purpose indicated by he Secretary. |
| Respy &c |
| Isaac W. Smith |
| Capt. Eng. |
| P. S. I write in the absence of
Col. Rives who is not in the City. |