New England Freedmen's Aid Society
8, Studio Building, Tremont Street,

Boston, May 12, 1865

My blessed Chases, good & true, Your excellent invaluable letters down to May 5th have reached me; the last was in Octavius Frothingham's study, when I was in N. Y. at the meeting of the 9th; but he had no idea that I shd. come there; it reached me here however to-day. They make us feel much at home among the snarl of Richmond movements, where you have been playing so interesting a part. You say in the last that you shall leave Richmond in a week or ten days, so I suppose it is safest to send this to Norfolk. I should have written you before; but went off to N. Y. & am only today fairly re-installed in the office; where after opening my own crowded budget about Norfolk, Richmond, Wash. & Alex. the 5 weeks of Office experiences was poured upon me in such an unavoidably overwhelming flow, that I have not caught my breath again yet. Though I went to the Office at 9 a.m. & it is now 7 p.m. at home, I have a dozen more letters I ought to write before bed-time.

So, dear souls, you will excuse my writing you only a nasty scrawl, instead of the well-considered letter which your beautiful ones to me deserve; I am able for but little work, & that to be done but poorly.

Thank you for advancing the $10 to Mr. Woolfolk, and the 5 to Mary Jane Richards. I wrote them both by this mail sending their commissions from April 18th, & first month's salary $30 to him $20 to her, inclosed to Bessie Canedy.

If they do not return you the advanced sums, please charge the account on your bill to the Treasurer.

You spoke of the possible need of more teachers in R. & I believe Mrs. Lane wrote Bessie that if they were needed they should be sent. We expect to hear soon, and send just as many as are needed.

What an interesting field it is. And how much I enjoyed being there with you. I have wished I had stayed a fortnight longer, & yet I was much needed in Washington. I hope to illuminate the next number of the Record with these letters of yours; unhappily the Editors fancy that things written here will be more acceptable than our Teachers' letters; while we Ladies of this Com. believe that people at home cannot make the Record so interesting as those who are living the history of the work, it is intended to recommend. They are literary and we are practical. If I had my way, the whole would be Teachers' letters.

Every body is interested in these you have written us from Richmond, & I feel like walking about the streets reading them at all corners. That Yankeedoodle whistled and sung to the Cav. & other inimitable descriptions. Oh! you are grand creatures & any *** [Note: Page seems to be missing here.]

he may be fed & lodged like the ravens.

I suppose your uncertainty about Norfolk vs. Richmond has risen from the doubts about Capt. Brown. It seems to the Com. that if you prefer Richmond to Norfolk, they desire your wishes to be gratified; and that when the new Asst. Commis. has provided a home for our Teachers there, so that they need not be living on Xn Com, or in any irregular way, that you & Sarah will put yourselves among the number. Your remarks are a little vague about it, but we say if you wish to work in Richmond, we are happy to have you there, needful accommodation being arranged.

We feel the need of information from Richmond, such as a Supertn. could give us.

Hastily & affcty yrs

Hannah E. Stevenson