Tarboro N C July 25th 1863
Sire: the Yankees having made a rade though here
stroying mills and bridges have left people in a bad
circumstance to get meal in this place –
I am the owner of Public mills grinding for toll
(the eighth) which mills are nearly always crowed
having to grind partly of nights to keep up which
at present will have to run both day and night for
a while to relieve the suffering with meal so I hope
you will allow me one other white man to assist
me at my mills as the negroes are ofting going off to
yankees there is no dependence to put in them
for one that hope [1] attend to the mills last year
left and I have not hearn from him since
I have one other set of runners [2] at my mill 
which I could soon fixt up if I had one other
white man to attend to grinding that had some
experience in milling _ which then I should be
able to supply a great many with meal which
other wise will be most impossible for them
to get it is almost impossible for me to get
a miller whos age the milishia law will not
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reach in fack there Is no one in my knowl-
edge I can get that is able to attend to a mill
I hope you will grant me one detale if it
not longer than a few months to assist me
at my mills
your most obt servant
Gov. Vance Jesse P. Brown
Raleigh
N.C.